Charred Tandoori Chicken Skewers with Mint-Cilantro Chutney

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Boneless chicken thighs soak in a coconut milk marinade loaded with ginger, garlic and warm tandoori spices, then char under the broiler until the edges blacken and the inside stays juicy. A bright, punchy mint-cilantro chutney and a squeeze-of-lemon onion salad cut through the richness. No yogurt, no dairy, no grains — just spice, smoke and citrus.

Ingredients

• 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 5 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder (or 1 tsp sweet paprika plus 1/2 tsp cayenne)
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 3/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 2 cups packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
• 1 cup packed fresh mint leaves
• 1 serrano chile, stemmed (seeds removed for less heat)
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 3 tbsp full-fat canned coconut milk
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

• 1 small red onion, sliced paper-thin
• 1 English cucumber, halved and sliced
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin, toasted
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. Make the marinade: in a large bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, lemon juice, avocado oil, ginger, garlic, garam masala, cumin, coriander, Kashmiri chili powder, smoked paprika, turmeric, salt and black pepper until smooth and deep orange.
2. Add the chicken pieces and toss with your hands until every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours; 8 hours gives the best flavor. If using bamboo skewers, soak 8 of them in water for 30 minutes before cooking.
3. Thirty minutes before cooking, pull the chicken from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature. Meanwhile, make the chutney: combine the cilantro, mint, serrano, ginger, garlic, lime juice, coconut milk, olive oil, honey and salt in a blender or small food processor. Blend 45 to 60 seconds, scraping down the sides, until you have a thick, vivid green sauce. Add 1 tablespoon water at a time if it stalls. Refrigerate until serving.
4. Make the salad: toss the red onion and cucumber with the lemon juice, toasted cumin and salt. Let sit at least 15 minutes so the onion softens and turns pink.
5. Position an oven rack 6 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler to high. Line a rimmed sheet pan with foil and set a wire rack inside it, then brush the rack lightly with avocado oil.
6. Thread the chicken onto the skewers, 5 to 6 pieces each, leaving a little space between pieces so the heat can reach the sides. Let excess marinade drip off, then lay the skewers on the rack.
7. Broil 8 to 10 minutes, until the tops are blistered and blackened in spots. Flip the skewers and broil another 6 to 8 minutes, until the second side is charred and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest piece reads 175°F.
8. Rest the skewers on a platter for 5 minutes. Serve with the mint-cilantro chutney, the onion-cucumber salad piled alongside, and lemon wedges for squeezing over the top.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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