Chicken Masala

I love chicken tikka masala. Or butter chicken. I think those terms are synonymous; are they or am I crazy? Oh and did you see the Olympics mens snowboarding halfpipe last night? THAT was crazy. Crazy good! Just like this chicken.



Chicken Masala
Adapted from Bon Appetit Feb 2010

1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt (I used Brown Cow)
1/8 cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 1/2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 Tbsp garam masala
1 tsp coarse kosher salt
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 small onion, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

1. Mix yogurt, parsley, olive oil, garam masala, salt and garlic in a large plastic bag. Add chicken to marinade, close bag, and massage chicken so that the marinade covers each piece. Refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
2. Preheat oven to 400 F. Arrange onions in a thin layer on a large rimmed baking sheet to form a bed for the chicken. Top with chicken pieces in a single layer.
3. Roast chicken on top rack until cooked through and juices run clear, about 20 minutes. Serve chicken atop onion slices. Spoon pan juices around.

Serves 1

Chicken and Asparagus

Last night I played Rockband for the first time. I play Guitar Hero pretty well and really get into "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" but Rockband is a whole different story. I don't understand how to play the drums unless the notes are on the lines and spaced out really far. The notes that are really close together? Nope. Can't do it.



But something I can do is make this chicken. I've made it several times before and like to vary the cheeses. Fontina is good. This time I used Gruyere. It's super simple to make because the oven does all the work and you can cook vegetables alongside the chicken too. Simple and yummy.

Chicken and Asparagus

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
4 squares Gruyere cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 bunch asparagus, trimmed
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a sheet pan with foil.
2. For each piece of chicken, place a square of gruyere cheese on one side and fold the other side over so the cheese is covered. Arrange all 4 pieces of chicken on the sheet pan. Drizzle olive oil over the chicken pieces and sprinkle with the minced garlic and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
3. Arrange the asparagus on the sheet pan next to the chicken. Drizzle olive oil over the asparagus and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Bake the chicken and asparagus for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.

Serves 2