Tandoori Chicken with Cauliflower and Rice
Tandoori Chicken with Cauliflower and Rice
My husband and I went to an authentic Indian restaurant in NYC for lunch the other day with our friend who's Indian. We tried some new items; dosas with masala, which is a very thin crisp, crepe-like texture that is served with various dipping sauces, as well as Uttapam which is a savory pancake. The food and experience was great! I guess I'm on an Indian kick, so I decided to make Tandoori chicken for dinner. Now, traditional Tandoori chicken is made in a Tandoori oven, which is an urn-shaped structure that is made of clay. This allows the chicken to get a great char. Since I don't have one, I decided to use a cast iron skillet. I still got a great char as you can see from the pics! The greek yogurt marinates the chicken. It help tenderizes it, due to the acid in it. It's also what helps create that great char. The spices I used are pretty traditional. If you don't have garam masala, this recipe does really require it, because otherwise it's not Tandoori chicken flavor. Garam masala is a spice blend that you can buy. If you don't have it, you can make your own which consists of cumin, coriander, cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Â My husband's not a cauliflower fan, but I do think this veg works well with the dish and since I got such a great char on it, he didn't "mind it." I added lemon zest to the rice and lemon juice to the marinade. Save some of the marinade to drizzle over the finished dish. It's "just right."
Equipment
- medium sauce pot
- large heavy bottom skillet (cast iron)
- tongs
- small bowl
- medium bowl
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup organic jasmine rice
- 1 head organic cauliflower
- 12 oz organic chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup organic greek yogurt
- 1 organic lemon zest first, juice second
- 2 tbs garam masala
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- kosher salt Diamond Crystal https://amzn.to/3ZRuGXG **
- fresh cracked black pepper
- organic olive oil
Instructions
- Rinse the rice. (This removes any dirt and starch from the rice). In a medium sauce pot, combine the rice, 1½ cups of water, a tsp of olive oil and a 1/2 tsp of kosher salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the zest of the lemon to the pot and mix to combine. Keep it covered to stay warm while preparing the rest of the meal.
- Cut the cauliflower into 1-inch florets. In the cast iron skillet, over medium-high heat, warm a tbs of olive oil until hot. Add the cauliflower, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until charred 6-7 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, all of the spices, 3/4 tsp salt, several grinds of fresh cracked black pepper, juice of the lemon and a tbs of water. Set aside 1/2 of this mixture into the small bowl and reserve for drizzling.
- In the medium bowl, add the chicken thighs. Toss to coat. Let it sit in this mixture for about 10 minutes.
- In the cast iron, add another 2 tbs of olive oil. Over medium-high heat, once the pan is hot, add the chicken. Let it cook undisturbed for 5-6 minutes. Flip and let it cook for another 5-6 minutes.
- To plate, divide the rice evenly between the places, add the cauliflower, chicken and drizzle with remaining sauce.
Notes
** Amazon Affiliate- I may receive compensation. Â
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2 Comments
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Mamta Kaji
😋delish!!
Zahavalox
Yess!! <3