Lemongrass and Curry Grilled Chicken Breasts

I saw this recipe in the Taste section of the Baltimore Sun recently, and it sounded too good to pass up.  I'm a big fan of the flavors of lemongrass and curry, and combining them sounded great to me.  The results were pretty good, although I'll definitely use thinner/smaller chicken breasts next time, as I had to cook these for quite a bit longer than the recipe said to get them cooked all the way through.

Lemongrass and Curry Grilled Chicken Breasts

Ingredients:

• 2 stalks lemongrass (sold in herb section of groceries) thinly sliced crosswise or 3 strips lemon zest
• 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or dill
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt (sea or kosher)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus 1 tablespoon for basting
• 4 skinless, boneless half chicken breasts about 6 ounces each
• Lime wedges for serving

Directions:

1. Place lemongrass, garlic, cilantro, curry powder, salt, sugar and pepper in a food processor and finely chop. (Alternately, make a paste by pounding ingredients in a heavy mortar with a pestle.) Gradually work in 2 tablespoons of the oil.
2. Rinse the chicken breasts and pat dry. Arrange them in a baking dish just large enough to hold a single layer. Spread the lemongrass marinade over the chicken breasts, turning to coat both sides. Let the chicken breasts marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours; the longer it marinates, the stronger the flavor.
3. Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high.
4. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate. Drain the chicken breasts, place them on the hot grate at a diagonal to the bars. Grill until golden brown and cooked through about 3-5 minutes per side, giving each breast a quarter-turn after 1 1/2 minutes to create a handsome crosshatch. After 3 minutes, start basting the chicken with the 1 tablespoon of oil to keep them moist.
5. Transfer the grilled chicken breasts to a platter and serve with lime wedges.

Notes:
I used dried lemongrass and dried dill, so I added a little bit of water to the marinade to help the flavors spread. This is a surprisingly quick and easy dish to make, as long as you leave time for the chicken to marinate.