Garlic GInger Chicken

Priay Krishna clearly grew up in a largely vegetarian home, because in her cookbook Indian-ish, she includes just one chicken recipe and says that i t is all that you will need.  That is clearly untrue, but this is a very flavorful way to have cold chicken, sliced into a salad or in a sandwich.  One thing that I learned from the book is that Indians embrace a good sandwich, and this could be part of one.

• 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh ginger
• 3 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. finely chopped cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
• 1 Tbsp. finely chopped mint leaves, plus more for garnish
• 1 Tbsp. ground coriander (freshly ground is best)
• 1 tsp. amchur (dry mango powder)
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• ¾ tsp. kosher salt
• ½ tsp. red chili powder
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (½–¾ lb. each)

• Mix garlic, lemon juice, ginger, 3 Tbsp. oil, 1 Tbsp. cilantro, and 1 Tbsp. mint in a medium bowl to form a paste.

• Mix coriander, amchur, turmeric, salt, and chili powder in a small bowl. Add spice mixture to garlic-ginger paste and stir well to combine. Transfer marinade to a large resealable bag.

• Place chicken breasts in marinade and seal bag tightly. Using your hands, gently massage marinade onto chicken, making sure to evenly coat each breast. Chill 2 hours.

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Once pan is quite hot, add remaining 1 tsp. oil, swirling pan to coat the entire surface. Reduce heat to medium. Remove chicken from marinade and cook, undisturbed, until lightly golden on one side, 1–2 minutes. Flip chicken and continue to cook until golden brown on the other side, 1–2 more minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook (without peeking!) 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let chicken sit, covered, 10–15 minutes, depending on thickness of the breasts. Don’t uncover, or you’ll release the hot steam that cooks the chicken.

• Check to make sure the breasts are cooked through—there shouldn't be any pink in the middle, and if you have an instant-read thermometer, the chicken should register 165°. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and slice into strips. Transfer to a platter. Garnish with cilantro and mint.