This is one of the most popular Indian dishes around the world, and originates in the Punjab region of northern India. The vibrant red colour of the chicken pieces is what makes this dish stand out, while the succulent chicken that has been marinated for hours in yoghurt has influenced many other Indian and "Indian-style" dishes, like Chicken Tikka and the ubiquitous curry house favourite Chicken Tikka Massala.
In authentic Tandoori chicken recipes, the red colour comes from cayenne pepper and red chili powder (Kashmiri chili powder) but due to milder Western tastes, these are often replaced with paprika powder, or even red food colouring. However you choose to flavour (and colour) your chicken, the trick is to let it marinade in the tandoori sauce for several hours or even overnight. You can use a ready mixed Tandoori masala spice mix, or add the different spices individually. I prefer the ready mixed spice mix as you don't have to worry that you are missing out on some of the flavours because you don't happen to have a particular spice to hand.
If you want to make really authentic Tandoori chicken then you will need to cook it in a Tandoor, which is a large cylindrical clay oven fired with charcoal or wood that can reach temperatures of nearly 500 °C!!! As most of us do not have one of these at home, you can replace the Tandoor with a barbecue or an oven on high heat (225 °C).
Ingredients
4 chicken legs, skin removed
2 Tb Tandoori masala spice mix*
150ml plain yoghurt
1 tsp paprika powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp black pepper
1 Tb lemon juice
1 red onion
2 cloves garlic
* includes the following spices: coriander, fenugreek, cumin, cinnamon, chilies, garlic powder, onion powder, ginger, nutmeg, bay leaves, allspice, cardamon
Method
Clean the chicken legs well and cut each leg into 2 or 3 pieces depending on the size. Using a sharp kitchen knife, cut slits into the chicken of 1-2 cm. This allows the marinade to penetrate into the chicken, giving a fuller taste all the way through. Place the chicken in a large plastic bowl.
Peel the garlic cloves and chop finely. Peel the onion and cut into thin strips. Add the spices to the chicken together with the lemon juice and yoghurt. Mix everything well and then cover with clingfilm. Place the bowl in the fridge and leave for several hours. Depending on how far ahead you want to prepare your food this can be anything from 4 hours to overnight. You want to make sure that the marinade gets the chance to envelop the chicken completely, so don't cut corners with the marinading time!
Preheat your oven or barbecue.
Transfer the chicken pieces to a lightly oiled baking tray if cooking in the oven. Roast the chicken in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, turning the pieces from time to time, and basting the chicken with the marinade every 10 or so minutes.
If you are going to barbecue the chicken, cook it over medium coals using the direct cooking method (so directly over the hot coals) for at least 30-40 minutes, basting the chicken with the marinade as you go.
Whichever method you use to cook your chicken, it is very important to make sure it is cooked all the way through, with no pink meat. Pierce the chicken at its thickest part with skewer or knife and check that the juices are clear. If they are not, keep cooking for additional time until they are.
If you have any left over marinade this can be heated on a gentle heat for about 20 minutes, so that it thickens slightly and removes any traces of uncooked chicken. This can then be used as a sauce to accompany the chicken.
When the chicken is cooked, serve hot with a simple salad or white rice, papadums, and green beans.
Maujan karo! Enjoy!
DID YOU KNOW?
Many rural villages in the Punjab region would have a communal tandoor for the people to cook their food. These would be kept burning throughout the day.
DID YOU KNOW?
The favourite curry house dish, Chicken Tikka Massala, is heavily influenced by Tandoori chicken. Popular belief is that tikka massala is actually a British dish rather than an authentic Indian dish, with several restaurant chefs claiming responsibility for inventing it!
