One of the reasons I started this food blog was to chronicle and share recipes. Another huge reason was to challenge myself to stay inventive and creative in the kitchen. It is so easy to get stuck in a cooking rut and make the same old dishes or recipes over and over again.
We have been grilling a lot this summer (thank you great weather!) and recently I realized that we were cooking the same burgers and the same chicken over and over and over again. I challenged myself to create some new recipes from what I had available in the pantry and one of the reigning favorites is this Ginger Tamarind Grilled Chicken.
If you are a fan of Asian flavors, you are going to love this chicken. The marinade has that sour tang from the Tamarind but it’s balanced out with the (small touch) of honey and spices. It caramelizes a bit and the chicken stays nice and moist. Not only is this marinade super easy to throw together but you can do it the night before or early in the morning before work. Just come home, turn on the grill and make a side dish or two!
NOTES:
- Tamarind paste can be difficult to find. If you have a hard time, check your local Asian Supermarket or natural foods store. You can also order this one or this one online.
- Avocado oil is a mild oil with a very high heat point (500F). I have started using it in places I used to use Canola or Safflower Oil. If you live in the Seattle area, Costco has a great deal right now on very large bottles of high-quality Avocado Oil (under $10!).
- If you don’t have a Grill, don’t fret – I have also baked this in the oven at 400F for about 1 hour (or until internal temp of 165F) and it’s great!
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!
Tamarind Chicken Recipe from www.everydaymaven.com
- 4 to 5 pound whole chicken cut into 8 pieces
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos or Tamari
- 2 1/2 tablespoons avocado oil or other mild cooking oil such as light olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tamarind paste
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 6 small cloves garlic minced
- 3 inch piece fresh ginger root peeled and minced
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Begin by using a fork to puncture fork holes in the chicken pieces. I like to do 6 to 8 punctures per large piece of chicken and 4 to 6 for the smaller pieces. Place the chicken in a large glass bowl or ziploc type bag and set aside.
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Combine remaining ingredients and whisk together until well mixed. Pour over chicken and use your hands to evenly distribute the marinade. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours or as long as overnight.
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To cook on a gas grill, preheat the grill to medium. Place chicken on the grill bone-side down, close the lid and cook 20 to 25 minutes.
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Flip chicken, close lid and cook for 6 to 8 minutes (for grill marks).
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Flip back to bone side down, close lid and cook an additional 5 to 8 minutes until internal temperature is 165F and the juice runs clear. Serve and Enjoy!
Did you make this recipe? Tag @EverydayMaven on Instagram with the hashtag #EveryDayMaven and please give a star rating below.
I can’t eat garlic (or onions or other similar things)–do you think this recipe would be good without it? Also, could I make it in the oven or instant pot?
Hi Rachel,
The garlic is pretty important for this dish. I would say to skip and try a different recipe. Thanks! 🙂