Grilled Tandoori Chicken & Pineapple-Curry Cauliflower Rice (2024)

In each issue of Paleo Magazine, I sharethe history of a traditional recipe and adapt it to fit into a healthier paleo lifestyle. This time, we’re off to India for a taste of masala and history.

The Gem of Punjab

In the 1920s, when India was still part of the British empire—and hadn’t yet been partitioned into Indian and Pakistan—an enterprising Punjabi named Kundan Lal Gujral opened his restaurant Moti Mahal, the “Palace of Pearls.”

To give his customers something new, Gujral marinated chicken in yogurt and spices, then cooked it in the tandoor, a clay oven traditionally used to bake the breads known as naan. Shaped like a bell and stoked with wood or charcoal fires that generated 900-degree Fahrenheit heat, the tandoor produced chicken that was crisp on the outside, slightly smoky, succulent, and tender.

According to lore, Jawaharlal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India, so enjoyed the tandoori chicken at Moti Mahal, he made sure it was always on the menu when he visiting dignitaries. The Who’s Who of those tandoori chicken feasts includes defining personalities of the twentieth century, including Richard Nixon, the Shah of Iran, Nikolai Bulganin, Nikita Khrushchev, JFK, and First Lady Jacqueline, who reportedly requested the recipe.

Tandoori marinade—made with a creamy yogurt base—is seasoned with a masala spice blend that’s spiked with cayenne and chili powder. Tandoori chicken made the traditional way turns a fiery red, thanks to Kashmiri chili powder, and when a chef is generous with turmeric, the chicken takes on an orange hue.

In 1947, India was partitioned and the British returned to their chilly isle, taking tandoori chicken with them. A quick Google search reveals that restaurants named in honor of the original Moti Mahal can be found all over the U.K. and former British territories. Tandoori chicken’s cousins—butter chicken and chicken takka masala—are ubiquitous in curry shops around the world.

To make a paleo-friendly version of this classic, I replaced the yogurt with coconut milk, but kept the fragrant spices. Since you probably don’t live in a village with a tandoor oven available, I’ve provided instructions for how to cook the chicken in your home oven and on the grill. The cauliflower rice is a sweet balance to the spicy chicken, and the chutney is both cool and piquant.

Grilled Tandoori Chicken

Serves 4-6 | Prep 10 minutes | Marinate 2 hours or overnight | Cook 30 minutes | Whole30 compliant

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup canned coconut milk

• juice of 1 lemon

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 1/2 teaspoonssalt

• 1 1/2 teaspoonsground coriander

• 1 teaspoon powdered ginger

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon paprika

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• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts (or a mix)

Directions:

Mint Chutney

Serves 4-6 | Prep 5 minutes | Whole30 compliant

Ingredients:

• 2 cups loosely packed fresh mint leaves

• 1/2 fresh jalapeño

• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves

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• 1/4 small white onion

• zest of 1 fresh lime

• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Oven-Roasted Curry Pineapple Rice

Serves 4 | Prep 10 minutes | Cook 25 minutes | Whole30 compliant

Ingredients:

• 1 head fresh cauliflower

• 1/2 cup canned pineapple chunks (sugar-free, packed in juice)

• 3 scallions, thinly sliced

• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

• 1/4 cup raisins

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

• 1 teaspoon Indian curry powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1-2 tablespoons ghee, melted

Directions:

May 10 Posted byMelissa Joulwan

February 11 Posted byMelissa Joulwan