Spiced Roast Chicken With Tangy Yogurt Sauce

By Kay Chun

Published Aug. 16, 2022

Spiced Roast Chicken With Tangy Yogurt Sauce
Joe Lingeman for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(2,362)
Comments
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This weeknight meal is inspired by the spiced chicken and rice that draws lines at halal street carts across Manhattan. Whether it’s lunchtime or late at night, the scent and Mediterranean flavors of grilled and chopped chicken served over turmeric-tinged yellow rice (or wrapped in pita) alongside shredded iceberg salad lures a crowd. Everything gets an imperative, generous drizzle of that signature creamy and tangy white sauce, made here with a blend of yogurt, mayonnaise and spices. Fresh garlic, cilantro and lemon juice are combined with a tasty mix of fragrant spices, then rubbed all over the chicken before it’s roasted until golden and crispy. The iceberg-and-tomato salad offers a cool, refreshing contrast to the spiced chicken.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

    For the Roasted Chicken

    • ¼cup neutral oil, such as safflower or canola
    • 5garlic cloves, minced
    • 1tablespoon ground coriander
    • 1½teaspoons ground sweet paprika
    • 1teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1teaspoon dried oregano
    • ½teaspoon granulated onion
    • ¼cup chopped cilantro
    • 2tablespoons lemon juice, plus wedges for serving
    • 2pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
    • Salt and black pepper

    For the White Sauce

    • ½cup plain Greek yogurt (2 percent or whole-milk)
    • ¼cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
    • 1tablespoon distilled white vinegar
    • ¾teaspoon granulated sugar
    • A big pinch of granulated garlic
    • A big pinch of granulated onion
    • Salt and black pepper
    • To Serve:
    • 1small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
    • 2medium tomatoes, diced
    • Warm pita bread and hot sauce (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

580 calories; 34 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 16 grams polyunsaturated fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 52 grams protein; 1083 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare the chicken: Heat oven to 450 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the oil, fresh garlic, coriander, paprika, cumin, oregano and granulated onion with half of the cilantro and half of the lemon juice; mix well. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and toss to evenly coat.

  2. Step 2

    Spread the seasoned chicken in a single layer on a large sheet pan and roast until golden and caramelized, about 20 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    While the chicken roasts, make the white sauce: In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, granulated garlic and granulated onion; season with salt and pepper, then mix well; set aside.

  4. Step 4

    Add the remaining cilantro and lemon juice to the roasted chicken and mix well, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Divide chicken, lettuce and tomatoes among 4 plates and drizzle with some of the white sauce. Serve with lemon wedges, plus pita and hot sauce, if using.

Ratings

5 out of 5
2,362 user ratings
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Comments

Dani

This is basically identical to how I do it, except this time of year I skewer it and put it on the grill when I can’t stand to turn on the oven that much. Also, it makes great camping food to cook over the fire. The spices make it! Super!

Rachel Barenblat

If you don't do chicken with dairy, a tahini sauce also goes gloriously with this, and King Arthur Baking's 'quick and easy flatbreads.'

Holly

Made this tonight and my husband inhaled it! Made exactly as printed with one small substitution. As I really don't care for iceberg lettuce, I used finely shredded napa cabbage which I've used in many Indian dishes. Perfect. Encourage the use of hot sauce for serving. I also removed the chicken before 20 minutes as it would have been too dry. Check it at about 12 minutes to guage just how much time is needed.

Margie

For a vegetarian version, this also works really well with oyster mushrooms.

Ed S

Ok, I did some mods to this recipe. 1. I marinated chicken for an hour in the rub. 2, I grilled the chicken. 3. I liked the Napa cabbage suggestion, but I did a quick sauté to warm it up preceded by warming up some diced fire roasted tomatoes in a wok to intensify the tomato impact. 4. Instead of naan, I used basmati rice seasoned with Sazon instead of turmeric. All these changes were a result of comparing the description of the source of the dish and the recipe as given. Loved it!

NW Lee ann

Really excellent and easy. Great flavor, sauce good compliment, ate it as salad over the lettuce and tomato. Worth buying the granulated onion for this recipe. Did have heavy hand with the spices.

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