Mother's Day Tandoori Chicken Salad

Looking for food ideas for Mother's Day? This light, spiced Tandoori Chicken Salad with Minted Ranch Dressing is a good option to try.

Food writer, Ilse van der Merwe of www.thefoodfox.com, shares her light and spicy tandoori chicken salad recipe for the whole family to tuck into and says it pairs perfectly with Roodeberg Classic Rosé.

“Your mom will love this light yet filling salad with the most deliciously creamy ranch-style dressing. It also makes a tasty filling for soft rolls – ideal for a family picnic on Mother’s Day,” Ilse explains.

Tandoori Chicken Salad with Minted Ranch Dressing

(serves 4)

Ingredients (for the chicken)

• 4 chicken breasts, skin-on (bone-in or boneless)

• 1 cup plain double cream yoghurt

• A knob of ginger, peeled & finely grated

• 2 cloves garlic, finely grated

• 2 tablespoons garam masala or mild curry powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

• 1 tablespoon paprika

• Finely grated zest and juice of one lemon

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 2 teaspoons salt

• A few whole baby gem lettuces (rinsed, drained and quartered)

• ½ cucumber, sliced or peeled into slivers

Ingredients (for the ranch dressing)

• ½ cup mayonnaise

• ½ cup sour cream

• ½ cup buttermilk

• ½ cup fresh mint leaves, stalks discarded, roughly chopped

• ½ cup fresh dill, roughly chopped (plus extra for serving)

• Salt and pepper to taste

• A squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Method

1. To prepare the dressing: Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend to a smooth sauce. Place in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
   

2. To prepare the chicken: In a bowl, add the yoghurt, ginger, garlic, masala/curry powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, lemon juice and zest, olive oil and salt, and mix well.
   

3. Place the chicken in another bowl, pour over the yoghurt mixture and toss to coat on all sides. Cover the bowl and refrigerate to marinate for a few hours or overnight.
   

4. Oven bake skin side up at 200° C for about 15-30 minutes, depending on the size of the breasts and whether the meat is on the bone or not. If you prefer to prepare the chicken on the braai, place over a medium hot fire and braai on both sides until just cooked. Remove from the heat, then leave to rest for a few minutes.
   

5. Remove the bones, then slice the breasts into thin slivers. Arrange the lettuce and cucumber on a platter, then top with the sliced chicken and ranch dressing. Top with more chopped dill and serve at oncek.

Chef’s tip: We prefer using chicken breast on the bone for a lovely succulent bite with crispy skin. You can also opt for skinless, boneless breasts, just reduce the cooking time.