Tandoori Chicken - made at home without a tandoor
You do not need a tandoor for tandoori chicken. An oven, an air fryer or even a plain tawa all work. The real work happens in the marinade: the curd must be thick, the masala needs to soak in, and it wants at least four hours. Rush it and the chicken colours on the outside while staying bland inside.
Ingredients
- Chicken - 1 kg (legs or breast, slashed)
- Thick curd - 1 cup, drained
- Chavsamrat Chicken Tandoori Masala - 3 tsp
- Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp
- Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
- Gram flour - 1 tbsp
- Mustard oil - 2 tbsp
- Salt, to taste
- Onion rings and lemon, to serve
Method
- Make deep slashes in the chicken - the masala has to reach inside.
- Rub in the lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste and salt, and rest for 20 minutes.
- In a bowl, whisk the thick curd with Chavsamrat Chicken Tandoori Masala, gram flour and mustard oil.
- Coat the chicken thoroughly, pressing the marinade into the slashes.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, overnight if you can.
- Heat the oven to 220C. Roast on a rack for 25-30 minutes, turning once.
- On a tawa: brush with oil, cook both sides on medium for 8-10 minutes with a lid on.
- Finish on high for 2 minutes - the slight char at the edges is where the flavour is.
- Squeeze lemon over and serve hot with onion rings.
Tips
- Thin curd slides off the chicken. Hang it in muslin to drain first.
- The gram flour is what makes the marinade cling - do not skip it.
- A tray of water at the bottom of the oven keeps the chicken from drying out.