Name: Yogurt-Marinated Chicken With Borani
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: 1 3½–4-lb. whole chicken, backbone removed; Kosher salt; ½ cup vegetable oil or extra-virgin olive oil; 1 Tbsp. paprika; 1 Tbsp. coriander seeds, crushed; 2 tsp. cumin seeds, crushed; ½ cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt; 4 garlic cloves, finely grated; 1 1" piece ginger, peeled, finely grated; 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes; 1 medium Persian cucumber, scrubbed, finely grated; 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt; 1 Tbsp. chopped raisins; 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice; Kosher salt; Lemon wedges (for serving)

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Photo by Yudi Ela, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Sophie Strangio

Combining spices in a fat and heating them up until they sizzle results in a super versatile oil. This cooking method, known as blooming, is found in several dishes across many cultures, from cacio e pepe to salsa macha to dal. In this chicken, Andy Baraghani blooms paprika, coriander, and cumin in oil, which seasons a garlicky yogurt marinade and tops off borani, an Iranian cucumber-and-raisin-studded yogurt, served alongside. Any coriander will work, but we love the Nile coriander from Burlap & Barrel, which “is insanely fresh for a dried spice,” says Andy.

Recipe notes

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