Friday, May 18, 2012

Quick "Tandoori" Chicken

This chicken recipe makes for a quick, flavorful dinner.  Roasting the chicken in the oven is an easy preparation and a good option if you don't have a grill, but it definitely won't give you that tasty charred crust that real tandoori chicken has.  If you do have a grill or a grill pan, those would make for tasty preparation methods, although you might want to cut the chicken pieces larger so it would be less fussy.  The chicken is spicy-but-not-too-spicy with great flavor from the yogurt, ginger, and cumin.  We served it alongside roasted peppers and onions and some fluffy naan-like bread from the Armenian market.


Quick "Tandoori" Chicken (adapted from Cooking Light)
Serves 5-6

2 cups plain 2% yogurt
1/2 cup minced onion
3 T peeled and minced fresh ginger
2 T ground cumin
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp ground turmeric
6 large garlic cloves, minced
3 pounds chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into strips (like chicken tenders)
Salt
1 T oil

1. Combine the yogurt, onion, ginger, cumin, red pepper flakes, turmeric, and garlic in a large tupperware or bowl.  Add the chicken and toss to combine, making sure each piece of chicken is totally covered.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
3. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade.  Sprinkle both sides of the chicken lightly with salt.
4. Line a baking sheet with foil and grease with the oil.  Arrange the chicken on the baking sheet in a single layer.  Roast in the hot oven for about 8 minutes, then drain off any accumulated liquid and flip each piece of chicken. Continue roasting until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle (timing will vary depending on the size of the chicken tenders).

2 comments:

  1. Yum! I love shortcut recipes. So handy for a quick dinner.

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  2. I have to admit my shortcut recipe is a mix from Indian market called Shan or something like that. =P My Indian friend recommended it so I assume it's not that bad, yet it's always nice to make with fresh ingredient. My kids and I don't eat spicy food (not too spicy, only little bit) so using own spices have benefit. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

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