This dish taps enticing Indian flavors to elevate humble grilled chicken to a supremely tasty weeknight meal. The chicken breast, seasoned with a simple spice rub of ground cumin, coriander and turmeric, gets a lovely, earthy flavor and stunning golden hue.
But the real star is the accompanying chutney. To make it, simmer a can of tomatoes with savory onion, ginger and mustard seed, along with sweet dried apricots and honey. Add a splash of vinegar for a balancing tang, and some peanuts for richness and crunch. Once cooked down, the chutney gets whirred in a food processor until it is spoon-ably smooth but still retains some texture. The simmer time for the chutney, just 15 minutes, makes it perfect for a busy night, but it can also be made ahead and refrigerated until needed.
The chutney, served with chicken and garnished with fresh cilantro leaves, results in a dish that’s as tasty and healthful as it is colorful. This recipe makes more chutney than you need for this meal, but you’ll be glad to have leftovers because the sweet-savory-tangy condiment is also delicious on tofu, as an accompaniment for grilled fish, a sandwich spread or a toast topper.
Golden Grilled Chicken with Tomato-Peanut Chutney
Servings: 4
Here’s a meal brimming with enticing Indian-inspired flavors that’s ready in less than 30 minutes. Rub the chicken breast with a mixture of spices to give it a lovely, earthy flavor and stunning golden hue and serve alongside a sweet-savory-tangy tomato chutney enriched with crunchy bits of peanuts.
MAKE AHEAD: The chutney can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Ingredients:2 tablespoons peanut oil, or another neutral oil1 cup diced onion1 tablespoon minced ginger root1/2 teaspoon whole brown mustard seedsOne 14.4 ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes6 dried apricots, finely chopped1/4 cup dry-roasted, unsalted peanuts, finely chopped2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar1 tablespoon honey3/4 teaspoon kosher salt1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1/2 teaspoon ground cumin1/2 teaspoon ground coriander1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric4 pieces thin-cut skinless boneless chicken breast (about 5 ounces each)Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnishMethod:
Heat 1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes, until translucent. Add the ginger and mustard seed; cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Add the tomatoes, apricots, peanuts, vinegar, honey, ½ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper. Bring just to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low so the mixture barely bubble at the edges; cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and the tomatoes have mostly broken down. Transfer the mixture to the small bowl of a food processor and pulse until the chutney is mostly smooth, but still has some texture.
Combine the remaining 1½ teaspoons of oil with the cumin, coriander, turmeric and the remaining ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the mixture onto the chicken.
Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 3 minutes per side, until the meat is cooked through and grill marks have formed.
Garnish the chutney with cilantro and serve alongside the chicken.
Nutrition: Per serving: 330 calories, 32 g protein, 16 g carbohydrates, 13 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 90 mg cholesterol, 430 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber, 9 g sugar
Source: From nutritionist and cookbook author Ellie Krieger.
