Tahini Chicken with Grapes and Artichokes from Cara’s Cravings
As promised, I’m bringing you guys some great posts from some fellow bloggers while I’m away. Today, I have Cara from Cara’s Cravings. Thanks Cara for posting in my absence!
Two Years Ago: Strawberry Shortcake Cookies
Three Years Ago: Blondies
Since Jen and her man are having the times of their lives gallivanting across Europe, I thought it would be uber-appropriate to share a dish that reminds me of my own favorite vacation.
Two summers ago, my husband Ben and I made one of our dreams come true by booking a 2-week visit to Greece. If you’re thinking about traveling to Greece, I have two recommendations:
1) Early June is a fabulous time to go. It’s just before the major rush of European vacationers, so you’ll enjoy amazingly cheap restaurant deals and smaller crowds. But the weather is still great!
2) Do not, I repeat, DO NOT go there on a cruise!
Cruises are lovely, but you don’t truly get to experience the culture in any of the places you visit. And by culture I mean the sights, sounds, people, and of course, the FOOD. Ben and I went on a Mediterranean cruise for our honeymoon and scrambled each busy day to grab at least one “authentic” bite from each city, but every evening when we boarded the ship again, it was like returning home. (Well, if home consisted of a multi-course, fine-dining event every night, but you get my point.)
During our stays in Athens, Santorini and Mykonos, we were able to eat like the locals. (Actually, we probably ate a lot more than the locals, but that’s what you do on vacation, right?) Gorgeous fruits and vegetables, freshly caught local fish, warm breads from the oven, and blushy wines were all at our fingertips. I can’t say we had a bad meal there once. But I can say, with total confidence, that the grilled haloumi cheese with honey-wine tahini sauce we enjoyed rooftop in Santorini as the sun set over the Mediterranean Sea was one of my favorites, and my mouth still waters for it now.
This chicken dish, believe it or not, was inspired by that evening. If you’ve never had tahini, it’s just like a nut butter except that it’s made from sesame seeds, and it’s a common ingredient in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking. If you’re familiar with tahini, I’m going out on a limb and guessing that you’ve never had it mixed with honey. You’re in for a real treat, I promise. The itty-bitty bite of sweet does magic to the smooth, nutty sauce, especially with a slight tang from lemon juice (this was my alternative to the wine that the restaurant used in their dish.) I rounded out the dish with two other commonly used Mediterranean ingredients that I thought would be delicious with this sauce, grapes and artichokes.
We both agreed that this was one of the best things I’ve made in a while, and we even started rattling off the names of friends we thought would love it too. Because truthfully, as elegant as this tastes, it’s super simple to make and easily comes together in one skillet from stove-top to oven. Since this meal is quite rich from the tahini sauce (don’t worry, it’s the good kind of fat!) we opted to pair it with a light side of roasted asparagus. It was a doubly good idea because you can throw it in the oven at the same as the chicken and walk away (or go sip on a glass of wine) till it’s all ready.
Tahini Chicken with Grapes and Artichokes
Cara Lyons, www.carascravings.com
Looking for an simple yet elegant Mediterranean dish? This skillet-roasted chicken with grapes and artichokes in a lemon-honey tahini sauce is an easy one-dish meal, that takes me back to me back to Santorini with every bite.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon grapeseed oil or olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 5oz each
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup tahini
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 of a 12oz package of frozen artichokes, thawed according to package directions
3/4 cup red grapes
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Directions
Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a 8-9″ oven-proof skillet, preferably cast-iron. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, and cook until browned on each side, about 2-3 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, combine tahini, water, lemon juice, honey, garlic and cumin a blender or small food processor and process until smooth.
When chicken is browned on both sides, turn off heat and pour the tahini sauce over the chicken. Scatter the artichokes and grapes into the skillet. Transfer to oven, and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the center or a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 165ºF (actual cooking time will depend on thickness of chicken.)
Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe: 2
Amount Per Serving
Calories 443.8
Total Fat 20.6 g
Saturated Fat 3.2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 7.8 g
Monounsaturated Fat 8.3 g
Cholesterol 82.2 mg
Sodium 332.8 mg
Potassium 612.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate 27.3 g
Dietary Fiber 8.4 g
Sugars 14.8 g
Protein 40.4 g
Cara Lyons is the author of Cara’s Cravings, a food blog dedicated to indulgent recipes for healthy living. Cara has found that the key to maintaining her 75lb weight loss is spinning her passionate love of all foods and cooking into enticing, wholesome recipes featuring clean and nutritious ingredients. She has proven to herself and those around her that healthy food is far from boring. On the contrary, it can be rich, interesting, and unexpectedly delicious. In addition to her blog, her original recipes can also be found in Clean Eating Magazine. Recently Cara has taken an interest in cooking “inclusively,” meaning, she enjoys dabbling in gluten-free, vegan, and other specialty diets, so that more people can enjoy her recipes.
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
I think it would be SO awesome to live in India…mostly for the food. Which places do you like in Boston? I used to live there and really want to move back at some point!
This chicken tikka masala looks so tasty. Wonderful for PFB!
Joanne – We love Punjab Palace in Allston for delivery and Tamarind Bay in Brookline for eating in.
So great that you made it through. I’m sure you will make it to the next round with this beauty. Your take on this Indian classic looks absolutely delicious!
Punjab Palace is my absolute FAVORITE Indian place in Boston. They actually make my dishes spicy unlike some other places in Boston. I’ve always wants to try Tamarind Bay as well. Delicious recipe!
kitchenmisfit – definitely try Tamarind Bay. They have a great little outdoor seating area so if you can get there before fall arrives in full swing, I’d definitely recommend it.
I love chicken tikka masala – I just made it about six months ago for the first time, and I’ve made it a dozen times since!
I have a version that takes 30 minutes – I found I couldn’t taste the difference of the chicken when it marinated in the yogurt, so just skip it!
http://mybizzykitchen.com/2010/03/09/more-indian-food/
I voted for you – good luck!
This is fantastic! I love chicken tikka masala and its great you can cross off another item on your list!
Chicken Tikki Masala is my go to Indian food too! I had a great meal at Rani in Brookline a few years ago. I just voted for you. good luck.
Also – how fun you are giving away the KAF treats! 🙂
looks fantastic–you got my vote 🙂 i’ll have to try this one next!
I made tikka masala too for this challenge! It’s so yummy and tasty. Yours looks really delicious, and I voted for you.
You can see mine at http://www.foodbuzz.com/project_food_blog/challenges/2/view/973
Yum, I love Chicken Tikka Masala…this looks delicious Jen and you got my vote!
Love love me some tikka masala! And totally cute photo of the monkey. 🙂 Got my vote! Good luck!
Is it rude if I request to be invited over next time you make this?! Chicken Tikka Masala is one of my favorites and your looks so goooood!
Best of luck in the competition…I’m rooting for you!!
u r so right bout indian food,..
platter looks yum,..good luck.:-)
this looks delicious 🙂 Good luck with project food and you got my vote for this one! Feel free to drop by 🙂 Good luck and best wishes for making to the top !! WOOHOO
jen @ http://www.passion4food.ca
I love chicken tikka masala too, but haven’t ever attempted it. I’ll have to do it now, you made it look simple. You got my vote!
This looks awesome. I love Indian cuisine. Best of luck with round 2!!!
We love Indian food, I wish we had it more often. Our go to is also Tikka Masala and I am thinking we may need to revisit it again real soon. Great job you have my vote.
Voted for you and good luck with PFB 🙂
I would like to invite you to participate in my giveaway
http://atasteofkoko.blogspot.com/2010/08/mini-pistachio-tea-cakes-40.html
Here is my entry for PFB http://www.foodbuzz.com/project_food_blog/challenges/2/view/1039
What a fabulous dish you chose for the PFB challenge. Great job! I loved the monkey, but didn’t realize they were pick-pockets. Little rascals! I’ve not tried much Indian food, but would love to try your recipe. Sending you the best of luck in future challenges, along with my vote!
You’ve got my vote! I’m glad you were able to challenge yourself by cooking Indian food. Good thing you did, this dish looks amazing!!
That is so amazing that your husband has gotten to the opportunity to live in India.
Good luck, I know you are going to go far in this competition.
I voted! 🙂 Looks great! I love Indian food but unfortunately I’m the only one in my family and friends circle that loves it. In order to eat it I have to eat alone…haha.
Thanks for visiting my site.
I am panjabi ana love tikka. great post and voted by me.. I always use tikka flavoured chicken for my pizza…
Lovely post, placed my vote. Hope we both make it to the next round!
Your tikka looks great!! Don’t you love the Pioneer Woman? I cast a vote for you!
Lisa
I made this last Thursday. It was very good but way too spicy for my kids. When I make it again I am only adding one and a half T of garam masala and omitting the yogurt on the chicken.Thanks for all the yummy recipes!
not going to lie- mine didn’t taste so great. i was very hopeful, but i guess a year + of living in india puts my standards really high.
my favorite indian restaurant in boston is punjabi dhaba in inman square. lines so long they’re usually down the block, and there are always lots of desis there- that’s how you know it’s good. best dosa and chicken tikka masala i’ve had this side of the atlantic. silverware is optional.