Online Recipe Book

Tandoori Chicken

Source
http://robertmcdiarmid.com/cooking/tandoorichicken.html
Yield
2 servings
Prep info
20 min prep & cook + 30 min stand + 5 min prep + 30 min bake + 10 min preheat + 15 min broil + 5 min rest
Prep time
Not set
Cook time
1 hour, 55 minutes
Time required
1 hour, 55 minutes
Oven preheat
325F
Type
Mains - Misc
Status
Tried
Tags
Indian

Ingredients

  • 1/2 T Garam Masala or:
  • 1 t ground coriander
  • 1/8 t ground cardamom
  • 1/8 t ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 t ground black pepper
  • The Rest:
  • 1 T oil
  • 1 T minced garlic
  • 1 T grated ginger (fresh)
  • 1 t ground cumin
  • 1 t chili powder
  • 1/2 c plain yogurt (whole milk yogurt)
  • 1 T lime juice
  • 1 T lime juice
  • 1 t Salt (Table)
  • 1.5 lb chicken pieces (bone-in, skinless, trimmed of excess fat)
  • 1 lime (cut into wedges, for serving)

Method

  • 1. Heat oil in small skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add garam masala (or spice mixture), cumin, and chili powder; continue to cook until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds longer. Transfer half of garlic-spice mixture to medium bowl; stir in yogurt and 1 T lime juice and set aside.
  • 2. In medium bowl, combine remaining garlic-spice mixture, remaining 1 T lime juice, and salt. Using sharp knife, lightly score skinned side of each piece of chicken, making 2 or 3 shallow cuts about 1 inch apart and about 1/8 inch deep; transfer to bowl. Using hands, gently massage salt-spice mixture into chicken until all pieces are evenly coated; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
  • 3. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat oven to 325F/Gas 3. Pour yogurt mixture over chicken and toss until chicken is evenly coated with thick layer. Arrange chicken pieces, scored-side down, on wire rack set in foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Bake chicken until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 125F for breasts and 130F for legs and thighs, 15 to 25 minutes. (Smaller pieces may cook faster than larger pieces. Transfer chicken pieces to plate as they reach correct temperature.)
  • 4. After removing chicken from oven, turn oven to broil and heat 10 minutes. Once broiler is heated, flip chicken pieces over and broil until chicken is lightly charred in spots and instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 165F for breasts and 175F for legs and thighs, 8 to 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to large plate, tent loosely with foil, and rest 5 minutes. Serve with chutney or relish, passing lime wedges separately.

Notes

SJ Note 16 Aug 2010: This is tasty!  We had to use boneless skinless breast, since the chicken I got today was entirely too questionable - I think it's gone off - and that's what we had in the freezer.  Anyhow, probably because of that I found it a bit dry, myself, so shall definitely try this again with skin-on meat.  Though perhaps it'd have been helped by actually serving it with chutney or relish, but we don't like either, so we didn't.  Squeezing the lime juice over at the table (from the wedes) did help, though, and really brightened the flavor.  We also skipped the 30 minute standing, because it got late.  All in all very tasty, a surprise keeper!