Best Whole Tandoori Chicken Recipes

WHOLE ROASTED TANDOORI CHICKEN

Steps:

• Mix spices and lemon juice.
• Add yoghurt.
• Color with coloring to make an intense red/purple color.
• Add oil.
• Skin the chicken and tie it up nicely.
• Make deep incisions all over the thighs and breasts.
• Put the chicken together with the marinade in a tight plastic bag and massage the marinade with your hands into the incisions.
• Keep refrigerated for at least 4 but preferably 12-24 hours, turning the bag now and then.
• Roast the chicken for 30 minutes in 200 deg C/400 deg F oven with grill, turning often and patting with any marinade left in the bag.
• Raise the temperature to maximum and roast for another 20 minutes. The chicken should be well browned and almost black burnt in color.
• Serve with lemon or lime wedges either as an appetizer on lettuce leaves or as a main course with rice. In either case, standard yoghurt serves as sauce.

WHOLE TANDOORI CHICKEN

Steps:

• Clean and dry the chicken, leave the skin on.
• In a blender or liquidizer, add in the chopped onion, ginger and garlic and grind to a fine paste.
• Pour the onion mixture into a bowl, and add in the rest of the ingredients - ground spices and salt, lemon juice, yoghurt, tomato puree and oil and give it all a thorough mix.
• I use the roasting tin that I cook the chicken in, to marinade the chicken as well!
• So, line a roasting tin with foil (makes washing up easier!), place the chicken in the roasting tin and pour the marinade onto the chicken and rub it in all over on the outside and the inside as well and cover the tin with another piece of foil.
• Refrigerate for at least 8 hours but preferably over-night.
• Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/350F/180°C.
• Remove the chicken from the fridge and let it stand at room temperature for at least 30-45 mins before cooking (on a warmer day, 30 mins will do).
• Place the chicken in the centre shelf of the oven for 1 hour, basting with the juices from the tin half way through.
• After 1 hour, take the foil off and return the chicken back to the oven for another 20 minutes basting every 10 minutes to nicely brown and crisp up the skin.
• Remove the chicken from the oven and cover with foil and leave it to rest for 20 minutes before serving.

WHOLE TANDOORI CHICKEN WITH MUSTARD SEED-ROASTED POTATOES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• 2. Grind together the cumin, fenugreek (if using), coriander, and black pepper in a spice grinder or coffee grinder. Move to a small bowl, and mix in the turmeric and salt. Mix in the ghee to form a seasoned paste. Rub all over the chicken, including under its skin.
• 3. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan. Tie together the wings and legs and place in the oven. Roast until the internal temperature at the thickest part of the breast and leg is 150 degrees F. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes.
• 4. While the chicken is roasting, add the potatoes to a medium pot and cover with water. Boil until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with a paper towel. In a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add the canola oil. Once the oil is hot, add the potatoes and mustard seeds and stir occasionally until golden brown. Season with salt.
• 5. Place the chicken on a platter and garnish with the potatoes. Serve.