Turmeric is the bright, yellow-orange spice that give curries their color, and it has significant health benefits, probably including helping to reduce inflammation, heartburn, and indigestion. Different studies indicate turmeric may have other health benefits, but additional research needs to be performed. In most cases, the amount of turmeric you ingest in your food probably isn't enough to yield miracles, but the spice does taste good, and it's worth adding to your diet. One easy way is to try Baked Turmeric Chicken. The chicken is inexpensive, fast to prepare, and bakes, hands-off, for ease on a busy day. Best of all, the chicken tastes really good. It's juicy, mildly spiced, and a little different from the usual baked chicken. You will need to plan ahead. The chicken needs to sit in a spiced yogurt mixture, so prep the chicken early in the day, pop it into the refrigerator, and go do other things until you're ready to bake the chicken.
Baked Turmeric Chicken -- Serves 4
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken quarters (3-4 pounds)
2 teaspoons of turmeric
1/2 cup of plain, fat-free yogurt
1/2 teaspoon of garam masala
1 tablespoon of minced dried onion
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Chopped cilantro (optional)
Place the chicken in a large plastic bag and add the remaining ingredients. Seal the bag and massage (squish!) the bag contents until the spices, yogurt, and oil are mixed and the chicken is coated. Put the bag in a pan in the refrigerator for 4-10 hours. When you're ready to bake the chicken, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray and place the chicken, skin-side up, on the sprayed foil. Squeeze any remaining yogurt mixture from the bag over the chicken. Bake the chicken for about an hour or until the chicken is browned and the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with a fork. Let the chicken stand a few minutes before serving. If you'd like, you can sprinkle the chicken with a little cilantro when you serve it.
