A surprisingly spare set of ingredients inspired by Indian hariyali tikka deliver big punchy flavor and vibrant color to chicken thighs. Running the marinated thighs under the broiler is the best way to ensure outdoor-grill-level char while retaining their juicy bounciness. Try it with the serrano as written. The prickle of heat is welcome against the sour cream and natural richness of chicken thighs.
Recipe information
Total Time
50 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
1
4
1
½
¼
2
1
3
1
1½
2
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
Purée 1 medium bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped (including stems; about 1½ cups), 4 garlic cloves, 1 serrano chile, stem removed, ½ cup (tightly packed) mint leaves, ¼ cup sour cream, 2 Tbsp. yellow mustard, 1 tsp. ground cardamom, 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, and 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a blender, pushing down with a tamper or rubber spatula, until very smooth and bright green. (If mixture absolutely refuses to blend even after pushing leaves into blades, add water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, until it moves.)
Step 2
Transfer purée to a large bowl. Add 1½ lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2" pieces, and toss to coat. Let sit at least 15 minutes at room temperature, or cover and chill up to 1 day. (You don’t need to bring to room temperature before cooking.)
Step 3
Heat broiler (if your broiler is in your oven, place rack in top slot). Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip back into bowl, and arrange on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, spacing evenly apart; discard any remaining marinade. Broil chicken, rotating baking sheet front to back as needed if cooking unevenly, until cooked through and deeply charred in spots, 20–25 minutes.
Step 4
Transfer chicken to a platter; squeeze juice from 2 large limes, halved, over. Arrange sliced cucumber, radishes, and red onion alongside; drizzle a little oil over and season generously with salt. Serve with warmed flour tortillas alongside.