Tandoori Chicken
Bone-in chicken legs marinated overnight in spiced yogurt, then roasted in a hot home oven until charred at the edges and juicy inside. No tandoor needed.
Ingredients
Equipment: Oven with grill function, wire rack, roasting tray, foil, small steel bowl, meat thermometer (optional)
Method
Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper. With a sharp knife, cut two or three deep slashes into the thickest part of each piece, right down to the bone, so the marinade can reach the centre.
Mix the lemon juice, salt and 1 tbsp of the chilli powder in a large bowl. Rub this over the chicken, working it into the slashes, and leave it for 15 minutes.
In another bowl, whisk the hung yogurt with the ginger-garlic paste, oil, remaining chilli powder, garam masala, coriander, cumin, pepper, kasuri methi and chaat masala until smooth and thick.
Coat the chicken generously with the yogurt marinade, pushing it into every slash. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight for the best flavour and tenderness.
Optional smoky flavour: heat the charcoal over a gas flame until glowing red. Set a small steel bowl in the middle of the marinating chicken, place the charcoal in it and pour the ghee over. Cover the pan tightly for 5 minutes, then remove the bowl and charcoal.
Heat the oven to 230°C (or as high as it goes) with the rack in the upper third. Line a tray with foil, set a wire rack on top and arrange the chicken on the rack without touching. Shake off any thick clumps of marinade.
Roast for 20 minutes, until the surface has dried and started to darken in patches.
Turn the pieces over, brush with half of the melted butter and roast for another 15 minutes. The juices should run clear and the thickest part should reach at least 74°C.
Switch to the grill setting, brush with the remaining butter and grill for 4 to 5 minutes, watching closely, until the edges are charred in spots and deep red. Rest for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with chaat masala and serve hot with onion rings and lemon wedges.
Cooking tips
- Hang the yogurt so the marinade clings; watery yogurt slides off and steams the chicken instead of charring it.
- Removing the skin lets the marinade penetrate, but you can leave it on for crispier results and cook 5 minutes longer.
- Do not marinate longer than 24 hours, as the lemon and yogurt can turn the meat mushy.
- A wire rack matters: it lets hot air circulate so the underside roasts rather than stews in its juices.
Substitutions
- Use chicken breast on the bone or a whole chicken cut into 8 pieces; adjust the roasting time and check for 74°C.
- Replace Kashmiri chilli powder with 1 tbsp regular chilli powder plus 1 tsp paprika for colour.
- If you have no mustard oil, use any neutral oil and add a pinch of ajwain.
- A barbecue grill over medium-high heat works well in place of the oven; cook covered, turning every 5 to 6 minutes.
Serve with
"Serve with hot naan or roghni naan, mint-yogurt raita, a kachumber salad of cucumber, tomato and onion, and green chutney."
Storage
"Cool within 2 hours and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze cooked pieces for up to 2 months."
Reheating
"Reheat on a rack in a 180°C oven for 12 to 15 minutes, covered loosely with foil, until steaming hot throughout."
Nutrition per serving, estimated
Estimated from the ingredient list. Values vary with brands and portion size.
You might also cook
PakistaniChicken Karahi
Chicken cooked hard and fast in a wok-shaped karahi with tomatoes, green chilies and ginger. No onions, no cream, and ready in under an hour.
PakistaniChicken Biryani
Layers of long-grain basmati and a tangy, spiced chicken masala, steamed together until every grain stays separate. Made with potatoes and dried plums, the way many Karachi homes make it.
PakistaniMasala Omelette
The dhaba-style omelette: eggs beaten with onion, tomato, green chili and coriander, cooked thin and folded.
PakistaniAloo Gobi (Dry-Style Potato and Cauliflower Masala)
A dry, gently spiced curry of potato and cauliflower with cumin, turmeric and fresh ginger. Easy to make in one pan and good with hot roti for a weekday lunch.
Pakistani kitchen
PakistaniMutton Chops Masala (Pressure-Cooked Lamb Chops in Thick Onion-Yogurt Masala)
Mutton chops are marinated, pressure-cooked until soft, then finished in a thick, glossy masala that clings to the bone. A good Sunday dinner with naan or rice.
Tawa Naan (Soft Yogurt Naan Cooked on a Griddle)
Soft, bubbly naan made with yogurt and milk, cooked on a hot tawa or in the oven. A dependable flatbread for karahi, daal and kababs, no tandoor needed.
PakistaniChicken Corn Soup
A thick, gently peppery soup of shredded chicken, sweet corn and silky egg ribbons, in the style of Pakistani Chinese restaurants. Easy to make at home on a cold evening.
Kulcha (Oven-Baked Yogurt Bread with Nigella and Sesame)
Soft, fluffy round breads made with yogurt and milk, topped with nigella and sesame and brushed with butter. They bake in a hot home oven and go well with chanay, daal or any curry.