A few days ago “tandoori chicken” went through my head. And I thought I should look up a recipe to make it. I have no idea why that happened, because I had never actually eaten tandoori chicken before. A few days later, while getting caught up on Lindsay’s story at Pinch of Yum (she is having a baby too!) I saw a recipe she posted in the last few weeks on freezer meals including a tandoori chicken recipe. So of course I bit. And tandoori chicken, at least Lindsay’s recipe, is quite wonderful and almost SIBO friendly. Since the recipe is super easy – like one handed easy, I decided I’d post the recipe with the proper SIBO modifications.
Lindsay’s original recipe is here.
Whether or not you are new to SIBO and digestive health it is worth mentioning that this recipe is great for SIBO. Not just kinda good, but really helpful.
My first thought is that it is a normal recipe. By that I mean you aren’t having to learn an entirely new style of cooking or spend hours in the kitchen trying to recreate a 2-hour meal. This tandoori chicken cooked in coconut milk is a lot like a curry recipe. So, it is an easy, family recipe. You can make a pot of rice and steam veggies or grab some leftover roasted vegetables from the fridge and serve the chicken on top. White rice like jasmine or basmati are often well tolerated by those with SIBO in small amounts (up to 1/2 cup) and are allowed on the second phase of the bi-phasic diet. Small amounts of white rice are also encouraged for gaining weight with SIBO as well as post-SIBO for maintaining a healthy microbiome.
Additionally, many of the wonderful spices of this recipe are powerful anti-inflammatories. While the SIBO diets naturally aid in inflammation, this recipe takes it up a notch. Turmeric, ginger, and cardamom (in the garam masala) are all anti-inflammatory spices and contain analgesic properties. Analgesic means pain relief so the spices in this recipe along with the soothing properties of the coconut milk can literally make your tummy feel better after eating it. Perhaps that is why curries are a kind of comfort food. Of course if you don’t tolerate some of these spices it is best to leave them out. But if you are looking for an inspiring, SIBO-friendly meal to add to your tool belt, this is a great option!
Thank you Lindsay for creating a wonderful SIBO-style meal without realizing it! And best of luck with your new little one!
Tandoori Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breast or chicken thigh (boneless, skinless)
- 2 Tbs garam masala
- 1 Tbs ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 Tbs chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 14 oz can coconut milk (no gums or fillers)
- 2 Tbs honey
Instructions
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Mix the spices together with the honey and coconut milk.
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Place the chicken into an instant pot and pour the milk and spice mixture on top.
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Seal the instant pot and cook on the manual setting with high pressure for 15 minutes.
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Let the instant pot depressurize for 20 minutes.
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Remove the chicken. It will pull apart easily to serve.
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The juices and sauce will have separated, so mix these together and pour over the chicken.
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Serve with SIBO-friendly sautéed vegetables like zucchini, carrots, and peppers and a small amount of rice (if tolerated). Sprinkle with cilantro, drizzle with lime juice or drop a dollop of 24-hour yogurt on top.
Recipe Notes
If you want to add garlic flavoring, add a splash of garlic infused olive oil to the instant pot before cooking or sprinkle with chopped chives.
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Hi Elena,
Thank you for your site! I have tried many of your yummy recipes. Unfortunately I do not have an insta pot. Could this Tandoori chicken recipe still be made without one?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Sandy!
Woohoo! Thank you for trying so many of my recipes! Do you have a slow cooker? A similar recipe recommends cooking 2 pounds of tandoori chicken in a slow cooker on high for 4 hours with the coconut milk and spices. I haven’t tried it, because I actually ditched my slow cooker after switching to an instant pot. If you don’t care if the meat is pull-apart-style, you can dice the chicken, place it in a large soup pot with 1Tb coconut oil and cook until the meat is done. Add the spices and mix to coat the meat. Then add the coconut milk (and honey if desired) and let it gently simmer for 20-30 minutes. You may need to add a cup of water as the coconut milk cooks down. The meat won’t be as tender or saturated with flavors but it’d work. I make other curry-style recipes like this often.
Elena