Eating a low-carb diet is healthy and good to keep the extra weight in check. With that in mind, I prepared my ‘masalyadar’ barbecued chicken recipe. Instead of bread or rice, I serve it with fresh lettuce leaves, mango, and avocado sauce. I enjoy this recipe during the summertime as it is nutritious, particularly during the Covid pandemic.

Ingredients:

Preparing the chicken:
1-pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon garlic and ginger paste
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon paprika powder
1 teaspoon all-spice powder
1 tablespoon sour cream (or yogurt)
1 tablespoon roasted chickpea powder, roasted skinless (or roasted ‘besan’)
1 tablespoon crispy fried onions (or ready-made fried onions), crushed
1 tablespoon roasted combination of spice powder (1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon raw coriander, and 2 teaspoons crushed red chili flakes; combine and roast on low flame, then grind into a powdered form)
2 tablespoons cooking oil (to grill chicken cubes)
Salt according to taste

Preparing the avocado sauce:
2 avocadoes (peeled and deseeded)
½ teaspoon chili powder
Salt according to taste
Garnishing:
6-8 fresh lettuce leaves
2 fresh mangos, peel and cut into cubes
Lime wedges

Method:
Drizzle fresh lime juice on the chicken cubes and season well with salt. Set aside for half an hour in the refrigerator.

Preparing the avocado sauce:
In a large bowl, add avocados, red chili, and salt, and make a smooth sauce. Set aside.

Preparing the chicken:
In a large bowl, combine the roasted combination of spice powder, all-spice powder, paprika powder, garlic and ginger paste, roasted chickpea powder, crushed golden fried onions, salt, and sour cream to make a smooth paste. Coat the chicken cubes with the paste, and set aside to marinate for 2-3 hours in the refrigerator.

Preheat the barbecue grill over medium heat and oil the grates. Then lay the chicken in a single layer in the grill (do not over-crowd). Cook the chicken for about 4-5 minutes on each side until it turns golden brown.

Assembling:
To assemble, half fill the lettuce leaves with avocado and mango. Top it up with a grilled chicken piece. Fold the sides of the lettuce carefully to keep the fillings enclosed and serve with lime wedges.