One thing I pride myself in is that I cook a variety of ethnic foods in our home and I typically don’t make recipes the same way every time. Sure I have those special recipes that I make every few months for my family because they are family favorites but I still try to make slightly different each time.  I would rather change things up and make new and different meals to treat my family to foods of the world. For me, cooking is my down time. It is an opportunity for me to be creative but also to think about my day and organize my thoughts. The great thing is that the end of my “me time” I can give my family something special to eat.

Photo from FoodNetwork.com

This past week, the Food Network magazine’s May 2010 issue had a fast and easy recipe for Chicken Tandoori that I thought would really make my hubby happy. He has an affinity for Indian and Mediterranean cuisine so I wanted to make it for him. I had already purchased a large pack of chicken thighs for a slow cooker dish I wanted to make so I was able to use some for this dish. I liked that this flavorful dish could be made with spices and condiments that I already had in-house. I just need 20 minutes to marinate and 20 minutes to cook. You can’t beat that.

I wanted to marry the chicken and rice dish with some nice roasted vegetables that had a flavor profile that matched my main ingredient. I chose carrots, sweet white onions, zucchini, yellow squash tossed with olive oil and seasoned with cumin, coriander, paprika, salt and pepper. I also grated fresh garlic, ginger and lemon zest over the vegetables and tossed them lightly. I roasted them in the oven at 400 degrees while my chicken was marinating. I then followed the Chicken Tandoori to broil the chicken as directed. I placed the vegetables back in the oven at the last minute to make sure they were warm for serving. They turned our just al dente with a savory, richness to accompany the remainder of the dish.

The meal was simple to make and the ingredient list small.  The benefit of having a vast spice cabinet helps liven up simple dishes when you don’t want the same ol’ same ol’.  I suppose I will have to defer to my husband and child regarding their continued willingness to try new recipes each and every day.  But for now, I think we have a new addition to the family favorites.

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