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A Juicy, Moist Tandoori Chicken

Well, if you a lover of chicken which most people are then chances are that you have heard about the tandoori chicken. If you have never prepared this delicious meal, then you should get into your kitchen today. You can make this dish with the oven or without the oven. Skinless legs and thighs are marinated in a tenderizing mixture of yogurt, lemon juice, and spices and the meat is slashed to the bone in several places helping the marinade penetrate and the chicken cook more quickly. The chicken gets its characteristic red hue from either lot of fiery chili or the addition of red food dye.

The key to tandoori chicken is to use bone-in thighs and legs because they have enough fat to stay moist under the heat of the grill. The pieces should be skinless. Here’s a trick though, if you find yourself with extra skins (we bought our pieces skin-on), soak them in the marinade and slowly fry them until crispy. The first thing you need to do is take clean and patted dry chicken and make some deep cuts into your chicken so that the marination and masalas can go in. Once the chicken is cut and ready, begin your marination process, place your chicken in a bowl and add some fresh yogurt, red chili powder, ginger, garlic paste, turmeric, and salt to taste. Rub all that in the chicken and make sure everything is nicely combined.

Make sure the marination reaches each and every cut then et that rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Once the chicken has marinated enough, begin your frying process by adding oil to the pan along with salted butter the allow that to heat. Once the oil has reached your desired temperature, start adding the pieces of chicken in the pan and make sure you do not overcrowd the pan. Let the chicken cook for a minute and a half on the first side then give it a flip and let the other side cook.

Once the chicken is nicely cooked on both sides, transfer them into a deep bowl. Read the instructions for the oven version of the chicken tandoori.

Ingredients;

  • 2 whole chicken legs (drumsticks and thighs) with bone in
  • 1 greek yogurt (8oz – 250g)
  • 1 lime
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 tablespoon tandoori masala spice blend
  • 1 spoon garam masala
  • A pinch of turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1-inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and grated
  • Cilantro, finely chopped
  • Salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Instructions;

  1. Collect lime juice in a large bowl. Add greek yogurt, salt, and pepper. Stir in spices, ginger, garlic, and olive oil.
  2. Coat chicken with this mixture, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-hour minimum.
  3. Preheat oven at 460°F (240°C).
  4. Transfer chicken pieces to a baking dish or oven-proof skillet and bake uncovered for 30-45 minutes, turning occasionally.
  5. Turn on the broiler, and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes to char the chicken a little bit more if you want.
  6. Sprinkle with cilantro before serving.

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