Elizabeth’s Turmeric Chicken with Vegetable Medley over Rice and Pasta

I have been looking to incorporate turmeric, used in Indian dishes and widely touted for its anti-oxidant properties, into my cooking lately. I came up with this. You can use more turmeric for a spicier dish, or less to let its taste be overtaken by the brown sugar. More turmeric makes the dish yellow, like in my picture. Less makes it brown. This combo will have you using your entire kitchen to capacity.

1. Prepare chicken tenderloins in a glass baking dish. Cover tenderloins with olive oil. Sprinkle first with kosher salt (which makes the meat more tender), then with pepper, then with desired amount of turmeric (a little goes a long way!). Finally, cover with a generous amount of brown sugar. Cover dish with tin foil to lock in the moisture. Bake at 350 degrees for about a half hour or until completely cooked through.

2. Meanwhile, mix a cup of rice with 4 cups of water, a tablespoon of kosher salt, and a generous amount of olive oil in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Add a pound of macaroni, lower heat to allow it to just simmer, and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, until both rice and pasta are tender.

3. Cut up green and yellow squash into a microwave-safe dish. Top this with red onions and sliced cherry tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Steam in microwave for about 7 minutes.

4. Layer the dish with pasta/rice combo on bottom, then vegetables, and finally the chicken. Drizzle the pan juices from the chicken over the entire dish. Kids are suspicious at first of the color of the chicken, but tell me it is delicious!

5. This is an original recipe. Please share and enjoy, but remember it is under copyright.