Tandoori Chicken

Cooking an Indian classic in my kitchen today a dish which need no introduction, yes i’m talking about everyone’s favorite tandoori chicken. Chicken marinated in yogurt, fragrant spices and grilled to perfection in a clay tandoor.

Being a Punjabi tandoori chicken has always been one of my favorite, rajma chawal being the most favorite..I can eat it every day J. Tandoori chicken was very regular at our house when I was a kid, mom used to serve it with mint chutney, yogurt raita and hot paranthas. Since I love chicken VK and me used to be regular at a small joint near his office, who served amazing tandoori chicken. Today whenever we go to any Indian restaurant, Athena and Arnav’s first choice is tandoori chicken both
enjoy it thoroughly.

Tandoor cooked chicken actually dates back to the Mughal peroid. The dish is typically associated with Punjab and owns its origin there before the independence. Usually served with naan, tandoori chicken was popularized India post independence by Moti Mahal Deluxe in Delhi.

Chicken legs and breast pieces marinated in fragrant spices, ginger garlic and yogurt, then grilled in a hot clay tandoor to get that charred effect. The key to a perfect and delicious tasting chicken lies in its marination, the yogurt helps the spices to penetrate into the meat making it tender and juicy with spicy complex flavors making you want for more. The longer you marinate the chicken it will turn out be moist and more flavorful, I marinated it overnight. Like me if you don’t have a clay tandoor, the chicken can be grilled on a BBQ or an oven. I usually fire my BBQ to make it but this time made it in the oven. The beautiful orange color of the chicken and charred flavor is to die for. There is no celebration which is complete at our house without this yummy and aromatically spiced chicken. This classic is now relished all over the world, the preparation requires only a few ingredients and with an ease in which it can be grilled or BBQ it.

I always believe in living life to the fullest and nothing can be better than good food with family. Here the weather is becoming better now, the sun not so strong making it perfect to hit the kitchen and whip up some exotic food for family and friends. Time to fire the BBQ is finally here, the sweet sound of the meat, paneer, potatoes and other veggies sizzling at the grill is like music to my ears. I simply love it, don’t you??

Served this delicious tandoori chicken to my beautiful family yesterday evening for dinner, made it
into a complete meal by serving it with dal makhani, lacchha parantha, mint n yogurt chutney and some fresh salad. The expressions and happiness at the dinner table were priceless and made the efforts worth it.

“The beauty of life does not depend on how happy you are, but how happy others can be because of you”

Sharing the recipe

Ingredients

Chicken legs – 4

Butter for basting

Chat masala – to sprinkle

For first marinade

Kashmiri red chili
powder – 1 tbsp

Lemon juice – 2 tsp

Salt to taste

For second marinade

Yogurt (hung for 30 min) – 11/2 cup

Ginger garlic paste – 2 tbsp

Kashmiri red chili powder – 1 tbsp

Cumin powder – 1 tsp

Garam masala powder – 1 tbsp

Kasuri methi – 1 tsp

Sal to taste (remember we have already added salt in first marinade as well)

Method

1. Start by cleaning and washing the chicken well.

2. Take chicken in a bowl, make incisions. Add 1 tbsp kashmiri red chilli powder, 1 tsp lemon juice, salt, mix well and leave aside for 30 min.

3. Next take the ingredients mentioned under second marinade, mix well together. Now add this to the already marinated chicken, mix well.

4. Leave the chicken to marinate for min 6 hrs or overnight depending upon the time you have (I marinated it overnight in refrigerator)

5. When you are ready to cook, keep it chicken out for 20 minutes and bring it to room temperature.

6. Preheat the oven for 200 degrees C.

7. Line the baking tray with foil paper, place the chicken over it leaving some gaps between, and pour the leftover marinade over the chicken.

8. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes depending upon the oven, half way baste it with butter and turn the chicken pieces so that it’s cooked well on both sides.

9. To get some charred effect transfer the baking tray to the top most rack in the oven and change the setting to grill and temperature to 250 degrees C.

10. Grill for 5 minutes, turn the pieces and grill for further 3 – 4 min to get that beautiful charred effect.

11. Once done remove from the oven set aside for 2 – 3 minutes.

12. Serve with mint n yogurt chutney, lemon wedges and some chat masala sprinkled on chicken and enjoy.

Love