Got the hots for tandoori chicken but not sure what to serve it with?
Indian food is full of flavour and tandoori chicken creates the perfect hero for a range of side dishes.
Think about adding light and plain sides such as rice and salad, plus a heartier accompaniment like naan bread drizzled with a yoghurt and mint dip to add coolness.
The choices are endless and who knows, you might end up adding tandoori chicken to your weekly repertoire.
Tandoori chicken salad
Ok, it might not be a side dish but adding tandoori chicken to a regular salad creates a flavour explosion like no other.
You’ll soon be craving salad every day!
Cucumber is great for cutting through the tandoori spices and by adding fresh tomato and lettuce with a drizzle of yogurt dressing you get a wholesome taste that’ll make you want to go back for seconds. And thirds.
Vegetable samosa
Traditionally eaten in India as a snack, samosas are a filling accompaniment to tandoori chicken. Eat them as a starter, dipped in chilli sauce or serve them as a side dish with tandoori chicken as the main.
Although they’re deep fried, samosas usually contain potatoes, peas and carrots so they could almost count as one serve of veg.
Pilau rice
If you like rice with your tandoori chicken then why not spice it up and create a pilau rice by adding turmeric while it cooks.
Finish with handful of sultanas and cashew nuts topped with a sprinkle of chopped coriander and you’ll turn a plain side dish into a veritable Indian feast.
You might like to try Rice and Roasted Corn Pilaf.
Tzatziki
It may be Greek, but the tanginess of tzatziki is the perfect complement to tandoori chicken and it goes well with samosas and naan bread too.
If you prefer mild foods over spicy, add some extra chopped mint to your tzatziki to help mellow out the chilli vibe of the chicken.
A squeeze of lemon adds an extra twist.
Naan bread
What’s an Indian meal without Naan Bread? If you’re feeding a large group – or a family of fussy kids – chop up the tandoori chicken into bite sized chunks or kebabs and make Indian-style tacos.
You’ll need:
- Naan bread
- Shredded iceberg lettuce
- Chopped cucumber
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Tandoori chicken, chopped
Fill a naan with handful of each of the above ingredients. Drizzle with tzatziki. Fold and eat!
Lentil dahl
A common meal in India is a thali which is a selection of dishes that compliment each other. Often served with a choice of pickles and salad, it’s kind of like tapas from the sub continent.
Dahl is lentil soup that works well as a side dish and often comes served as part of a thali.
Tandoori chicken and lentil dahl with a spinach curry provides a tasty and balanced meal that the whole family will love. Oh, and remember to add the naan.
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