Back in the college days, I was living away from home trying to juggle demanding studies, a job, and a social life. I was living on the cheapest convenience foods known to man and just barely scraping by. Oh and please don’t ask my parents about the check I bounced for the 89 cent bagel. They will NEVER let me live that down! Does anyone else understand my poor college student pain?
Well, my roommates and I decided we were going to splurge one night and hit the Bombay House on Main St. It was my first time trying authentic Indian food but I was 19 years old and thought it was about time to branch out and try some extra spicy food. I told them that I liked my food REALLY hot.
Big mistake. HUGE.
I started crying before I even fully swallowed my first bite. It was fire engine hot but the flavor…oh the flavor…was so spot on that I just kept on eating. I just kept stuffing my mouth with Naan bread and water hoping it would soak up some of the heat.
I have been hooked ever since. Now, I just make it a tad more mild.
I fell in love with the vibrant colors of Indian Spices at Grand Central Station, NYC
Indian Food is becoming even more popular these days with its incredible flavor profiles and nutritional benefits. This Healthy Indian Spiced Chicken is one I’ve been experimenting with these days and my kids (and their friends) are raving about it. The best part about it, besides tasting so amazing, is that it is incredibly good for you. If you are on a gluten-free diet, put this with rice and it is the perfect dinner.
This Healthy Indian Spiced Chicken is jam-packed with an array of spices. This dish is traditionally laden with butter and heavy cream and even though I am huge fans of both of them, I just can’t eat them every day. Instead of using heavy cream, this dish calls for Greek yogurt to give it creamy richness without all of the fat and calories. It’s a win-win. It also has a whole host of ingredients that your body will love.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – healthy fat source
- Onion – balances blood sugar levels + immunity fighter
- Tumeric – has incredible anti-inflammatory benefits
- Garam Masala – helps boost metabolism
- Chicken Breasts – a healthy lean protein
- Garlic – boosts the immune system
- Ginger – helps the digestive system
- Red Chilies – inflammation fighter
- Greek Yogurt – high in protein + probiotic benefits
A healthy chicken dish with Indian spices is a warm comforting meal.
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Pounds Chicken Breast cubed
- 1 Red Onion
- 4 Garlic Cloves or 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Ginger or 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 1/4 cup Tomato Paste
- 2 teaspoons Cumin
- 2 Tablespoons Garam Masala**
- 2 teaspoons Turmeric
- 1-2 teaspoons Red Chili Flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 1 1/2 cups Water
- 3/4 cup Greek Yogurt
- Serve with Basmati Rice or Naan Bread optional
- Cilantro
- Almonds
- Greek Yogurt
- **Garam Masala is a Indian spice mix found in most grocery stores in the spice section
- In large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and ginger.
Add chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add brown sugar, tomato paste, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, red chili flakes, and salt. Stir to coat chicken.
- Add water and stir. Cook for 8-10 minutes.
- Stir in yogurt and heat for 2 minutes.
- Garnish with cilantro, almonds, and greek yogurt.
Happy Eating!
Hi! I’m thinking of adding some chickpeas and broccoli to this in order to make it a more well-rounded meal. Do you think the original recipe will produce enough sauce for this, or should I make extra? Thanks, and I love your recipes!!
Hi Annie! Thank you so much! Adding broccoli and chickpeas sounds fantastic and is a great idea. I would suggest making a little more sauce to cover it. You can add 1/4 cup more greek yogurt and a 1 Tablespoon of water. Since yogurt serves as a creamy component and is quite mild, it may dull the spices slightly. You can add a dash or two of spices to compensate. If you still need more sauce, add more as needed. I hope that helps! Let me know how it turns out, Annie. 🙂
Hi Melissa! Just checking back in to let you know how the recipe came out. I added the broccoli and the chickpeas just before letting it cook for 8 minutes and it was perfect!! I ended up not needing any extra spices, even with the extra yogurt and water but that’s just a personal preference. I definitely recommend trying some broccoli and chickpeas in this. This dish is bright and packed full of flavor, and I can’t wait to eat the leftovers for lunch at work today! Next time, I think I might try making it with tofu instead of chicken so my vegetarian sister can have some. Thanks for another knockout recipe!!!
Hi Annie! Thank you for taking the time to give feedback on the recipe! I really appreciate it. It’s a fabulous idea to add broccoli and chickpeas and I am definitely adding them next time. It just makes it more nutritious and filling. Have a great day! – Melissa
This was DELICIOUS. I mostly followed the recipe but may have been a little generous with my spice additions, as I didn’t measure them + like more spices.