Updated Post- Tandoori Chicken

Hi everyone!  Happy Monday!  Today, I'm re-sharing with you an old but good recipe for tandoori chicken.  Let's get started!

So, why the repost?  Well, the original post definitely needed a photography update 😬😂.  Secondly, it's high time to remind you all of this recipe because it's really tasty 😋!

Even though chicken is a humble bird, there are so many ways to elevate it.  It's great left whole and roasted with herbs, (such as in this recipe), fried, boiled, or sautéed.  But my personal favorite way to eat chicken?  Straight off the grill.  There's something unmatchable about eating a juicy grilled chicken breast that has the perfect char from a grill.

At this point, I know that I'm going to be met with some criticism revolving around chicken breasts.  I will admit that when undercooked, chicken breasts are downright disgusting and when overcooked and chewy and dry. This recipe helps prevent home cooks from getting into this predicament.  This chicken is marinated.  I learned something interesting about marinating while writing this post.  Surprisingly, according to this article, marinades, though great for boosting the flavor in meats, do not always tenderize said meats.  So how do you know if your marinade will tenderize the meat that it is used on?  To truly soften raw meat, and in the case of this recipe, chicken breasts, the marinade must contain dairy.  In the case of this tandoori chicken recipe, the dairy is plain yogurt, which packs a one-two punch by breaking down the proteins in the meat (thus tenderizing it) and simultaneously perfectly complementing the warm Indian spices with which it is mixed.

And while this tandoori chicken is delicious all on its own, I recommend serving it with a side dish or two, such as creamy coleslaw and/or vegan curried carrot and red lentil soup 😋.

The recipe used to bring you today's recipe comes from this website.

That's all for now.  Don't forget to follow me on Instagram!  I look forward to posting again on Friday 😊!  (Hopefully a stew inspired by the American South 😋!)

Tandoori Chicken

• 3 lbs. fresh chicken breasts
• 2 cups low-fat plain yogurt
• 1 T. minced fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 1.5 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. crushed coriander seed
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• Salt and pepper to taste

1.  In a large bowl, whisk together all of the marinade ingredients.

2.  Add the chicken breasts into a baking dish, then pour the marinade over the chicken, making sure that the chicken pieces are evenly coated.

3.  Marinate the chicken in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight.

4.  Grill the marinated chicken pieces until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

5.  Enjoy, storing leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.