Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori Chicken

Indian cuisine is renowned far and wide for its rich flavors and generous use of bold spices. However there is one particular Indian dish that has gained prominence not just for its bold flavors but for its cooking method as well. And that is none other than the world-famous Tandoori Chicken. The name Tandoori Chicken is derived from the “Tandoor”, which is a cylindrical clay oven that was traditionally used to cook the chicken in at very high temperatures..

Ingredients:

4 lbs chicken whole legs (2 piece, with drumsticks and thighs), bone-in and skin removed

Tandoori Spice Blend

Yogurt Paste

onions, tomatoes, thinly sliced (optional)

romaine lettuce, cut into bite-size pieces (optional)

Tandoori Spice Blend Ingredients:

1/2 tablespoon garam masala (store bought)

3/4 teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper (as per taste)

1/2 tablespoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon coriander powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

Yogurt Paste:

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1-inch ginger, peeled and minced

1/2 cup plain yogurt, lightly whipped

1/4 cup butter, ghee or oil (lightly warmed)

2 tablespoons rice vinegar or lemon juice

2 teaspoons salt (or as per taste)

pinch of red coloring or saffron (optional)

Method:

1.In a skillet, lightly toast the Spice Blend ingredients for a quick 2 minutes or until fragrant. In a large bowl, make the Yogurt Paste, add in all the toasted Spice Blend, mix well and set aside.

2.Clean and pat dry the chicken legs. With a knife, make 3-4 deep slits on parts of the chicken, front and back. Coat chicken with blended Tandoori Spice paste, making sure extra marination goes into the slits of the chicken. Marinade for 4-6 hours, preferably overnight.

3.Preheat oven to 375 degree Fahrenheit. Line the baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the broiler rack over it. Place the whole rack in the oven for 10 minutes.

4.Remove rack from the oven, place marinated chicken legs in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Flip the chicken half way, and baste it with extra marinade and continue baking.  Reserve juice in the baking sheet, if any and pour juice over the chicken, cool down/refrigerate until ready for grill.

5.Turn broiler oven or grill to High for 5-10 minutes. Cut the whole legs into 8 equal pieces and arrange them onto the grilling rack. Broil for 5-7 minutes on each side until the chicken is lightly charred and completely cooked.

6.Remove from oven, and ready to serve with a bed of fresh salad, Naan bread or Raita.