Tandoori Chicken with Mashed Chickpeas & Pepper & Onion Salad
From Rachael Ray. This recipe was inspired by an ethnic restaurant in New York City called Tamarind; their huge clay tandoor ovens give everything cooked in them an unmistakable flavor. This is a pretty good substitute for the real thing. Make sure your oven is really clean, otherwise it will smoke at this temperature. This is one of my kid's favorite recipes!
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2-inch piece of fresh gingerroot, peeled and grated
4 garlic cloves, grated
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 tablespoons EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)
4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut in half across (I actually use all chicken breasts - no thighs)
Salt and pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup tahini paste (this is found usually by the condiments or in the health food section - it is sesame seed paste)
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
Hot banana pepper rings, chopped, juice reserved (I use mild since my kids are eating this)
A handful of fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
2 limes
4 pita breads
Preheat the oven to 500 to 550°F, or as high as your oven goes. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a baking rack on top if you have one; it's not necessary but use it if ya got it.
Place the yogurt in a shallow dish and stir in the ginger, 3 of the grated garlic cloves, the chili powder, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cardamom, cumin, and 2 tablespoons of the EVOO. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and coat in the sauce. Arrange on the baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until the juices run clear.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the EVOO in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining grated garlic. Pulse or chop the chickpeas in a food processor, then add to the garlic oil and season with salt and pepper. Mash with the chicken stock and tahini and reduce the heat to low.
In a bowl combine the red onions, bell peppers, chopped hot peppers and 2 tablespoons of the juice from the jar, cilantro leaves, the juice of 1 lime, the remaining tablespoon of EVOO, and salt and pepper to taste.
Cut the remaining lime into wedges.
Warm and crisp the pitas in the hot oven during the last few minutes the chicken is roasting.
Serve the chicken with lime wedges to squeeze over the top and the mashed chickpeas alongside. Top the chicken with the pepper and onion salad. Cut the pitas in half and pass at the table.
SERVES 4 T0 6