CHICKEN TIKKA CAESAR SALAD
Boneless pieces of chicken marinated in yogurt and spices with creamy dressing (White Sauce)
Ingredients for Chicken Tikka
2 lbs. of skinless chicken tenderloins cut into 1 inch pieces (can use chicken thighs as well)
2 tsps. of garlic powder
1 tsp of ground ginger
1 tsp of salt
1 TBS of a good Tandoori spice mix (I use the Shaan brand)
2 TBS. of plain Greek Yogurt
2 tsps. of ground coriander
1 tsp of ground cumin
1 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder
½ tsp of Biryani or Kunafe food coloring (or orange gel food color)
¼ tsp of citric acid
1 tsp of sugar
3 TBS of oil plus extra for pan searing the chicken
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Ingredients for Creamy Dressing (White Sauce)
3 heaping TBS. of sour cream
3 heaping TBS. of mayonnaise
½ tsp of garlic powder
½ tsp of onion powders
¼ tsp of dried oregano
¼ tsp of course ground black pepper
½ tsp of salt
1 tsp of lemon juice
1 tsp of dried cilantro
¼ tsp of sugar
3 to 4 TBS of water
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Ingredients for Salad
2-3 cups of chopped romaine lettuce that has been washed well and dried
1/3 cup of good quality croutons (I use the cheese and garlic flavored kind)
1/4 cup of a good quality, shaved or shredded parmesan cheese
Method:
To begin preparing the chicken tikka, remove as much of the moisture as possible from the chicken pieces before adding the garlic powder and ground ginger, salt, the Tandoori spice mix (I use the Shaan brand), the Greek Yogurt, ground coriander and cumin, the Kashmiri red chili powder and the Biryani or Kunafe food coloring (or orange gel food color) along with the citric acid and sugar. Lastly, add 3 TBS of oil and mix it all together. Then leave it to marinate for at least 15 minutes.
While the chicken is marinating, make the dressing. This is what I call my standard ‘white sauce’ dressing. I use it not only for this salad but also as a condiment for when I make my Afghani style brown rice (recipe will be posted soon). It is very simple to make. In a bowl, add the sour cream and mayo. To this, add the garlic and onion powders, dried oregano and course ground black pepper, salt, lemon juice and dried cilantro along with the sugar and water. Whisk together and refrigerate until ready to use. This sauce can be made in advance because as it sits, the flavors develop. I also love putting the sauce in a squeeze bottle for convenience.
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As for cooking the chicken, I prefer to pan fry the pieces. No special equipment needed—just a non-stick skillet and your stove top. I add a tsp or so of oil to the pan and heat it over medium high. Then add the chicken pieces without overlapping them and adjust the heat so that they sizzle but do not burn. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until they are slightly blackened on one side, then turn them over and reduce the heat to medium low. Cover for a couple of minutes for the chicken to cook through. Uncover for another minute or so and then remove the pieces to a serving plate. Continue this until all the chicken is cooked through.
Once cooled for a few minutes, add them to a bed of fresh, chopped romaine, add parmesan shavings and croutons along with a healthy drizzle of the creamy dressing.
This is an incredible salad full of tastes and textures. Another way to enjoy the chicken is by making a wrap---I use Lavash bread and fill it with the chopped lettuce, chopped tomatoes and onions, along with slices of dill pickles and pieces of the chicken tikka. Drizzle the dressing on top and roll it up for an amazing chicken tikka wrap. So many possibilities with this chicken tikka!!
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I hope you and your family enjoy this recipe as much as mine!