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Roasted Butterflied Chicken with Cardamom and Yogurt

Wildcard Contest Winner!

Roasted Butterflied Chicken with Cardamom and Yogurt

Photo 1 of 2
by Sarah Shatz

Roasted Butterflied Chicken with Cardamom and Yogurt

Photo 2 of 2
by TasteFood

  • This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Recipe with Cardamom
  • A&M's Testing Notes: TasteFood 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...

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  • Chef

    TasteFood's Notes: There is no shortage of spices in this recipe, yet the end result amplifies cardamom. Combined with garlic, ginger and yogurt this blend forms a thick marinade which coats, perfumes and tenderizes...

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Serves 2-4

  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.

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  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.

    Ask a question about this step
  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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84 Comments on Roasted Butterflied Chicken with Cardamom and Yogurt

Img_2756 Reply

This was on my dinner table tonight, and it rocked! great flavors and the chicken was so juicy! I will share and make again!

Img_0391 Reply

Wow. Fabulous. Thank you!!!

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Where is the print feature on this page?

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This was succulent, aromatic and delicious! Simple to make and well worth doing again! Thanks!

Img_3781 Reply

This made the tastiest pan juices of any bird I've ever roasted. I'm even more excited about the leftovers! Thanks for sharing with us.

Logo-fb Reply

I am always looking for a new chicken recipe. Your recipe looks wonderful!

Green_apple_card Reply

I am so happy you all are enjoying this recipe. It's time for me to make it again, too!

Chocolate_peppermint_truffle_cookies_032 Reply

I've made this lots of times now and it is - hands down - my favorite way I've ever had a chicken. Ever.

186003_1004761561_1198459_n Reply

Susan and Lynda, I totally agree !!

Chocolate_peppermint_truffle_cookies_032 Reply

Happy New Year, Mare!!! How are you!

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Made this tonight for my 4.5 yr old, his buddy and mother. WOW! The fragrance and flavors danced on our taste buds. I served seconds and thirds. The boys comments, "This is fantastic. Just delicious...can you please make this again!" Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!

Claire Reply

There are breasts waiting at home, this would be perfect!

Img_7818 Reply

Just wanted you to know that I made this tonight for the first time and absolutely loved it! The marinade is full of flavor and well balanced -- and it's great to be able to fully prep the chicken the night before. I'll be making this again and again!

Dsc_0281 Reply

Hey there! So, I'm making this with skinless bone-in thighs... Should i shake or wipe some of the marinade off before roasting in a cast iron skillet? I'm worried about burning. Thanks, I am so looking forward to this dish!

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Wow, really, really good! And it was all I could do not to dip a big piece of bread into those pan juices. I actually spooned a little of it into my rice pilaf! Excellent!

Green_apple_card Reply

Thanks - so happy you enjoyed it!

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Also, since I loved your technique so much, I tried this with smoked paprika instead of the cardamom, cumin , coriander and ginger and it was also great!

186003_1004761561_1198459_n Reply

Lynda, I just wanted you to know that I think this is my all time favorite chicken recipe. I make it at least once every couple of weeks. The flavors are fantastic!

Green_apple_card Reply

Thanks Mary - that means a lot coming from you!

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This is absolutely lovely. I've made it several times, and we enjoy it more every time. Tonight, we are celebrating post-Hurricane Irene with it. Thanks so much!

Green_apple_card Reply

You're welcome and enjoy your much deserved celebration!

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Really, really good - excellent flavor! My husband is not a big chicken fan, and he loved it.

Marcicool Reply

Made this last night after a friend suggested it. I'm so in love with it....I want to marry it! Easy peasy, and such an amazing flavor profile. It'll go in my favorite chicken "go-to" recipes from now on! THANK YOU!!

Me Reply

Made this last night. Oh my yum. What a fabulous dish. Love the combination of flavors, the juiciness of the bird, and the crispy skin. Can't wait to make this again!

Summer_2010_1048 Reply

Served this with cous cous this weekend. SO delicious. Thanks for a great recipe TasteFood.

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RIDICULOUSLY EASY AND DELISH. We served it for company and they were duly impressed. Great dish. Thank you!

Green_apple_card Reply

Thanks, again, everyone for your kind comments this past week. I'm so happy you're enjoying the recipe!

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This looks fabulous. I am going to make this tonight. As a older male trying to learn how to cook, this website hasn't steered me wrong yet, except that I have to drive 50 miles to get some basic ingredients like creme fraische lol.

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In the oven RIGHT NOW Had to sub Tofutti Sour cream for yoghurt because we are kosher. Will let you know how it came out!! Smells GREAT!

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It was great!! Everyone LOVED it!!

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This sounds amazing, can't wait to give it a go.

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Congratulations.......you just invented tandoori chicken.

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Similar marinade technique, but significantly different spicing and I've never seen a tandoori chicken presented quite so nicely...or in fact presented looking anything like this.

Perhaps you didn't mean it as such (and I think I'm being charitable, but that's the kind of place this is), but your comment comes across as snarky and rude. As (a) your comment is inaccurate and (b) your own recipe contributions here appear to be negligible, can I suggest you either show some appreciation for this place and its contributors in your comments or keep them to yourself. There are plenty of other places on the net for trolling...

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cookinginspite: the best I could do to re-introduce the topic is to point you to amanda and merrill's spatchcocked recipes:

http://www.food52.com/recipes/8192_spatchcocked_and_braiseroasted_chicken
http://www.food52.com/recipes/6245_spatchcocked_roast_chicken

Profile_photo Reply

This recipe looks wonderful and I can't wait to try it! I missed the spatchcocked/butterflied chicken discussions and couldn't find it when I searched the site. Can someone send me a link? I haven't cooked chicken that way yet but want to...Thanks!

Hib_kitchen Reply

Hooray! Just saw this. Great recipe and well deserved win! It is saved.

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I didn't think this recipe got enough attention during the cardamom contest or during all the recent spatchcocked/butterflied chicken discussions. I'm so glad to see that the truth will out! The second time I made it, I turned the temperature down a bit, and that was a mistake. Bake it nice and hot, and you'll get that wonderful skin and also keep the cardamom from overwhelming the flavors. But yes!! The yogurt plus spices is a keeper.

Shamrock-medal Reply

Congrats! I knew this sounded fabulous when it was first entered!

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Congratulations TasteFood. Another roasted chicken for my MUST MAKE list. I make a roast every week and this will definately be next weeks. I love the yogurt addition. In the summer I make a Chicken Vindaloo which is chicken legs and thighs marinaded in yogurt. Wonderful, so glad you posted this.

Green_apple_card Reply

Wow, what a nice surprise! Thank you editors for the wildcard win, and a big thank you to everyone for your comments!!!

Dsc_0205 Reply

Hi TasteFood! Happy news for you today! This sounds wonderful with all the rain expected for the remainder of the week. It's going to make G. happy on Fri. when he walks in the door at night and the scent of this dish is welcoming him in! Thank you!

Img_1958 Reply

Congratulations TasteFood, what a well-deserved Wildcard win! Looking forward to making this.

Copy_of_me Reply

A wonderful addition to Book 2, congrats!

Chocolate_peppermint_truffle_cookies_032 Reply

Yay!!! Congrats on the Wildcard win!!! This is a great recipe. I'm so glad it (and you) will be in the book!!

Monkeys Reply

I second this! Beautiful recipe, congrats to you!

Ozoz_profile Reply

Congratulations...........it looks wonderful

186003_1004761561_1198459_n Reply

I am so excited that this recipe won! I have been making this recipe once a week since you posted it. It is incredibly delicious!

Newliztoqueicon-2 Reply

So well-deserved!! Cannot wait to try this out. I have a beautiful chicken in the fridge too!

Cheese_for_twitter0001 Reply

Fabulous dish, TasteFood. Congrats!

Picture_057 Reply

This looks amazing! I'll have to give it a try!

Lnd_jen Reply

Lynda, you've done it again - congrats on your Wildcard win, and thanks for sharing another beautiful recipe!

Summer_2010_1048 Reply

Sounds outstanding. Congrats!

Mrs Reply

Wow! This sounds excellent! Congrats on the wild card win!!

Dsc_0382 Reply

Was wondering what to make tonight - done!!

Dsc_0382 Reply

Delicious!! All I had were thighs, but they worked out just fine. The cardamom really shines.

Sausage2 Reply

Congrats on the Wild Card! This looks so yummy!!!

Wedding_pictures_162 Reply

Wow--congratulations on the Wildcard!

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We ate this tonight...a Monday night that also happened to be Valentine's Day. It was great, my husband called it "scrumptious' and while he likes great food, that's not a usual adjective. The crispy skin! I love cardamom and ginger and coriander and cumin and garlic and everything else you include. I'm guessing that by next Valentine's Day I'll have made this a lot, always a little bit differently, but always scrumptious.

Green_apple_card Reply

I am so happy you liked it!

New_years_kitchen_hlc_only Reply

This looks -- and sounds -- so delicious! It's on my "must-try-next-week" list, to be sure. Like Mr Hirschfeld, I'll very likely serve it with pauljoseph's wildcard rice. Mmmmm. Can't wait! ;o)

Green_apple_card Reply

Thanks, AJ. I hope you like it!

Clickworker Reply

wow.....this is the most gorgeous chicken i've ever seen. Can't wait to impress my husband with it.....maybe on Valentines :)

Green_apple_card Reply

Cardamom is reputed to be an aphrodisiac.

Newliztoqueicon-2 Reply

This looks beautiful, both the recipe and your photo - thumbs up!!

Green_apple_card Reply

Thanks, Liz!

Dscn0826 Reply

I think this will be dinner tonight. Looks similar to Tandoori minus the heat and food coloring. I might just pair it with pauljosephs rice.

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Hey, that's what I'm doing! Actually, I'm thinking it'll end up not dissimilar to a reshmi kebab.

Green_apple_card Reply

Let me know how you like it. pauljosephs rice sounds delicious.

Dscn0826 Reply

I like the way the spices mildly permeate the meat under the skin. Big hits of spice with crispy skin then mild spice with great chicken flavor. Delicious, will definitely be adding this to the chicken recipe box. I love the way the garlic adds a sumptuous richness.

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This was great. I based a bit during the first half hour or so. Also, I added a few black cardamom to the mix. Served with pauljoseph's rice and a variation of http://www.food52.com/recipes/5392_lemon_basil_roasted_summer_squash_with_garlic_crisp

super easy food52 dinner...

186003_1004761561_1198459_n Reply

Lynda, I made this recipe tonight and had to tell you that it was fabulous. Something is wrong if this is not a finalist...a winner!!!

Green_apple_card Reply

Thanks Mary! I am so glad you liked it!

Cheese_for_twitter0001 Reply

Georgous photo!

Green_apple_card Reply

Thank you!

186003_1004761561_1198459_n Reply

This sounds delicious...I like the use of yoghurt. (is spatchcocked the new butterflied?) Your picture looks delicious too!

Green_apple_card Reply

Thanks, Mary. I think spatchcocked is the "under a brick" method. This one isn't flattened. I feared the yogurt marinade would burn if I did that.

Reply

Nice pic. This is going on the dinner menu this week.

Green_apple_card Reply

Thanks, I hope you like it!

036 Reply

Wow, this looks amazing. The yogurt is genius. I am planning on making / entering a roast chicken tomorrow but your already looks way better ....

Green_apple_card Reply

The yogurt is a wonderful tenderizer and nicely helps with the browning.

Chocolate_peppermint_truffle_cookies_032 Reply

This sounds wonderful!! And what a stunning photo!!!

Green_apple_card Reply

Thanks, Susan!

Shamrock-medal Reply

Yum! Love your spice blend.

Green_apple_card Reply

Thank you. The blend mellows nicely with roasting.

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