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Chicken Lajawab

Chicken Lajawab

By Rose HattabaughOctober 12, 2020

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    45 minutes
  • Active time plus cooling
    25 minutes active
  • Rating

There are many ways to prepare the South Asian dish called chicken lajawab (lajawab often is translated from Urdu as “priceless” or “peerless”). Our rendition, a riff on a recipe from “Madhur Jaffrey’s Step-by-Step Cooking,” employs a high-impact seasoning paste two ways: it’s rubbed onto chicken parts that are cooked in a hot oven, and it’s combined with yogurt to serve as an accompaniment. Depending on their capsaicin content, the jalapeños may add a decent amount of chili heat; if you wish to temper their spiciness, remove the seeds and ribs before dropping the chilies into the blender. Basmati rice or warmed naan are excellent alongside.

Tip

Don’t skip the step of slashing the chicken parts. The cuts allow the seasoning paste to flavor the meat throughout. They also help speed up cooking.

Ingredients
  • 2

    medium shallots, peeled and halved

  • 3

    inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 4 or 5 pieces

  • 2

    jalapeño chilies, stemmed and halved

  • 1

    tablespoon ground cumin

  • 2

    teaspoons garam masala

  • ¼

    cup white wine vinegar

  • ¼

    cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1

    tablespoon honey

  • 1

    bunch cilantro, stems and leaves roughly chopped, reserved separately

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 1

    cup whole-milk plain yogurt

  • 3

    pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or leg quarters, patted dry

Step 1

Heat the oven to 475°F with a rack in the middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

In a blender, combine the shallots, ginger, jalapeños, cumin, garam masala, vinegar, oil, honey, the cilantro stems, 1 tablespoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping the blender jar as needed.

Step 2

Measure ¼ cup of the puree into a small bowl, then stir in the yogurt and ½ teaspoon salt; cover and set aside for serving. Transfer the remaining puree to a large bowl.

Using a sharp knife, cut 2 parallel slashes on each thigh, slicing through the skin all the way to the bone; if using leg quarters, also cut two slashes on each drumstick. Repeat on the underside of each piece.

Add the chicken to the large bowl and rub the seasoning paste into the slashes. Place the chicken skin side up on the prepared baking sheet and marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Step 3

Roast the chicken until well browned and the thickest part reaches 175°F, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and sprinkle with the cilantro leaves. Serve with the yogurt sauce on the side.