Tandoori Chicken — The Yogurt Marinade That Carried Me Through a Pandemic Easter

Easter. Lockdown Easter. The kids are at Christine's. I'm alone in my house on a holiday that's supposed to be about resurrection and new beginnings, and I'm standing at the smoker at 6 AM because even a pandemic can't stop me from smoking a lamb leg. The lamb: same technique as two years ago. Yogurt-lemongrass-fish sauce marinade, smoked over cherry wood for five hours. I cooked it for nobody in particular. I cooked it because Easter demands lamb and Bobby Tran demands smoke. I divided it into portions. Delivered: Ma (through the screen), Ray and Maria (on their porch), Bill and Margaret (in their driveway). Kept the rest for the kids when they come back Thursday. Ma's voice on the phone has changed. Not weaker — different. Quieter. She's been alone for three weeks. The woman who has been surrounded by people her entire life — in Saigon, on the boat, in the refugee camp, in the Alief house — is alone. She watches Vietnamese TV. She cooks. She prays at the altar. She calls Linh every morning and me every evening and she says she's fine and I believe her less each day. I asked her what she misses most. She said, "The temple walk." The Sunday walk. Our walk. 1.2 miles to the temple and 1.2 miles back, in silence, together. She misses the walking. She misses the together. I stood in her driveway on Sunday morning and called her and said, "Ma, open the front door." She opened it. I stood at the end of the walkway — fifteen feet away — and I said, "We're going to walk." She looked at me. She put on her shoes. She came to the door. We walked. In her driveway. Back and forth. Fifteen feet each way. Her in her orthopedic shoes and sun hat. Me at the other end. Back and forth. For thirty minutes. It wasn't the temple. It wasn't 1.2 miles. It was a driveway. But she was walking and I was there and the distance between us was fifteen feet instead of infinity. Afterward she went inside and I went to my truck and I sat there for a long time and I didn't cry because I don't cry. Except this time I did. Because my seventy-three-year-old mother is walking in her driveway because a virus won't let her walk to the temple and the only person she can walk with is her son, standing fifteen feet away, waving. The lamb was good. The Easter was hard. The driveway walk was the best thing I've done in weeks.

The yogurt-lemongrass marinade I used on that lamb leg — the thing that made it worth standing at the smoker at 6 AM alone on Easter — reminded me that a good yogurt marinade does something nothing else can: it tenderizes, it carries spice deep into the meat, and it holds onto smoke like it was born for it. Tandoori chicken works on the same principle, and it’s what I’ve been making for the family deliveries that didn’t involve a whole leg of lamb. It portions easily, it travels well, and the char on the outside tastes like a grill that somebody actually cared about — which, right now, matters more than I expected.

Tandoori Chicken

Prep Time: 20 min (plus 4–8 hr marinating) | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 50 min active | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 3 lbs bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin removed
• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as avocado or vegetable)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• Fresh cilantro and lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. Score the chicken. Using a sharp knife, cut 2–3 deep slashes into the thickest part of each piece of chicken. This lets the marinade penetrate all the way through.
2. Make the marinade. In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, lemon juice, oil, garlic, and ginger until smooth. Add cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, cayenne, and salt. Stir well to combine.
3. Marinate. Add chicken pieces to the marinade and turn to coat thoroughly, working the marinade into the scored cuts. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight (up to 8 hours).
4. Bring to temperature. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to take the chill off. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (around 425°F), or preheat your oven broiler with a rack positioned 6 inches from the element.
5. Cook the chicken. Shake off the excess marinade. Grill chicken over direct heat for 10–12 minutes per side, until deeply charred in spots and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. If broiling, place on a foil-lined rack and broil 12–14 minutes per side, watching closely for char.
6. Rest and serve. Let the chicken rest 5 minutes before serving. Plate with fresh cilantro, lemon wedges, and naan or rice if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 310 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 5g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 540mg