Spicy Chicken Recipe

Prepare chicken

Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and pat them dry with paper towels. If thighs are very large, cut into 1½–2 inch pieces for quicker, even cooking.

In a medium mixing bowl combine the yogurt, lime juice, vegetable oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, smoked paprika, ground cumin, ground coriander, cayenne, hot chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until smooth and homogenous.

Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and toss to coat thoroughly in the yogurt-spice marinade. Cover with plastic wrap or transfer to a resealable bag, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. For best flavor and tenderness, marinate 2–4 hours (up to overnight).

When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. This helps even cooking.

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat the pan.

Use tongs to shake off excess marinade from the chicken pieces (retain any thick leftover marinade). Add chicken to the skillet in a single layer without overcrowding — cook in two batches if needed. Let cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until a brown crust forms on the bottom.

Flip the pieces and cook another 3–4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium if the exterior is browning too quickly. Cook until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and juices run clear, about 6–9 minutes total depending on piece size.

If you reserved marinade and want a glaze, lower heat to medium-low, pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan, bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3–4 minutes to kill bacteria, stirring, then spoon over cooked chicken.

Once chicken is cooked, remove from pan and transfer to a warm plate. If desired, add 1 teaspoon butter to the hot pan and swirl to melt, scraping up any browned bits; pour this pan sauce over the chicken for extra richness.

Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges and optional sliced or pickled red onion.