Chicken Masala

As I continue my quest to broaden my cooking horizons, I continue to dip my toe into Indian cuisine. This super easy Chicken Masala recipe is a great jumping off point. The meal comes to together quickly, is super tasty, and is not overpowering for those new to Indian cooking.

You will need:

1 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon garam masala

2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

1 large garlic clove, pressed

1 4- to 4 1/2-pound roasting chicken, cut into 8 pieces, or individual chicken pieces

2 small onions, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

I made this while Michelle was out of town so I took the opportunity to only use dark meat (thighs and wings) for this recipe. I also paired it with some store bought naan, homemade raita, and brown basmati rice. Raita is a very tasty yogurt sauce that is often used to cut through the heat of certain Indian dishes. While the masala is not hot, the raita still pairs well with it.

For the raita you will need:

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup chopped seeded English hothouse cucumber

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 teaspoons chopped green onions

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

The first step is to make the marinade for the chicken. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a small bowl.

Mix well until everything is incorporated.

Then combine the marinade with the chicken in a plastic bag. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to a day. I actually made this the night before and cooked it the following day.