Tandoori Chicken, a childhood favourite of mine for as long as I can remember. Reminds me of family and friend get-together’s; bbq’s, birthdays, Christmas Eve, New Years Eve, many occasions!! It’s a perfect dish for entertaining as well as for the family. Quick, easy and fuss-free that you could rustle it up in no time. I’ve created this recipe using chicken drumsticks, but have made it with breast and thigh before too, simply adjust the cooking time accordingly depending on which you prefer.
I love this on the BBQ, but it works just as well on the hob or in the oven. Why not give it a go with my garlic naan recipe and serve it with a salad – it’s delightful!
Tandoori Chicken
Usually cooked in a clay oven, but I've replicated this in the oven and finished it off in the grill. A healthy and simple meal that is satisfying with salad, mint yoghurt and mango chutney! De-lish!
Equipment
- Blender or chopper
Ingredients
- 1 kg Chicken Drumsticks
- 5 tbs Plain Yoghurt
- 5 tbs Tandoori Powder
- 1 tbs Garam Masala
- 1 Small onion
- 6 cloves Garlic
- 15 g Ginger
- ½ tsp Salt
- 10 g Coriander
- ¼ Lemon (squeeze juice)
- 2 Green Chillies
- 2 tbs Oil
Instructions
- Skin the chicken, if you prefer it removed, and score using a knife.
- Make a paste and blend together the onion, garlic, ginger, chillies, coriander and yohgurt.
- Transfer paste into a bowl and add tandoori powder, salt, lemon juice and oil. Mix all the ingredients together.
- Coat the chicken generously with the marinade. Marinate overnight or for as long as possible. I've recommended a minimum of 1 hour.
- When ready, cook via any of the methods below:OVEN: Preheat oven on 180°c fan assisted. Place chicken in a greased oven tray or roasting dish and cook for 25 minutes. Baste chicken if juices are released. To give it a crispy coating, at the end place under a high grill for 1-2 minutes.HOB: In a shallow, wide pan, add 2 tbs oil and turn on to a high heat. Once hot, sizzle the chicken on a high heat for approximately 6-8 minutes to give it a crisp coating all around. Thereafter, turn the heat down to medium and cook until done (turning the drumstick regularly to ensure even cooking).You could also BBQ these drumsticks if you have access to a BBQ, I thoroughly recommend this. It's my preferred way of cooking this recipe and tastes delicious!
Useful Tips for making Tandoori Chicken
- Marinating the chicken is key. Marinade overnight or atleast for an hour before cooking.
- A BBQ is the best way to cook Tandoori chicken, however for those months you’re unable to, a hob or the oven will do just fine!
- I prefer using dark meat in this recipe, but you can use chicken breast too.
- This marinade works well with seafood or lamb too, if you want to give it a try.
I’ve tried this recipe twice now; it tastes so much better when the marinade is left overnight though. I’ve also cooked the chicken over a bbq which is equally nice, if not better!
What I liked is how easy this recipe is – pretty much chuck it all in a bowl, give it a mix and let it rest. Once cooked it taste absolutely delicious. An incredibly tasty dish.