Grilled Tandoori Turkey Salad with Creamy Curry Dressing

Don't limit turkey to the holidays!  It's a perfect choice for summer grilling and it turns this savory and sweet salad into a quick summer meal.

Thank you to the National Turkey Federation for sponsoring this post and inspiring this recipe!

I was thinking the other day, that turkey doesn’t get nearly enough love. Not the kind of turkey from the deli, but the home-cooked kind that steals the spotlight on one important day of the year (and maybe shows up once more for Christmas), but then quietly takes a back seat somewhere in the poultry section…   We should change that, and include turkey in our summer festivities too, don’t you think?  How about we let a new bird take over the grill this summer?

We’re literally counting down to the unofficial start of summer, which means it’s time to pull out your creative grilling recipes.  I prefer to limit the burgers and dogs, and stick to fish, vegetables, and leaner proteins – like turkey.  It’s such a perfect choice for the grill, because turkey is so moist and tender, and it plays so nicely with almost any marinades or seasonings you can think of.  It’s almost hard to screw it up.  Really.

Here are a few more reasons to invite turkey to all of your summer food fests:

  • The variety! I’m talking turkey breast, thighs, drumsticks, wings, burgers, dogs, bacon, sausages… Your guests will be so impressed with your culinary creativity
  • It’s lean but SO moist! Waaay better than some of those “other birds”
  • A 3 ounce serving of most cuts of turkey has a whopping 25 grams of protein, about 130 calories, and almost no saturated fat. It’s not gonna weigh you down this summer.

So, let’s talk about this recipe.  Traditional Indian tandoori is a meat coated with a yogurt-spice mixture, and then cooked in a clay pot, but I'm keeping it cool in the house, and grilling instead.  The nonfat Greek yogurt in this “marinade” does an amazing job of tenderizing the meat and makes these turkey thighs so totally moist they almost melt-in-your-mouth.  And the Indian curry-garam masala flavors are just a treat for the senses.  If I do say so myself.

DO NOT be alarmed by the long(ish) ingredient list.  Most are used in both the marinade and the dressing, and both can be done way in advance if you like.  Just measure, mix, and marinade.  Make sure you get that yogurt-y stuff all over both sides for max flavor and tenderizing.   Oh, and if you click the image below, you'll be treated with hundreds of other delicious, creative turkey dishes for all summer long.

It's not just for the holidays! Try grilling some turkey this summer, and turn a cool salad into a quick meal. Grilled Tandoori Turkey Salad with Creamy Curry Dressing|Craving Something Healthy

I love cool, pretty, and colorful salads when the weather is hot, and this one totally hits the spot.  It’s a perfect blend of spicy, savory, sweet, crisp, crunchy and chewy.  With a member of every food group present and on one plate.  Or bowl if you prefer.

It’s already hot here in AZ, so I cook the turkey and make the dressing early in the day, which means when dinner rolls around, I don’t sweat it!

Recipe

Grilled Turkey Tandoori Salad with Creamy Curry Dressing|Craving Something Healthy

Grilled Tandoori Turkey Salad with Creamy Curry Dressing

A fresh, delicious dinner salad featuring boneless, skinless, grilled turkey
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin
Course: Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: Asian, Indian
Diet: Lower Carb, Heart Healthy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
marinate time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 407kcal

Ingredients

  • ½ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
  • ½ teaspoon Garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon prepared mango chutney
  • 8 ounces boneless, skinless turkey thighs or breasts
  • 1 cup cooked freekeh or other whole grain (brown rice, farro, etc), prepared according to package directions
  • 1 medium mango peeled and cut into 1-inch diced pieces (about ¾ cup)
  • ½ cup red grapes sliced in half
  • 1 medium cucumber peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch diced pieces
  • 3 cups baby salad greens
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • ¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Dressing

  • 2 tablespoons minced red onion
  • 2 tablespoons prepared mango chutney
  • ½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger
  • ½ teaspoon curry powder
  • 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 4 tablespoons plain nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

Instructions

  • Mix the first 6 ingredients together in a measuring cup and pour the marinade into a bowl that is large enough to hold the turkey pieces.
  • Add the turkey pieces and turn so that both sides are coated with the yogurt marinade.
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

For the Dressing:

  • Combine all of the dressing ingredients in the bowl of a food processor, or in a blender. Puree until smooth. Refrigerate the dressing until ready to use.

For the Salad:

  • Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
  • Grill the turkey until it is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the meat. A meat thermometer should register 170-175 degrees.
  • Remove the cooked meat from the grill, and let it sit for 10 minutes. At this point, you can slice it to use immediately, or refrigerate it if you will make the salad later in the day.
  • Combine the whole grains, mangos, grapes, cucumbers, salad greens, and cilantro leaves in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine.
  • Top with the sliced turkey thighs, and as much dressing as desired. Toss well to coat with the dressing.
  • Sprinkle shredded coconut on top of the salad, and serve immediately.

Notes

Keep any leftover dressing in the refrigerator. If making this ahead of time, you can marinate and grill the turkey, and chop the ingredients for the salad but don't combine everything until you're ready to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 407kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 400mg | Potassium: 389mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 1034IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 3mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag me @CravingSomethingHealthy!

Want more recipe inspiration?  Check out the many ways you can Serve Turkey this summer, and follow the National Turkey Federation on Facebook and Twitter, for tips, turkey-prep videos, and healthy recipes you can enjoy all year long.

Have you ever used yogurt as a marinade?  Do you know what a tandoori is?

Eat well!

18 Comments

  1. I love grapes in my salads. I have not tried mango yet, but I bet the flavor combo is delicious!!

  2. I love the addition of the mango and grapes to this salad! I bet it tastes so fresh and delicious with the grilled turkey.

  3. This is amazing- I love the curry dressing! I just got a bunch of garden greens, definitely want to make this!

  4. Yum!! I definitely need to make this. I completely agree that turkey doesn't get enough love. I have a recipe for roasted turkey on my blog, and it's SO easy to make. Great flavors in this salad!

  5. YUM! What a great idea! I've never had tandoori turkey, but love tandoori chicken, so I bet this is delicious!

  6. I love turkey and we are lucky enough to be able to buy it directly here in the village, completely organic. I always seem to have some turkey parts in the freezer 🙂 . This salad looks like the perfect way to use some of the meat.

    1. Oh - you are SO lucky Adina! We always have ground turkey available, but the pieces take a bit more hunting. So worth it, though, as it's a nice treat in the summer 🙂

  7. I love the fruits in this turkey salad - they sound perfect with the Indian theme!

    1. I love fruit in a savory salad too Jeanette! I think it cools the spiciness from the curry here 🙂 Thanks for visiting!

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