Top | Main Dishes

Tandoori Chicken

(recipe, Carrie Floyd)

Introduction

There are many recipes for tandoori chicken, but this one, from Moni Pillai, is my favorite. Since the ingredients are prepared in advance for the chicken to marinate, there is little to do come dinner time, making this a great dinner-party dish.

Ingredients

  1. 6 pieces chicken drumsticks and thighs, skinless but not boneless
  2. Salt
  3. 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
  4. ¼ tsp. cayenne
  5. 2 tsp. minced garlic
  6. 2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
  7. ¼ tsp. turmeric powder
  8. ½ cup plain yogurt (low-fat is fine)
  9. 3 Tbsp. grated (or finely chopped and crushed) onion
  10. 1 tsp. garam masala
  11. ½ tsp. ground cumin
  12. 1 tsp. paprika
  13. ½ tsp. black pepper
  14. 1 to 2 Tbsp. melted butter
  15. Lime wedges, for garnish
  16. Fresh onion sliced in rings, for garnish

Steps

  1. With a sharp knife, make several deep diagonal cuts, 1 inch apart, in the chicken pieces down to the bone. Place chicken pieces in a rectangular dish with deep sides and sprinkle with salt; set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together the lime juice, cayenne, garlic, ginger, ½ tsp. of salt, and turmeric. Smear this paste over and into the chicken. Refrigerate chicken for 30 minutes.
  3. In a medium-size bowl, mix together the yogurt, onion, garam masala, and cumin. Pour this mixture over the chicken, mix well, then cover. Marinate at least 3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
  4. When ready to cook the chicken, move an oven rack to just above center and preheat oven to 500 degrees. On a shallow baking sheet covered with foil, arrange chicken pieces. Sprinkle chicken with paprika, black pepper, and salt. Mix the leftover marinade with the melted butter and set aside.
  5. Place chicken in preheated oven and cook for 20 minutes. Baste with leftover marinade, turn chicken pieces over, baste, and cook for another 10 minutes or until cooked through. The chicken should be moist and tender, but not pink inside. Serve on a warm plate garnished with the lime wedges and onion rings.

Note

Culinate editor's note: If you have leftovers, cube the meat and mix it with mayonnaise and Saveur's minty raisin chutney for an excellent curried-chicken salad. Layer the chicken salad with fresh lettuce leaves on toasted sandwich bread for a light summer lunch. Read more on the pleasures of Indian cooking.