Tandoori Chicken with Cauliflower rice pilaf

This is a paleo remake of tandoori chicken and rice pilaf that is super quick and easy to make but packs a lot of flavor.

I cook the chicken in my air fryer which makes it even quicker but the chicken can easily be done in the oven as well.

Ingredients:

• For the chicken:

  • 1.5 lbs. chicken thighs, boneless skinless

  • Juice of 1/2 lemon

  • Avocado oil

  • Tandoori spice mixture:

    • 1 1/2 tbsp cumin

    • 1 1/2 tbsp coriander

    • 1 tsp paprika

    • 1/2 tsp garlic powder

    • 1/2 tsp ginger powder

    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

    • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste as needed)

  • Salt and pepper

  • Cooking spray

Directions: Mix all of the spices together. Reserve 1 tsp of the spice mixture for the rice pilaf. Mix the remaining spice mixture with 2 tsp of avocado oil, salt and pepper, and the lemon juice. This will act as your chicken marinade. Place the chicken in a large mixing bowl, pour the spice mixture over the chicken, and mix to coat the chicken. You can marinate the chicken ahead of time in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours, or you can cook it immediately.

If you are using an air fryer, spray the fryer basket with oil and place the chicken in the basket. Cook at 400 F degrees for 12-15 minutes, flipping half way through. If cooking the chicken in the oven, place on a greased cooling rack on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, flipping half way through.

• For the cauliflower vegetable rice pilaf:

  • 1 bag frozen riced cauliflower (you can also use fresh cauliflower and use a food processor to rice it)

  • 1 small onion, diced

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 tsp freshly ground ginger

  • 1 cup of chopped/diced mixed veggies - such as spinach, kale, swiss chard, carrots (diced small)

  • Avocado oil (or preferred cooking oil)

  • Salt and pepper

  • 1 tsp of tandoori spice mixture (from above), optional

Directions: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with oil. Add in the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook until the onions start to soften, about 3 minutes. Add in the rest of the vegetables, season with salt and pepper, the remaining spice mixture from the chicken marinade, and stir to mix together. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 3-5 minutes. Add in the cauliflower rice, season with more salt, and stir to combine. Let this cook over medium heat until the cauliflower rice is cooked through and the veggies are soft, about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and serve with your chicken.