The addition of a Punjabi-style garlic achar creates a flavour bomb on simple chicken breast.
We independently select everything we recommend. Buying through us may earn us a commission, which supports our work.
Article content
Many home cooks rely on the humble chicken breast as a staple ingredient in the kitchen because it’s lean, quick to cook, and essentially a blank slate for adding your flavour of choice. They are also notorious for overcooking, having a chewy texture, and tasting bland if they aren’t cooked correctly.
Article content
The marinade in this recipe takes care of the flavour issue. The addition of a Punjabi-style garlic achar creates a flavour bomb. If you aren’t familiar with achar, it’s a pickled condiment that shows up all over South Asia. The one used in this recipe is pickled and sun-cured in oil and salt, which is traditional to the Punjab region of India. Achar is made by preserving vegetables or fruit (mango, lime, carrot, garlic) in mustard oil with a heavy hand of spices: fenugreek, nigella seeds, red chili, and turmeric are some of the most commonly used. The result is something tangy, salty, sharp and deeply aromatic all at once.
Article content
Article content
Story continues below
Article content
If achar is new to you, the good news is it’s not hard to find. It is stocked at any South Asian grocery store, or even in the ethnic aisle at large grocery retailers. Spice level varies a lot by brand, some are fiery, and some are quite mild. Make sure to do a taste test before mixing up your marinade. There’s no single “correct” achar here; part of the fun is finding the jar that suits your taste.
Article content
West Coast Table
Article content
Garlic achar (sometimes labelled as lahsun ka achar) in particular brings a mellow heat and a savoury, almost umami depth to this marinade once it’s blended smooth. Paired with mayonnaise, which does double duty as a tenderizer and a moisture barrier during cooking, it turns into a marinade that clings to the chicken and bastes it from the inside as it cooks. This leaves you with a piece of meat that’s juicy all the way through instead of something dry and stringy.
Article content
Achari Mayo Chicken
Article content
4 chicken breast cutlets
Article content
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
Article content
½ tsp (2.5 mL) pepper
Article content
⅓ cup (80 mL) mayonnaise
Article content
⅓ cup (80 mL) achar (garlic achar recommended)
Article content
Lime juice, to finish (optional)
Article content
Pat the chicken cutlets dry and pound out the thicker side slightly so each cutlet is an even thickness. (This helps them cook evenly and keeps the thinner end from drying out before the thicker end is done.)
Article content
Story continues below
Article content
Purée the achar and mayonnaise together until smooth to create the base marinade.
Article content
Read More
-
Jeera aloo recipe: Cumin potatoes for barbecue season
-
Recipe: A fresh take on palak paneer
-
Advertisement 1
Story continues below
Article content
Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then combine with the marinade, making sure each cutlet is well coated. Marinate in the fridge for 4–24 hours.
Article content
Remove the chicken from the fridge and let it come up to room temperature before cooking, this helps it cook more evenly.
Article content
Heat a pan over medium heat and cook the chicken for two minutes on one side. Flip and cook for another 4–6 minutes on the other side, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 155 F.
Article content
Let the chicken rest for 5–7 minutes before slicing, it should come to a safe 165 F as it rests. Check the temperature before slicing to be sure.
Article content
Tip: leftover achari mayo chicken slices beautifully cold into a sandwich or salad the next day.
Article content
Serves 4.
Article content
