Tandoori(ish) Chicken, Mashed Chick Peas, and Pepper and Onion Salad

Saw this recipe on Food Network Canada, and since we love Indian food, I was excited to make this.

I learned that I can make tandoori(ish) chicken. I also learned that our smoke detector does, indeed, work...and it's LOUD.



2 pitas (or Naan if you can get it)

1 cup plain yogurt
2 inches grated ginger root
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons coriander
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut across in 1/2...the same amount of marinade can be used with 4 chicken breasts)
Salt and pepper
1 can chick peas (good for decent sized servings for 3 people...do up a second can if there are more)
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tblsp tahini paste (use natural peanut butter if you don't have tahini)

1/2 small red onion, very small dice
1/2 yellow bell pepper, very small dice
Handful fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 lime juiced
Splash of apple cider vinegar
Drizzle of honey
Splash of green tabasco sauce
(I used the last three ingredients in lieu of the hot banana pepper rings and a bit of juice from the jar which I didn't think would be good, but after tasting it, I'm going to try it next time I make this, and ignore the last 3)

I chose to mix up the yogurt and spices (yogurt to olive oil from the above list) and marinated the chicken for a few hours. It's not necessary.

Preheat your oven to 500 (or as high as your oven goes). Cover a baking sheet with foil and if you have a baking rack, stick it on top.

Place chicken on baking rack (or right on the foil, if you don't have a rack). Roast for 20 to 25 minutes until chicken reaches a temp of 190 (or until it's cooked).

Heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Grate 1 clove garlic into warm oil. Put drained and rinsed chick peas in the bowl of a food processor, tahini (or peanut butter) and chicken stock and pulse until chopped. Scoop chick pea mash into skillet and warm through on low.

Combine red onion, bell peppers and cilantro. Add lime juice, vinegar, and honey (or add chopped hot peppers and juice to onion, peppers and cilantro). Drizzle a little olive oil over and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Warm the pitas (or naan) in the oven.

Serve pepper and onion salad over the chicken, with mashed chick peas on the side. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the whole lot and eat up!

Serve chicken with lime wedges to squeeze over top. Serve mashed chick peas alongside. Top the chicken with pepper salad. Cut pitas in half and pass at table.