This aromatic dish highlight’s yogurt’s versatility as a marinade. This dish does create a bit of liquid while cooking. To serve, use a slotted spoon to lift out a piece of chicken, some onions, and a slice of squash. Discard the excess liquid.
Makes 8 servings.
- 10 green cardamom pods
- 8 while cloves
- 2 dried chili pappers, stems removed
- 1 cinnamon stick, halved
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 1-1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed, divided
- 1 one-inch piece ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 8 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin on (about 2 to 2-1/2 lbs)
- 2-3 large onions, peeled and sliced (about 4 cups)
- 1/2 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch X 2-inch wedges (about 2 cups)
Using the back of a knife, gently crush cardamom pods and remove seeds. Discard pods and add seeds to a small skillet along with the cloves, dried peppers and cinnamon stick. Toast the spices over low heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Put the toasted spices, peppercorns, salt, 2 garlic cloves, ginger, yogurt and coconut milk into a large boil. Whisk to combine and add the chicken thighs, turning to coat them evenly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to marinate for 2 hours in the refrigerator and then 1 hour at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large baking dish, evenly spread the onions. Add the remaining garlic, and, in a single layer, top with the butternut squash wedges.
Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing any excess to drip back into the bowl. Arrange the chicken over the vegetables in a single layer. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature of 165 degrees F is reached.
Turn oven to Broil and crisp and brown the chicken skin, about 3 to 5 minutes, watching closely to be sure not to burn.
Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Source: Cuisinart
