Name: Grilled Chicken Breasts With Tadka-ish Sauce
Ingredients: Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon; 1 g arlic clove, finely grated; 1/2 cup buttermilk; 1 Tbsp . mayonnaise; 11/2 tsp . pure maple syrup; 1/2 tsp . freshly ground black pepper; Kosher salt; 21/2 lb . skin-on, boneless chicken breasts (about 5); 1 tsp . Diamond Crystal or 1/2 tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more; 2 Tbsp . extra-virgin olive oil; 1/3 cup vegetable oil; 1 Tbsp . nigella seeds or cumin seeds; 5 scallions, thinly sliced; Juice of 1 lemon; 1 Tbsp . pure maple syrup; 1/2 tsp . cayenne pepper; 1 head of Little Gem or romaine lettuce, leaves separated, torn into large pieces; 5 oz . peppery greens (such as radicchio, arugula, or watercress)

Grilled Chicken Breasts With Tadka-ish Sauce

Course: Dinner, Main DishCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Ingredients

Dressing
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1 g arlic clove, finely grated
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp . mayonnaise
11/2 tsp . pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp . freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
Chicken
21/2 lb . skin-on, boneless chicken breasts (about 5)
1 tsp . Diamond Crystal or 1/2 tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
2 Tbsp . extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp . nigella seeds or cumin seeds
5 scallions, thinly sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp . pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp . cayenne pepper
1 head of Little Gem or romaine lettuce, leaves separated, torn into large pieces
5 oz . peppery greens (such as radicchio, arugula, or watercress)

Directions

Dressing
Whisk lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, buttermilk, mayonnaise, maple syrup, and pepper in a small bowl until mostly smooth and combined. Season buttermilk dressing with salt.
Do ahead: Dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
Chicken
Prepare a grill for medium indirect heat (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side of grill; for a gas grill, leave one or two burners off). Place chicken breasts on a plate. Season all over with salt, then drizzle olive oil over both sides.
Arrange chicken breasts, skin side up, over indirect heat, cover, and grill until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a breast registers 160°, 10–12 minutes (bone-in breasts will take closer to 20 minutes).
Turn chicken breasts skin side down and move over direct heat. Grill until skin is golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer chicken breasts to a plate and arrange skin side up. Let rest at least 5 minutes.
Heat vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium-high. Once oil is shimmering, add nigella seeds and cook until fragrant and oil around seeds starts to sputter, about 1 minute. Add scallions, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Immediately pour mixture into a medium bowl and let cool 5 minutes.
Whisk lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne, and remaining 1 tsp. salt into nigella seed tadka.
Toss lettuce and greens in a large bowl to combine. Drizzle reserved buttermilk dressing over; toss to coat.
Slice chicken breasts on a diagonal ½” thick. Arrange over salad and spoon nigella seed tadka over.