Bored of eating chicken the same old way? Well, now you won’t be after trying Alfaham Chicken. This Arabic dish is made using aromatic spices that uplift the flavour of chicken, and the charcoal-grill process further adds a smoky flavour. Although from the Arabic cuisine, the best part about this dish is that you can prepare it using essential spices available in your kitchen. Continue reading to know what these spices are!
Double-Marinade Al-faham Chicken – A Recipe with Spices Found in Every Kitchen
Ingredients
- 1¼ kg bone-in whole chicken or chicken legs
- 2 tbsp butter
- 10-12 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 2-3 tsp Tomato paste
- 1-2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 cup thick sour yoghurt or curd
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1-2 tsp Chilli flakes
- 1¼ tbsp dried fenugreek methi or mint
- ¾ tsp Cumin Powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- salt to taste
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp Coriander Seeds
- 5 cloves
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
Instructions
- Wash the chicken thoroughly and prick all over so that it can absorb the marinade well. If you’re using chicken pieces, then put them in a zip lock bag and pound gently using a kitchen mallet or rolling pin to flatten and tenderize them.
- Add all the ingredients listed under the first marinade section in a large bowl. Mix and coat the chicken well and set aside for 30 minutes. In a pan, dry-roast the special spice mix for about a minute or until the spices release their aroma. Grind them into a fine powder and set aside.
- In the same pan, dry-roast dried fenugreek for about 30 seconds and set it aside. Mix the ingredients listed under the second marinade section in another bowl, including the roasted fenugreek by crushing it with your hands. Also, add the blended special spice mix. After 30 minutes of the first marinade, pour and rub the second marinade on the chicken. Set aside for a minimum of 3 hours.
- Grill the chicken over charcoal barbecue until all sides are slightly charred and cooked. It can take about 15-20 minutes. Once the chicken is done, brush melted butter over it.
- Serve hot with salad, fries and spicy garlic sauce.
Recipe Notes
Recipe Tips
You can also use Greek yoghurt instead of curd, and dried coriander or mint leaves instead of fenugreek leaves.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I oven bake al-faham chicken?
Yes. You can choose to bake the chicken in a preheated oven at 500°F for about 10-15 minutes. Then turn over the chicken and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Once done, change the settings to broil and broil the chicken for additional 2 minutes.
How do I grill the chicken on a gas stove?
Preheat a grill pan on high stove flame for about 2 minutes. Lower the flame to medium-high, grease the pan with oil and place your chicken. Cook until the chicken has grill marks on all sides and cooked well. This method works best if you’re using portions of chicken instead of a whole chicken.
What can I use instead of chilli flakes for this dish?
You can use chilli powder, green chilli paste or garam masala as a substitute for chilli flakes.