Chicken Legs Marinated in Yogurt and Spices

Here, rich dark-meat chicken is coated with a yogurt-based marinade flavored with garlic, ginger, cumin, and coriander. After marinating overnight, the chicken is very tender thanks to the acidic yogurt, and its flavor is reminiscent of the tandoori-style chicken you find in restaurants — albeit without the vivid red dye. (This mixture is also very good for marinating pork medallions and lamb leg or blade steaks.) Once scraped off, the chicken is brushed with oil, sprinkled with salt, and cooked over hot coals until lightly charred and juicy.

For those of you who have an instant-read thermometer, chicken thighs and drumsticks should register an internal temperature of at least 165°F at their thickest point (make sure the thermometer is not touching bone). Dark meat is very forgiving, so do not worry about going over that temperature (some of us prefer the texture of dark meat cooked to 175°F). If the chicken is looking perfectly charred but has not cooked through yet, move it to a cooler portion of the grill, close the lid, and finish cooking with indirect heat. (If you are using a kettle-style charcoal grill, position the lid so that the vents are above the chicken.)