Making use of the seasonal vegetables, this salad is perfect for fall and winter. Roasting the vegetables brings out their sweetness and flavors. The tandoori chicken is a cherry on the top.
There is a reason behind the markets being flooded with brussels sprouts with the arrival of winter/late fall. Farmers wait until the first frost hits the season, so the brussel sprouts become more flavorful and they can harvest them. And we all can agree on one thing: Brussels sprout taste the best when roasted.
Roasting the brussels sprout is simple, but there are a few key things to keep in mind to get those crunchy, caramelized ones, that you just can’t stop eating right from the baking tray.
- Wash and pat dry the brussel sprouts really well. Use multiple kitchen towels to ensure thorough drying. The dryer your brussel sprouts, the crunchier they will be.
- Preheat your oven with the oven tray inside. The tray should get hot enough that you hear a sizzle when you put the vegetables in. This ensures that the brussel sprouts don’t turn soggy.
- Generously season with salt which also helps in absorbing the extra moisture.
Because brussel sprouts are in season in winters and I do not like having cold salads in winter, I like to roast some of my vegetables and add them to my salads. Roasting the vegetables not only adds warmth but also intensifies the flavors. The combination of roasted brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes works really well. They compliment and balance each other nicely. I like to add some grapes for some sweetness (also seasonal in fall), small pink radish and some toasted walnuts for some crunch. You may add them on a bed of mixed leafy greens. Kale is a great option too, as it’s seasonal in winter as well. To round it all up, I added a few drops of balsamic vinegar, which enhances the flavors even more.
To make the salad fulfilling, I added chicken breast which I marinated in a store bought tandoori paste. You can use any marinade of your choice. Just make sure that your marinade does not contain any added sugar, preservatives or non-Whole30 compliant ingredients. Keep the chicken marinated for at least an hour or preferably overnight. To ensure that your chicken doesn’t get dry in the oven when baking, keep the skin on. We bake it alongside the vegetables which saves us time and effort.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potato Salad with Tandoori chicken
Ingredients
For Tandoori Chicken:
- 300 gm/ about 1 chicken breast
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 tsp Tandoori marinade paste (Whole30 compliant)
For the Salad:
- 200 gm/ 10-15 Brussels Sprouts
- 1 medium sweet potato
- salt and pepper
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 5-6 small pink radish
- 8-10 grapes
- a handful of toasted walnuts
- balsamic vinegar for dressing (with no added sugar and sulphites) substitute: apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Coat your chicken with tandoori marinade paste and olive oil. Leave to marinate in the fridge for at least an hour or preferably overnight. The longer the marination, the better the flavors.
- Line a baking tray with aluminium foil and put it inside the oven. Set your oven to preheat at 200°C with the tray inside.
- Wash and dry your sweet potato and brussels sprouts thoroughly. The drier they are, the crispier they will turn out.
- Remove the ends of the brussels sprouts, and then split them in halves. Do not throw away the leaves that fall off as they crisp up very nicely. Dice the sweet potato in about 2×2 cm pieces.
- Transfer to a big bowl. Add olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. The seasoning also helps to crisp it up further by soaking in the extra moisture.
- Carefully take out the lined baking tray from the oven. Put your marinated chicken (skin side up) on one side, and your vegetables on the other. The tray should be hot enough that you hear a sizzle when you put your chicken and vegetables into it. Spread the vegetables all around in the tray in a single layer.
- Bake on 200°C for 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, wash your leafy greens (if using), grapes and pink radish. Pat the vegetables dry and cut the pink radish and grapes in halves.
- After 20 minutes turn off the oven and take the tray out. Rest for 5 minutes.
- Cut the tandoori chicken in thin strips.
- Mix all the prepared ingredients to make a salad. Drizzle a few drops of balsamic vinegar.
Notes
- You can any leafy greens like kale or spinach to your salad.
- Allow the roasted vegetables to cool down a bit before adding them to leafy greens to avoid a soggy salad.
- You can use other proteins like salmon, tofu or even skip it altogether to make a vegetarian version.