Air Fried Tandoori Chicken Thighs

My Aunt used to host the best pool parties and being a chef at a Las Vegas hotel meant we were in for some of the best food. I remember one pool party where she had grilled up some chicken wings and my momma asked her what flavor they were. She causally said, “tandoori”, but I didn’t stick around to hear any more. It wasn’t until I got older and was watching Food Network when I heard “tandoori chicken” being mentioned. I had forgotten about those chicken wings until now.

These Air Fried Tandoori Chicken Thighs are tender, juicy, and full of flavor from the perfectly spiced yogurt marinade.

Using an air fryer is a practical cooking method since most of us don’t own a clay pot, called a tandoor. The air fryer won’t give that same grilled taste but the crispy skin and juicy meat more than make up for it. If you want to grill the chicken instead, do so, you’ll love this recipe either way.

Make sure to double the recipe because the whole family will love this Air Fried Tandoori Chicken. I served ours with a veggie rice side dish.

Air Fried Tandoori Chicken

Makes 4 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 8 boneless chicken thighs
• 2 tbsp nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp hot paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• sea salt, to taste

And Action:

Pull the skin back on the chicken using a sharp knife and put in a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl with the chicken.

Massage the yogurt and seasonings all over the chicken and under the skin, coating the chicken well.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes but up to 24 hours if time allows.

Spray some nonstick cooking spray on the bottom of the air fryer and arrange the chicken in a single layer. You may have to do this in batches if you have a smaller air fryer like mine.

Spray the top of the chicken with oil and cook at 375°F for 30 minutes. Flip the chicken at the halfway point and continue to cook until the timer dings after the 30 minutes is up. Enjoy!

Slow Roasted Crispy Pork Belly

This Slow Roasted Crispy Pork Belly is ridiculously delicious. It made for a hearty and decadent meal when I served it on a bed of ranch seasoned mashed potatoes. The pork belly could easily be cut with a fork while the crackling was perfectly crisped.

Slow roasting the pork belly in a tin foil “box” means that the pork belly is literally roasting in it’s own fat. At the end of the cook time the heat gets turned up and is what helps to create that crispy crackling.

Slow Roasted Crispy Pork Belly

Makes 1 Serving

Stars of the Show:

• 2 slices of pork belly with skin on
• 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
• sea salt and pepper, to taste

And Action:

Preheat oven to 275°F

Place pork belly on a plate and pat the skin dry with paper towels.

Drizzle the pork skin with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place a piece of foil on a baking sheet and put the pork belly in the middle of foil, skin side up. Fold the sides in to form an open “box”, pinching corners to seal tightly and make it as snug as possible.

Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes.

Increase the heat to 450°F and roast for another 30 minutes.

Let the pork belly roast for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Keto Teriyaki Beef

I’m in the final 30 day push to the end of my HealthyWage weight loss challenge through work and have made a commitment to my team and myself so I decided to tighten up my diet even more by focusing on protein and veggies at every meal. I need to make sure that I can step on the scale fully clothed and for my weight to register as the loss needed. I normally weigh myself naked so that shaves off an extra pound. Haha!

This Teriyaki Beef recipe is super easy to make, reheats really well, and makes for a budget friendly meal.

Keto Teriyaki Beef

Makes 4 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 4 tbsp coconut aminos
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch fresh spinach
• 1 lb sirloin steak, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• sea salt and pepper, to taste

And Action:

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil.

Add the spinach and stir occasionally until wilted. Set aside.

Add sesame oil to pan. Saute onions and garlic over medium heat until cooked through and tender. Set aside.

Add beef to pan and season with salt, pepper, and ginger. Cook until the meat is cooked through. Add the spinach and onions back to the skillet.

Combine the coconut aminos, fish sauce, and 1/2 the sesame seeds and add to the beef and veggies. Toss to combine. Enjoy!

Pan Seared Scallops with Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce

These Pan Seared Scallops are tossed with a Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce and tossed with spaghetti noodles for a quick and easy meal.

Pan Seared Scallops with Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce

Makes 4 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 1 lb dry scallops
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp butter, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 lemon, juiced
• dried parsley, to taste
• 3/4 lb spaghetti noodles, cooked according to package instructions

And Action:

Pat the scallops dry thoroughly with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until sizzling. Add the scallops in a single layer. You may need to do this in batches to not overcrowd the pan.

Lower the heat to medium and without moving the scallops. Allow the scallops to brown lightly. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Flip the scallops and brown lightly on the other side, about 2 minutes or until cooked through. Remove scallops from the skillet and transfer them to a plate. Keep them warm.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the same pan. Add the garlic and cook for a minute making sure the garlic doesn’t get brown.

Add the wine with a wooden spoon scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine mixture has reduced by half about 2-3 minutes.

Stir in the remaining butter and lemon juice and turn the heat to low.

Return the scallops to the pan and add the cooked spaghetti noodles and warm for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the parsley and season to taste. Enjoy!

Creamy Garlic Scallop Spaghetti with Bacon and Sundried Tomato

There is nothing better than a meal that feels fancy but requires very little prep work and time in the kitchen. This is a candlelit worthy dinner that will be on the table in under 30 minutes. This Creamy Garlic Scallop Spaghetti with Bacon and Sundried Tomato screams date night but if you are like me, it’ll scream, quick and easy dinner for a busy single working mom with two hungry kids.

Creamy Garlic Scallop Spaghetti with Bacon and Sundried Tomato Paste

Makes 4 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 3/4 lb spaghetti noodles, cooked according to package directions
• 4 slices bacon, crisped and chopped
• 1 lb scallops, patted dry
• sea salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 tube of sundried tomato paste

And Action:

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and pan sear them in olive oil for 1½ to 2 minutes per side and set aside.

Add another tbsp of olive oil if needed and add the garlic, cook for 1 minute to slightly soften the garlic.

Add the white wine and simmer quickly for a few minutes until the liquid has reduced by about half. Add the cream and simmer for an additional 2 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper if needed, then add the bacon, sundried tomato paste and the scallops to the sauce. Simmer for 1-2 minutes to warm the scallops through before adding the cooked pasta.

Toss together the pasta and sauce very well before serving. Enjoy!