tandoori chicken bowls
 Wow! It’s summer! My children are out of school as of yesterday! Time to panic! Just kidding — but an arsenal of easy recipes that you can have FUN cooking outdoors while the kids repeatedly blast each other directly in the eyeballs with squirt guns will help keep the “OMG, how is it already dinnertime, I have no plan for dinner” scaries away this summer. That’s what I’m here for! First up: tandoori chicken bowls. You can grill or roast the chicken. You’re gonna serve it with yellow rice (from a box is great!), garlicky yogurt sauce, and whatever toppings you’re feeling and/or already have in the fridge. The best part is that it's truly a please-the-whole-family meal. When I cooked it this week, my mom and I had a small scoop of rice, lots of chopped romaine, chicken, and all the veg pictured below. I diluted the yogurt sauce with lemon juice to make a delightful dressing. Mattis (age 5) had chicken, rice, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes. Calum (age 3) had chicken and cucumbers. Cashel (age 1 1/2ish) had chicken, tomatoes, a bizarre amount of raw onion, and so much rice that his hands were stained yellow from the turmeric. Craving a sandwich-y vibe? Toast up some pita and stuff everything in. I love that idea! Would you rather just have grilled chicken with a side of grilled veggies? Excellent plan. I recommend zucchini and bell peppers! Do your thing, whatever feels easiest and most delicious to you. But whatever you do, make this chicken the star of the meal. This week’s recipe relies heavily on spices. I love recipes with tons of spices because they are super flavorful with very little effort. I also loathe recipes with lots of spices because this newsletter is called What To Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking, I like to deliver on that promise, and when I don’t feel like cooking, I definitely don’t feel like measuring a million spices. So I want to set you free: you do not need to measure a single thing this week (though of course, I do provide measurements in the recipe!). Plop a big scoop of yogurt in a bowl, then eyeball in about half as much mayo. Chaotically add the spices, no measuring spoon in sight! See if I care! PS — hopefully you know this by now, but you do not need to buy any new spices this week! No garam masala? Sub in a pinch of cloves and cinnamon. No cumin? How about some chili powder? Be sure to utilize the subs section here — you can swap, sub, and riff your heart out and your dinner will be absolutely delicious, no matter what. Heads up! This chicken should marinate for at least 2 — but preferably up to 24 — hours. Why are we marinating chicken in yogurt…? Yogurt slowly breaks down the proteins in meat, giving it an incredibly tender, juicy texture. This is important especially for chicken breasts, which can easily dry out otherwise! Mincing vs. grating your garlic: I love using a microplane to grate my garlic into a fine paste when I’m using it in a sauce or dressing, where I wouldn’t want to bite into a big piece of raw garlic. But if you think mincing it is way easier, you do can that! My fave way to mince garlic is to smash the cloves completely flat with the side of my knife, then chop away. Why are we marinating chicken in yogurt…? Yogurt slowly breaks down the proteins in meat, giving it an incredibly tender, juicy texture. This is important especially for chicken breasts, which can easily dry out otherwise! Why are we marinating chicken in yogurt…? Yogurt slowly breaks down the proteins in meat, giving it an incredibly tender, juicy texture. This is important especially for chicken breasts, which can easily dry out otherwise! Mincing vs. grating your garlic: I love using a microplane to grate my garlic into a fine paste when I’m using it in a sauce or dressing, where I wouldn’t want to bite into a big piece of raw garlic. But if you think mincing it is way easier, you do can that! My fave way to mince garlic is to smash the cloves completely flat with the side of my knife, then chop away. Mincing vs. grating your garlic: I love using a microplane to grate my garlic into a fine paste when I’m using it in a sauce or dressing, where I wouldn’t want to bite into a big piece of raw garlic. But if you think mincing it is way easier, you do can that! My fave way to mince garlic is to smash the cloves completely flat with the side of my knife, then chop away. Serves 4 Cook time: 40 minutes + at least 2 (or up to 24) hours for marinating the chicken Tools: Large bowlSmall bowlLemon squeezerMicroplane (if grating your garlic)Chef’s knifeCutting boardTongsGrill brush Large bowl Large bowl Small bowl Small bowl Lemon squeezer Lemon squeezer Microplane (if grating your garlic) Microplane (if grating your garlic) Chef’s knife Chef’s knife Cutting board Cutting board Tongs Tongs Grill brush Grill brush Ingredients: Tandoori chicken: