Tandoori Chicken with Yogurt Sauce

Tandoori chicken traditionally calls for a 24 hour marinade and a 900 degree oven, however, the amazing chefs at Americas Test Kitchen has given us a simplified version of this Indian classic. This dish does call for whole-milk yogurt, but low-fat options can be substituted. Also note, it is important to remove the chicken from the oven before switching over to broiler to allow it to hit temperature. Also, the chicken requires a 30 minute resting time after initial prep, so plan dinner accordingly. It is suggested to serve this dish with rice, however I made air fried asparagus instead (as pictured) Enjoy! 🙂

Serves: 2 | Serving Size: 1 Chicken Breast

Ingredients:

• Chicken:
  • 2 tablespoons oil of your choice
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 3 teaspoon garam masala
  • 2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 12 ounces chicken breast
• Sauce:
  • 1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

1. For the Chicken:
   1. Cook one tablespoon oil, garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin and chili powder in 10 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds; remove from heat and add one tablespoon of mixture to mixing bowl. Add yogurt and 1 tablespoon lime juice to mixture and combine well. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
   2. Remove remaining spice mixture from skillet and place in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 tablespoon lime juice and salt to bowl.
   3. Add chicken to spice mixture bowl and rub mixture into chicken until well coated – cover and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
   4. Meanwhile, adjust over rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set wire rack on sheet.
   5. Dip chicken into bowl of ingredients from step 1 (yogurt mixture in fridge), coating chicken with a thick yogurt layer and place onto wire rack. Discard any leftover yogurt mixture.
   6. Bake chicken until it registers 125 degrees, about 15 to 25 minutes.
   7. Remove chicken from oven, adjust rack to 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Flip chicken and broil until charred and chicken registers 160 degrees, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to serving plate, tent loosely with foil, let rest for 5 minutes.
2. For the Sauce:
   1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Serve chicken with yogurt sauce for dipping. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:
Per serving: Calories: 390; Total Fat: 22;  Cholesterol: 32; Sodium: 1254mg; Total Carbohydrates: 12g; Dietary Fiber: 1; Sugars: 6g; Protein: 40g
Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 311; Vitamin A: 11%; Vitamin C: 5%; Calcium: 29%; Iron: 9%

Adopted from: America’s Test Kitchen (2014). “Tandoori Chicken with Yogurt Sauce.” The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook. Boston: America’s Test Kitchen, 2014. 113. Print.