Tandoori Chicken or Veggies with Lentils

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Tandoori Chicken and Lentils – Once of my favorite things to do with recipes is to make them accessible to those who are dairy and meat free. Please don't be scared off by the photo or the title if you are vegetarian. I have modified this recipe so you can enjoy it too! I have to give credit to my husband for inspiring me to create this recipe for tandoori chicken at home. We love Indian food, however I've been finding that when we eat it in a restaurant I don't feel well afterwards. My husband loves to fire up the barbecue on the weekends, so we planned ahead, and marinated the chicken overnight in my tandoori spice mix and yogurt (you can make this non-dairy too with lemon juice and coconut milk or use coconut yogurt).
The next evening, we grilled it on the barbecue and it was delicious. We served it up with my simple Indian inspired lentils. They cook in the Instant Pot while the chicken is on the barbecue. Cooking the lentils in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker kills the lectins in them so they are more gut friendly. These two recipes combine into one delicious meal. If you are vegetarian, you can marinade vegetables in the tandoori marinade and grill them as well. Serve them along side the lentils and you can enjoy the flavors of India right in your own home. Cauliflower, squash, okra, and mushrooms work very well. You want to use veggies that have good structure and can stand up to a long marinade and a hot barbecue. – tandoori spice mix (*see link in recipe notes), fresh cilantro leaves (minced), Garlic (minced), fresh ginger (minced), chicken breast or vegetables (organic pasture raised chicken is best), plain unsweetened yogurt (OR 1 cup coconut milk plus 1 tbsp lemon juice), For the Lentils: small brown organic lentils (washed and soaked in hot water for a few hours), spring onions (light green and white parts, thinly sliced), fresh ginger (peeled and chopped), corriander seeeds, cumin seeds, sea salt, pepper, water (divided), butter or ghee, , In a large bowl or glass baking pan, arrange the chicken or vegetables in the pan. Sprinkle one whole recipe of the tandoori spice mix over the chicken or veggies along with the minced cilantro, ginger, and garlic. Stir well until completely coated. (see recipe notes)* ; Once the chicken or veggies are well coated, then add the yogurt. If you are making this non-dairy, add the coconut milk and lemon juice. Stir the whole mixture until the color is uniform. The spices and yogurt or coconut milk should be well incorporated. ; Cover the baking dish and refrigerate several hours or overnight. ; When you are ready to cook the chicken or the veggies, heat your barbecue grill to about 400-425 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the grill has reached the proper temperature, place the chicken over indirect heat for approximately 30 minutes, turning it once 1/2 way through. After 30 min, move the chicken to direct heat for the last 5-10 minutes of cooking, turning the chicken once 1/2 way through. Check the doneness of the chicken with a meat thermometer. Make sure the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit.; For veggies, heat your barbecue to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Skewer the veggies. Place the skewered vegges over indirect heat for approximately 20 minutes turning once. If more caramelization is needed, carefully move the veggies to direct heat and continue cooking 5 minutes more. ; Once the chicken and or veggies are done cooking, remove them from the grill and set aside until ready to serve. You can keep them warm by placing foil over the top.; For the Lentils: Place the dry lentils in a sieve and run warm water over the top for several minutes. As you are washing the lentils, look through them for little stones that sometimes get picked up during the harvesting process. Transfer the washed lentils to a bowl. Cover the lentils with 2 cups of hot water and let stand at room temp for about 10 min. Then transfer the lentils and hot water to the refrigerator. Let the lentils soak in the water for several hours or overnight. ; When you are ready to start cooking the lentils. Transfer the lentils and water to a sieve and rinse with cool water. Then set a side for a moment.
; Turn the Instant Pot on to the sauté function. Place the green onion and ginger into the pot with a bit of ghee or avocado oil. Sauté with the lid off until the ginger is fragrant and the onions are well sweated. Place the rinsed and soaked lentils into the bowl of the Instant Pot. Add two cups fresh water to the pot and stir. Season with salt, pepper, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds. Turn Instant Pot off and then turn it back on to the bean setting with the pressure cook function on, Set the timer for 25 minutes. Close the lid. The Instant Pot will cook the lentils to a pureed consistency. When the lentils are done cooking in the Instant Pot, let the pressure release slowly on its own or if you are in a hurry, VERY CAREFULLY, turn the steam valve from sealing to venting. Steam will release so be very attentive not to get your hand, face or skin in the way of the steam. Open the lid only when all the steam has slowly released and the pressure valve is back to the starting position. ; Season the lentils to taste with salt and pepper, a bit of ghee if you like. ; Serve the lentils with Tandoori chicken or veggies or both and enjoy! ; ; – Get the ingredients for my simple <a href="https://eatingenchanted.com/recipe/tandoori-spice-mix/">tandoori spice mix</a> here. – Dinner – Lunch – Main Dish – Indian – Dairy Free – Gluten Free – Healthy Comfort Food – Lectin Free – Paleo – Vegan – Vegetarian