The weather is warming up and people are already eager to get outdoors. Many of us can’t wait to fire up the grill or enjoy a nice picnic this year, those picnics may mostly be happening in our backyards, but we’re ready to make the best of it!
Here to help us with a different twist on a common grill favorite and to tell us how we can take our cookout up a notch is our friend, Shanel Dewalt, Sous Chef at Great Lakes Culinary Center.
She shared her recipe with Chicken Tikka Masla. She said this recipe is all about the marinade. If you want to make it vegetarian or vegan you can sub out the chicken for cauliflower, and the yogurt for plant-based yogurt. The full recipe is below.
Another way to upgrade your outdoor feast is to jazz up your silverware and plates. Disposal plates now come in pretty designs, or you can get bamboo plates to give it a very rustic look. A wine tumbler is a nice addition to a picnic as well. This way your glass of vino is protected and will stay at the perfect temperature throughout the picnic.
Or you can always order carry out for your picnic. Great Lakes Culinary Center is starting to do curbside pick up on May 30th. Check out their website for more details and to order.
Chicken Tikka Recipe
Ingredients
3 pounds chicken breasts or chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups of plain yogurt
2 tablespoons of garlic
1 tablespoon of fresh grated ginger
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
One pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon salt
2 tsp ground pepper
Olive Oil for brushing
Wooden Skewers
Lime wedges, for serving
Naan Bread for serving
Directions
Clean your chicken and cut into cubes for putting on skewers. Take a fork and prick the chicken many times. Add the lemon juice in the bowl a with the chicken, stir until coated, and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, pepper, and salt. Marinade the chicken in this mixture for at least 2-3 hours. Add the chicken on to the wooden skewers. Tip: Soak your skewers completely in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning on the grill.
While the chicken is marinating, start heating your grill. Brush the skewers with olive oil and grill approximately 6 minutes on each side, or until done.
Once you have grilled on one side for 6 minutes, turn them over and brush with olive oil, and grill for 6 more minutes or until done.
You can also use your stove, searing with olive oil on both sides until golden brown, and finishing in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
Serve with naan bread, shaved red onions, and make a sandwich with arugula tossed in lemon juice and olive oil.