A deliciously spicy barbecue chicken roasted in South Indian flavours combined with molasses.
Ingredients:
- 2 pieces skinless breast halves (on the bone), about 500g
- 1 teaspoon salt
Marinade:
- 3 tablespoons molasses
- ½ teaspoon white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri chili (or less!), ground
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- 1” piece ginger, grated (about 1 ½ tablespoon)
- 1 tablespoon soya sauce
- 1 tablespoon prepared mustard (I use Dijon)
- 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
Instructions:
- Heat oven to 200 degrees Celsius (about 390-400 Fahrenheit).
- Cut chicken breast pieces into halves. Apply salt.
- Combine molasses and remaining marinade ingredients and whisk together. Allow chicken to marinate for 1-2 hours. You can leave it up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
- Place chicken on an oiled baking sheet or non-stick baking sheet. Allow to cook for 6-7 minutes on a side. Remove chicken from oven and turn pieces over. Brush with remaining marinade and return to oven.
- Remove chicken from oven in another 6-7 minutes when nicely browned.
Note: You can insert a thin knife into chicken to see that it is cooked through, and no pinkness remains.
Credits: This recipe was adapted from my Malayali friend Saritha Joseph’s Nadan Grilled Chicken recipe. The original called for 3 tablespoons of ground kashmiri chili, which burned right through the roof of my mouth! But I found the combination of ingredients fascinating and couldn’t resist publishing it!
Critical Ingredients:
Molasses given this chicken an unusual flavour when combined with the fusion ingredients – the Indian flavours of turmeric and ginger, along with the name from soya sauce – so is critical. The turmeric can be left out – it does leave yellow stains on your fingers while eating – but you need some heat from either red chili powder or alternatively black pepper. If you don’t have a bottle or ready mustard, as a teaspoon of freshly ground yellow mustard seeds will provide pungency. If you don’t like the strong flavour of coconut oil, go ahead and use any other cooking oil.