Tandoori Style Chicken Salad from Spinning Plates

By Erin Brown
Related Categories: Cookbook Confidential

“This is summer on a plate. Deliciously mild-spiced chicken which can be cooked on the barbecue, in the air fryer or on the hob, combined with new potatoes and salad, then finished with an Indian-inspired yogurt dressing. Any leftover salad can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a couple of days to serve for another meal.” Anna Stanford, author of Spinning Plates

Serves 6

1kg (2lb 4oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

500g (1lb 2oz) new potatoes, scrubbed and halved

100g (3.oz) salad leaves

1 cucumber, peeled into ribbons using a peeler

4 tablespoons pomegranate seeds, or 100g (3.oz) tomatoes, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander, to garnish (optional)

For the marinade

100g (3.oz) Greek yogurt juice of 1 lemon

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 teaspoons chopped fresh root ginger

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon mild chilli powder

½ teaspoon salt

For the yogurt dressing

4 tablespoons Greek yogurt

3 tablespoons olive oil

Juice of ½ lemon

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground coriander

Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

If using chicken breasts, flatten them using a rolling pin between 2 sheets of nonstick baking paper, so they are 2cm (.in) equal thickness. Add the chicken (flattened breasts or the thighs) to the marinade and turn to coat all over. Either cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before cooking, or they can be cooked straight away.

To cook the chicken, preheat a griddle pan on the hob until hot, then cook the chicken breasts on a medium heat for about 15 minutes, turning every couple of minutes, until fully cooked. Thighs will take about 20 minutes. Use the same timings for a barbecue, adding the chicken to a preheated barbecue on a medium heat.

If using an air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 190°C/ 375°F. Cook the chicken breasts for 12 minutes and the thighs for 18 minutes, turning the chicken halfway through the cooking time.

Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in a pan of salted boiling water for 12 minutes or until tender. Check they are cooked by piercing one in the middle with a knife. Drain.

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a jug or small bowl. Slice the cooked chicken once I’s ready.

Arrange the salad leaves and cucumber ribbons on a platter, top with the potatoes, the chicken slices and the pomegranate seeds or tomatoes. Finally, spoon over the yogurt dressing and finish with the chopped coriander, then serve.