"Everything" Chicken — The Grill That Brought Everyone Together

Fourth of July in the new house. The first holiday with a backyard, which changes everything. No more apartment balconies — we have grass, and an oak tree, and a fence, and the specific luxury of stepping outside in bare feet and feeling earth instead of concrete. We hosted a small gathering — Amma and Appa, Arvind, Raj's parents, a few neighbors we're still getting to know. I grilled for the first time. I, Priya Krishnamurthy-Patel, who has cooked approximately ten thousand Indian meals in her life, stood at a charcoal grill in my backyard and grilled chicken marinated in tandoori spices. The cultural collision was magnificent — tandoori chicken on a Weber grill, served with corn on the cob and my watermelon chaat. Amma inspected the grill with suspicion. "You're cooking outside? On this... machine?" "It's a grill, Amma. Americans grill." "Indians don't grill." "This Indian does." "Hmph." She ate three pieces of the tandoori chicken. Three. From Amma, this is a Michelin star review of the grill she claims not to approve of. Anaya walked around the backyard in a red, white, and blue onesie, picking up grass and offering it to people, which is her current social practice — she gives you things. Grass, toys, half-chewed crackers. She's learning generosity, which I choose to attribute to the Krishnamurthy side (Amma would agree) or possibly just to being one year old. The oak tree in the backyard provides shade that covers half the yard in the afternoon. I sat under it with Anaya on my lap and watched Raj manage the grill and watched Appa sit in a lawn chair reading his book and watched Amma and Pushpa arrange the food table together (not arguing, not competing — just arranging, side by side, like two women who have figured out how to share a table). This house. This yard. This tree. I made mango lassi for the crowd — blended mango with yogurt and cardamom, served ice cold. It's the drink that bridges: Indian enough for Amma, American enough for a Fourth of July, delicious enough for everyone. Home. We're home.

The tandoori marinade I used that day was my own instinct — spices I’ve known my whole life, heat I learned from Amma’s kitchen, applied to a Weber grill in suburban New Jersey — but what I keep coming back to for a weeknight that captures the same bold, confident energy is this “Everything” Chicken. It’s the recipe that reminds me of standing at that grill: no hesitation, no recipe card, just seasoning that means it and heat that delivers. If you’ve got a backyard, or a cast iron pan, or simply the desire to feed people something that makes them reach for a second piece without asking, this is the one.

"Everything" Chicken

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 4–5 pieces)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons everything bagel seasoning (sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried minced garlic, dried minced onion, flaky sea salt)
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon, for finishing
• Fresh parsley or chives, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat your grill or oven. Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high (about 400°F). Alternatively, preheat your oven to 425°F with a rack in the center position.
2. Season the chicken. Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels — this is non-negotiable for good browning. Drizzle with olive oil and rub to coat all sides. In a small bowl, combine the everything bagel seasoning, smoked paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Press the seasoning mixture firmly onto all surfaces of each piece.
3. Grill (or roast). For the grill: place chicken skin-side down over direct heat. Grill 6–8 minutes until skin is deeply golden and releases easily, then flip and cook another 15–18 minutes over indirect heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F at the thickest point. For the oven: place chicken skin-side up on a rimmed baking sheet and roast 25–28 minutes until cooked through and skin is crisp.
4. Rest and finish. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Squeeze the lemon half over the top and scatter fresh parsley or chives over everything just before serving.
5. Serve. Bring to the table on a platter alongside your choice of sides — corn, a bright salad, or anything else that belongs at a summer table.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 370 | Protein: 31g | Fat: 26g | Carbs: 3g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 620mg