About This Recipe
Grilled Chicken Tandoori Salad is not in my usual repertoire. It’s spicier and more exotic than the foods I usually cook, and certainly different from the salads I make every summer. But it’s so delicious and simple to make. You’ll love it.
Tandoor is actually a clay pot used for cooking in South Asian and Indian cuisine. The pot is heated and food is slapped onto the sides, where it sticks and cooks and smokes to perfection. When used in American cuisine, Tandoori refers more to the spices used in the recipe.
In this recipe, chicken breasts are marinated in a yogurt mixture spiced with curry, chili powder, and ginger. It’s grilled until crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside, then sliced and the chicken is served on salad greens, bell peppers, and grape tomatoes that are tossed with a creamy yogurt and chutney dressing. Yum!
You can make this recipe as mild or as spicy as you want. Just vary the amount of cayenne pepper and chili powder, add some chopped jalapeños or hotter chili peppers, and use a hot or mild chutney. When you do make changes, write down exactly how you made it so you can reproduce your masterpiece.
One thing I love about this salad is that the chicken is hot and the salad is cool and crunchy. The temperature contrast, like my Grilled Steak and Veggie Salad, is wonderful.
Serve this salad with some fresh fruit for cooling contest. You can add some naan bread if you’d like. And a frosty cold beer is the perfect accompaniment.
How to make the best Grilled Chicken Tandoori Salad
- You can marinate the chicken for as little as one hour, or as long as 24. But don’t go longer, or the chicken’s texture will change.
- Change the spices to your tastes.
- When you’re ready to eat, get all of the salad ingredients ready, make the dressing, but don’t combine them. Put the chicken on the grill, then toss the salad ingredients together and put them onto plates.
- Then slice the chicken and add to the salad.
- Always always cook chicken to 165°F and test it with a good food thermometer. You cannot tell if chicken is safe to eat by looking at it or touching it.
Why this recipe works
- The spicy, tender chicken combined with the cool greens, savory dressing, and cherry tomatoes is the best combination of textures and flavors. And the hot and cold temperature contrast is superb.
Steps
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1
Done
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In a large bowl, combine 1 cup yogurt, chili powder, curry powder, ground ginger, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes and mix well. Add the chicken, stir to coat, cover, and refrigerate for 1 to 24 hours. |
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2
Done
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When you're ready to eat, prepare and preheat the grill. |
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3
Done
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Put the salad greens in a large serving bowl and add the grape tomatoes and bell pepper; toss and set aside. |
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4
Done
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Put the chicken on the grill. Cook, covered, turning once, for 12 to 16 minutes or until the chicken is cooked to 165°F. Remove the chicken from the grill, put on a clean plate, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. |
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5
Done
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Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/3 cup yogurt, mayonnaise, chutney, and milk and mix well. Pour over the salad and toss to coat. |
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6
Done
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Slice the chicken and top the salad; serve. |
