Moroccan Style Chicken

I found this recipe in my local newspaper.  I like the idea that when I make it I'm getting a little taste of Casablanca.  I like the flavors used in it, warm spices that mingle with the smoke flavors from the grill.  The use of yogurt is also fantastic, taking advantage of the enzymes and bacteria (friendly bacteria) present in yogurt to make the meat tender and moist.
By itself, the chicken is also a great recipe for people who come home and don't necessarily have time to prep a meal.  Because the chicken has to sit for a long time in the yogurt, it's best prepped in the morning, and then you can just come home and cook it, which takes maybe 15 minutes.
To accompany it, I made a lentil salad, inspired in part by a recipe I came across a while back for an Egyptian bean salad, which used similar flavors.

Moroccan-style Chicken Breasts
3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 C plain nonfat yogurt
1/3 C chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp minced garlic (~2 cloves)
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Combine the yogurt, cilantro, oil, garlic, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper, and smear the mixture over both sides of the chicken.  Place the chicken in a dish and cover it, placing it in the refrigerator and allowing it to sit for 6 to 10 hours.
Preheat a gas grill to high, or prepare a charcoal fire.  Grill the chicken until cooked through, about 5 minutes/side.

I used culantro rather than cilantro (see my blog on Enchiladas for a brief discussion of these herbs), because I have some growing in my garden, and it lends itself particularly well to marinades.  While this yogurt mixture is not a typical marinade, it is largely cooked (burnt or melted, I guess) off during the grilling process, so I wasn't stuck with a bunch of culantro leaves poking my gums and tongue as I ate (a less than pleasant sensation).
Generally, I don't go for non-fat yogurt, but this time it just so happened that that was all my grocery store had.  I was less than thrilled; I'm sure the recipe would work just fine with regular yogurt.

Lentil Salad
1 C dried Lentils
1/4 C chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 kosher dill pickle, chopped
1/2 C plain nonfat yogurt
paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper

Rinse the lentils and place in a pot with about three times as much water as lentils.  Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer.  Allow the lentils to simmer for ~25 minutes until soft, but not mushy.  Drain any excess water, and add the onions and garlic while the lentils are still hot.  After allowing them to cool a bit, add the pickle and yogurt, and season to taste.

I will admit, this salad is not the most attractive thing that has come out of my kitchen.  But it is wonderfully flavorful.  Is served it alongside the chicken.  The onion and pickle gave it a little distinction flavor-wise from the chicken, which was good.  Although I use the same spices, I do want different flavors in my food.  Just not competing ones. 
Leftover lentil salad and chicken can be combined to make an excellent chicken salad for a sandwich or wrap (see photo, left).  I recommend it with some feta cheese.