Cooking with Yogurt, 6 Ways

This recipe turns the everyday roast chicken on its head, simply by bathing it in an intoxicatingly spiced yogurt marinade, butterflying it, and flattening it into a cast iron skillet to roast. - Amanda & Merrill

Serves 2-4
seeds from 6 cardamom pods
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup whole milk yogurt
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 3-4 pound chicken, butterflied
Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

1. Grind cardamom seeds and peppercorns in a mortar with pestle to a fine powder. Add salt, coriander, cumin and garlic. and smash the garlic. Add the olive oil to form a paste. Stir in yogurt, ginger and lemon juice.
2.Place chicken in a large bowl or pan. Rub yogurt between skin and breasts and thighs. Then smear remaining yogurt over the outside of the chicken, front and back. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours. Remove chicken from refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting.
3.Preheat oven to 425 F. Place chicken breast-side up in a baking pan or cast iron pan. Bake in oven until thoroughly cooked, 45 minutes - 1 hour. Remove and let rest 15 minutes before carving. Serve garnished with cilantro leaves.

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