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Tandoori Chicken & Yogurt Cucumber Bites

Name: Tandoori Chicken & Yogurt Cucumber Bites
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 24
Ingredients: 1 lemon; 2 tsp paprika; 4 drops red food coloring (optional); 2 skinless chicken thighs; 1/4 cup plain yogurt; 1 inch ginger - grated; 2 garlic cloves - crushed; 1 tsp garam masala; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp paprika; 1/2 tsp cayenne powder; 1/2 tsp turmeric; 1/4 cup plain yogurt; 1 tsp lemon juice; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 tsp dried mint; 1 cucumber; Fresh cilantro

canapés

4 weeks ago

3 tandoori chicken bites on a marple platter garnished with cilantro

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Smoky spicy chicken, with a cooling mint yogurt all sat on a cucumber disk. These Tandoori Chicken & Yogurt Cucumber Bites are a flavor packed hors d’oeuvre (canapé) that are great for entertaining as they can be made in advance and served at room temperature.

Plus these are Keto, low carb and gluten free. That is a party hors d’oeuvre that covers a lot of bases!

The paprika stained chicken has been marinating. The flesh so perfectly infused with color and flavor. Homemade tandoori chicken, ready for the grill.
As the chicken hits the bars, the smell is instant. Smoke, spice and something slightly sweet. They sizzle, hiss and you are instantly hungry.
The marinade is thick, coating the chicken and giving you plenty of opportunity to savour the intense aromas, a spice trail adventure in your own backyard.
As you turn the chicken, the deep onyx lines are charred beautifully onto the flesh. A few more minutes of sizzling and the chicken is cooked to perfection.
You can’t resist a taste, the fragrance of lemon hits you first, then woody heady spice of garam masala and the tingle of cayenne.
HomemadeTandoori Chicken, check!

Can you make chicken Tandoori without a tandor oven?

YES! You can use the power of your outdoor grill (or BBQ) to recreate the heat and smoke of a tandor oven. If it is freezing outside or you don’t have an outdoor grill then you can use a grill pan on the hob. Just make sure you have that grill pan super hot.

The trick to homemade tandoori chicken is getting the char on the chicken. This gives you the classic tandoori flavor. But you want to ensure the chicken is cooked through as well.

If you are using the grill then have the heat medium high and let it warm up for a good 15 minutes before you cook the chicken. Once you have put the chicken on the bars, don’t touch it. Let it cook, if you lift it too soon the chicken will stick to the bars.

If you are doing it on a grill pan, have the heat under the pan set on high and let the pan heat up for a good 5 minutes. Then add the chicken and turn the heat down to medium. Again don’t touch the chicken, let it cook until it natural releases itself from the pan.

What gives tandoori chicken the red colour?

I was told by the mother of an Indian friend that as well as the spices she often uses a special food colouring to get the red color on her tandoori chicken.
Because I am clumsy and I always end up staining my fingers and benchtop when I use food colouring, I like to avoid the food colouring route. But I have included it as an optional ingredient in the recipe. Even without food coloring you can still get a beautiful orange red color.

I marinade the chicken for 10 minutes in lemon juice and paprika to give it a beautiful color. You can add your food coloring at this stage if you like.

For other great recipes, that will go well with these Tandoori Chicken & Yogurt Cucumber Bites, try serving these options at your next party:

Any maybe add a jug of Lemon and Blueberry Punch, a pitcher of White Sangria or a summery Lemon and Basil Gin and Tonic.

Enjoy x

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Small sq image showing the chicken bites and their coriander garnish

4.58 from 7 votes