Recipe to Reality: Curried-Chicken and Vegetable Pan Roast

Curried Chicken with Roasted Veggies

   My husband and I first tried Indian food about 2-3 years ago after we were both curious to expand our palettes. We had to ask the waiter for recommendations since we weren't familiar with the cuisine, but after taking my first bite I knew I was in love! I remember saying, "I have never tasted anything like this!" We were both completely blown away by the exotic spices and couldn't get enough.

Chicken Tikka Masala & Coconut Curried Veggies

If you have never had Indian food before, I'd recommend getting Chicken Tikka Masala. Tikka means that the meat has been marinated in yogurt and cooked on a Tandoori grill, and Masala refers to a common spice used in Indian cuisine. The dish is served in a tomato based sauce full of rich Indian spices. This is my husband's absolute favorite dish, and while I try to be adventurous and try other dishes, I always have to take a bite of his as well!

When I found this recipe to make an Indian style dish at home without the inconvenience of using a ton of spices, I was very excited to try it. The recipe comes from the Food & Wine Annual Cookbook of 2011.

Total Time: 1 Hour and 15 Minutes
Servings: 2-3

Ingredients

• 2 lbs of butternut squash in 1-inch cubes
• 1 lb of brussels sprouts, halved
• 1 large red onion cut into slices
• 1 cup of canola oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup of plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon Madras curry powder
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless, chicken thighs
• Warm naan for serving

The first thing I did was preheat the oven to 450 degrees. 

Autumn Veggies!

I decided to buy the pre-cubed butternut squash since the squash is so difficult to break down and I'd prefer to keep my fingers, thank you! I took the squash cubes, the halved brussels, and onion slices and mixed them together in a bowl with 1/2 a cup of canola oil, salt and pepper. I also added a little Vegeta spice mix to my veggies. Then I spread them out on a baking sheet.

In the same bowl, I combined the yogurt, ginger, garlic, curry powder, the other 1/2 cup of canola oil, and salt and pepper. I decided not to use Greek style yogurt, just because I'm not a big fan. Also, I found the Madras curry powder right in the spice aisle of my local supermarket, you shouldn't have to go to a specialty store. 

Coated Chicken Ready to Bake!

Next, coat the chicken in the yogurt and spices mixture and lay the chicken on top of the veggies.

The recipe suggests cooking the chicken and veggies for a total of 60 minutes, but I found that both the chicken and veggies were done after 40. I set a timer for 20 minutes and turned the pan halfway through cooking. I also drained some of the juices halfway through cook time.

All done!

After 40 minutes I was left with golden brown chicken and caramelized veggies. Feel free to serve with naan bread or over rice. We chose to keep it low-carb.

This recipe can also be prepared the night before and baked the next day.

My husband, who is more of a meat and potatoes guy, ate all of his veggies and even had a second helping! We both loved the sweetness of the squash, with the slight bitterness of the brussels. The Madras curry spice was warm and inviting, and we didn't have any leftovers!

Can't wait to make this again...maybe in the fall or winter!

Stay Savory,