Tandoori Chicken

Chicken marinated in spiced yoghurt and cooked at a very high heat until charred at the edges.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 6h 20m
Cook: 35 min
Total: 6 hours 55 minutes
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Medium

Ingredients

  • 1.2kg chicken thighs and drumsticks, bone in, skin removed
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 250g thick Greek-style yoghurt
  • 2 tbsp fresh root ginger and garlic paste
  • 1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), crushed
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 25g butter, melted
  • Sliced red onion, lemon wedges and mint chutney, to serve

Method

  1. Cut two deep slashes into each piece of chicken down to the bone. Rub with the lemon juice, 2 tsp chilli powder and 1 tsp salt and leave for 20 minutes.

  2. Mix the yoghurt, ginger and garlic paste, 1 tbsp chilli powder, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, fenugreek leaves, oil and 1 tsp salt. Coat the chicken thoroughly, working the marinade into the slashes.

  3. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 6 hours, or overnight for the best flavour.

  4. Heat the oven to its highest setting, up to 240°C (220°C fan), with a shelf in the upper third. Set a wire rack over a foil-lined roasting tin.

  5. Lift the chicken out of the marinade, shake off the excess and arrange on the rack with space between each piece.

  6. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once halfway, until charred in places and the juices run clear. The thickest part should reach 75°C on a probe thermometer.

  7. Brush with the melted butter and grill for 3 to 5 minutes for extra char. Rest for 5 minutes and serve with onion, lemon and chutney.