Tandoori Chicken Recipe

Description:

This is an Indian cuisine. Tandoori chicken is a chicken dish prepared by roasting chicken marinated in yogurt and spices in a tandoor oven(a cylindrical clay oven). Tandoori chicken can be eaten as a starter or appetizer, or as a main course.

The marinade takes some time, but this tandoori chicken is very easy. Make sure you make extra, you will eat more than you think, it also makes great leftovers for wraps and sandwiches. After the wrap I had yesterday I would consider making it just for the wraps.

Ingredients:

➤ 8-10 Chicken pieces (thighs, backs, breasts)

➤ 1 tsp salt
➤ 1 lemon, juiced
➤ 1 cup plain yogurt
➤ 1/2 onion (pureed or finely chopped)
➤ 2 cloves garlic (minced)
➤ 1 thumb sized piece of ginger (minced)
➤ 2 1/2  tsp garam masala
➤ 2 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
➤ food colouring 
➤ cayenne

Garam Masala:

➤ 1 tablespoon ground cumin
➤ 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
➤ 1 1/2 teaspoons ground pepper
➤ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
➤ 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

Mix Garam Masala spices together and store in an air tight shaker or container.

In a large mixing bowl combine salt, lemon,yogurt, onion, garam masala, garlic, ginger and cilantro. 

If you have food colouring you can add in red, yellow, or even blue. Most tandoori chicken is  reddish orange but it is just fun to eat green or red chicken and it will not affect the flavor.

Add in a half tsp of cayenne to 2 tsps depending on heat preference, Taste marinade and adjust to personal preference.

Add in chicken and stir to coat, cover and set in the fridge, stir occasionally, Marinate at least 8 hours preferably over night.

Traditionally this dish is cooked in a clay tandoor oven, I prefer it BBQ'd, I find the grill char really works well with the spice combination. BBQ on medium high for 25-40 minutes depending on if you are using legs thighs or breasts, bone in chicken cooks much slower. 

Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes again depending on size of pieces. When chicken has reach an internal temperature of 170 degrees F and any juices run clear it is cooked.

I find the skin keeps the chicken more moist, It could be removed towards the end of cooking and the remaining marinade brushed on, I serve it skin on and let the person decide to eat or discard it. Serve with yogurt and hot sauce, (I prefer sriracha) rice or potatoes.

So this our recipe. I hope you like it and please share it...