This recipe recreates the flavors of tandoori chicken—an Indian classic of yogurt- and spice-marinated chicken traditionally baked in a tandoor, or clay oven. After coating our chicken with yogurt and spices including turmeric and garam masala (itself a blend of warming spices), we're roasting it to lock in moisture and achieve crispy skin. Our sides of raita (a cooling cucumber and yogurt sauce) and rice tossed with sautéed summer squash complete the meal on a seasonal note. (You may receive green zucchini, grey zucchini, or yellow squash.)
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 Boneless, Skin-On Chicken Breasts
- 1/2 c Long Grain White Rice
- 1/2 c Plain Greek Yogurt
- 1 Lemon
- 1 Persian Cucumber
- 1 Summer Squash
- 1 Mint
- 1 tbsp Tandoori Spice Blend (Garam Masala, Garlic Powder, Ground Ginger, Ground Turmeric, Sweet Paprika, & Chili Powder)
Instructions
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients:
Preheat the oven to 475°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Grate the cucumber on the large side of a box grater. Halve the squash lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Quarter and deseed the lemon.
Coat & roast the chicken:
Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. In a large bowl, combine the spice blend and half the yogurt; season with salt and pepper. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper on both sides. Transfer to the bowl of yogurt-spice blend mixture. Turn to thoroughly coat. Place the coated chicken on the prepared sheet pan, skin side up. Roast 18 to 20 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Remove from the oven.
Cook the rice:
While the chicken roasts, in a small pot, combine the rice, a big pinch of salt, and 1 cup of water. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook 12 to 14 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and fluff the cooked rice with a fork.
Make the raita:
While the rice cooks, in a bowl, combine the cucumber, remaining yogurt, and the juice of 1 lemon wedge; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cook the squash:
While the rice continues to cook, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the squash and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 7 to 8 minutes, or until lightly browned and softened. Turn off the heat and stir in the juice of 1 lemon wedge. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Finish the rice & plate your dish:
Pick the mint leaves off the stems, discard the stems and tear the leaves. To the pot of cooked rice, add the cooked squash and mint. Stir to combine. Divide the finished rice and roasted chicken between 2 dishes. Serve with the raita and remaining lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy!