Spice Up Your Chicken Salad: Tandoori Chicken Delight
Presenting a unique blend of traditional Indian flavors with a contemporary twist, we bring you the tandoori chicken salad. This vibrant and healthy dish combines the smoky, spiced richness of tandoori chicken with a colorful salad’s crisp, refreshing textures. Whether you’re looking for a light lunch, a satisfying dinner, or a show-stopping side, this recipe caters to your taste buds and health goals.
This tandoori chicken salad starts with succulent chicken pieces marinated in a rich blend of yogurt and traditional tandoori spices. This marination process ensures that the chicken is tender and bursting with flavor. Grilling or baking the chicken to perfection imparts a charred, smoky essence that is the hallmark of tandoori cuisine.
Complementing the succulent tandoori chicken, our salad is a medley of fresh, crunchy vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, and bell peppers. This not only makes the salad visually appealing but also a nutritional powerhouse. A touch of fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lemon juice enhance the flavors, adding a zesty freshness to every bite.
Whether you’re a fan of Indian food or simply looking to add excitement to your salad repertoire, this tandoori chicken salad will become a favorite. Enjoy the perfect balance of spice, freshness, and nourishment with each mouthful.
What is Tandoori Chicken?
Tandoori chicken is a quintessential dish in Indian cuisine, known for its vibrant color, smoky flavor, and tender texture. Originating from the Punjab region, this dish features chicken marinated in a blend of yogurt and spices, including garam masala, cumin, coriander, and the distinct red hue from chili powder or paprika. The marinated chicken is traditionally cooked in a tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven, which imparts a unique char and smoky flavor.
The marinade infuses the chicken with robust flavors and helps tenderize the meat, making it succulent and juicy. Tandoori chicken is often garnished with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lemon juice, enhancing its bright and zesty profile. It is typically served with naan, rice, or a fresh salad and is enjoyed worldwide for its rich taste and aromatic appeal. This dish is a perfect introduction to the bold and diverse flavors of Indian cuisine.
Tandoori Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Tandoori Chicken
- 2 boneless chicken breasts
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- salt and pepper to taste
For the Chicken Salad
- 1 handful dried cherries dried cranberries or raisins work well too
- 1 handful roasted candied walnuts chopped
- mayonnaise to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
- Combine yogurt, lemon juice, vegetable oil, garam masala, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, ground ginger, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.Add the chicken breasts, ensuring they are well-coated with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
Cook the Chicken
- Preheat your grill or oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill or bake for 20-25 minutes, turning halfway through, until it is cooked through and has a nice char. The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C).
- Let the chicken rest for 20 minutes, then cut it up into bite-sized pieces.
Prepare the Chicken Salad
- Add some dried cherries, candied walnuts, and a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise to the chicken. Adjust the amount of mayo depending on how you like your chicken salad.
- Season with salt and pepper and stir carefully to combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust with extra sauce and/or salt & pepper.
- You can serve it right away or let it sit for a while in the refrigerator so the flavors meld together. Serve it on any bread you like or a fresh bed of greens.
