Tandoori Chicken and Cauliflower Pasta – Recipe!

I enjoy a good bowl of pasta, and Tandoori Chicken and Cauliflower Pasta is my version of a fabulous Indian-inspired meal, but with a twist from Italy.

Tandoori chicken is usually prepared with a mixture of warming spices like ginger, turmeric, cumin and some type of chili powder and then swirled together in yogurt before grilling.  However, who needs to wait for grilling season when you can have these same flavors in a pasta dinner tonight?  I tend to love combining cuisines from different regions to create delicious food and in this case — the combination of Indian cuisine with a touch of Italia really works.

Whole milk yogurt is the thickener for the sauce at the end of cooking, and you want to make sure you turn the heat down on the stove, so the sauce doesn’t break before you serve.  Don’t skimp on fat content with yogurt in this recipe because the sauce is so very deserving and it adds body.  I served the pasta with cool cucumbers over top because usually tzatziki is served alongside tandoori.

Ingredients

1 yellow onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

1 tablespoon ground turmeric

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

pinch of cinnamon

1 1/4 chicken thighs, cut into large pieces

2 cups cauliflower florets

8 ounces fusilli or bow tie pasta

3 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cup whole milk yogurt + 1/2 cup for serving

1 persian cucumber, sliced

olive oil for cooking

To Prepare:

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, add onion and saute for 3 mintues. Add garlic, ginger, turmeric, onion powder, chili powder, salt, cumin, black pepper, cayenne and cinnamon, stir.
2. Cook herbs into onions for 1 minute.  Add chicken and stir.  Cook for 4 mintues to brown slightly around edges.
3. Add cauliflower, fusilli and chicken broth, stir.  Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally allowing broth to reduce.
4. Reduce heat to low and add 1 cup yogurt and stir to thicken sauce.
5. Ladle into bowls and top with dollop of yogurt and sliced cucumbers.  Enjoy!