"The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" with Indian spiced Grilled Chicken andFresh Mango relish

My top movie of 2012 is "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel". When a group of British retirees relocate to India to spend their golden years living a life of leisure in a lavishly restored hotel, they soon find there is more to life, love, and happiness than they believed. I enjoyed the film so much that it even inspired me to try my hand at cooking with some commonly used spices in Indian cuisine. Marinating boneless chicken in a sweet and spicy marinade of orange juice, turmeric, garam masala, and a few other spices turned out to be the perfect flavor combination. Served over grilled Naan bread and topped with a fresh mango relish - it's the perfect dish to enjoy with my favorite movie of 2012  that's filmed with heart and humor.
Serves 4

About 1½ pounds of boneless chicken cut into strips
2 Naan flat breads
For the Marinade
The juice and the zest of one Orange
½ cup of vegetable oil
½ teaspoon of Garam Masala
¼ teaspoon of Turmeric
½ teaspoon of parika
¼ teaspoon of black pepper
A pinch of Cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon of kosher salt
For the relish
1 Mango
1 large shallot
1 medium sized bell pepper (any color)
A pinch of Garam Masala
A splash of red wine vinegar
A drizzle of vegetable oil
salt and pepper

First step is to combine the spices with our citrus juice and oil to make our marinade. Use a microplane to zest the orange and then extract the juice from the orange into a mixing bowl. Add the vegetable oil and all of the spices. Whisk the contents together until combined and add the boneless chicken strips into the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to marinate for at least an hour or two.

While the chicken marinates, we can take a few moments to make the relish. Peel the mango and chop the flesh of the fruit. You'll want to select Mangoes that have a fruity smell and that have a slight give to them when you gently squeeze them. Don't use color as an indicator of ripeness. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin and then use a sharp knife to cut around the Mango's pit. Finely dice the shallot and chop up the bell pepper. Add the chopped mango, shallot, and pepper into a mixing bowl and toss together with the garam masala, and the vinegar. Season the relish to taste with a bit of salt and pepper.

Once the chicken has marinated, prepare your charcoal grill with an even layer of coals or preheat your gas grill to about medium heat. Place the chicken strips on the grill with room in between each piece. Grill for about 8-12 minutes on each side until fully cooked. Once the chicken is almost through cooking, add the Naan bread to the grill to just enough to warm the bread and give it a slightly crispy exterior.

Once the Naan is heated and the chicken is fully cooked, it's time to plate the dish. I like to cut the Naan bread in half (or whole for a large portion) and lay the bread on a plate. Lay a few strips of chicken over top the Naan and add our fresh mango relish. Make sure to get a little bit of the Naan bread, the spiced chicken, and the relish in each bite!

"The best Exotic Marigold Hotel" didn't get the recognition it deserved when it came to movie fans and critics discussing the best films of the year. A strong cast, a well written script, a beautifully filmed movie, and an entertaining story are only a few of this films strengths. A group of British retirees coming from different backgrounds are on their way to India to stay at the newly renovated Marigold Hotel. Judi Dench stars as Evelyn Greenslade, recently widowed and struggling to maintain the lifestyle she shared with her husband do to the substantial debt he's left behind.

When she finds an ad online to come retire at a gorgeous and lavish hotel in India, she's quick to decide that her retirement should be outsourced. She joins an interesting group consisting of  a cranky and judgmental woman in need of a hip replacement named Muriel (Maggie Smith), a married couple Douglas and Jean (Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton) who lost their life savings in an investment, a high court judge named Graham (Tom Wilkinson) leaving his career behind to rediscover himself, Madge (Celia Imrie) who is searching for a rich husband, and Norman (Ronald Pickup) who is searching for any attractive woman under the age of 40. Indian turns out not to be at all what they had imagined, especially the hotel they planned on staying at. Through the bonds they form and the experiences they share, they all may find the true joys life holds.

You won't find dazzling special effects, just a group of veteran actors proving that they're all skilled at their craft. Maggie Smith's performance as the cranky and yet loveable Muriel Donnelly will surely stand out and deliver a few chuckles. Dev Patel adds a wonderful supporting role as the young and enthusiastic hotel owner/manager. "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" made it to number one on my list because of the films loveable characters, the gorgeous setting, and the fantastic performances given by the all-star cast. Here is the trailer for the film and I really hope you all see this movie as soon as possible.