Tandoori Chicken Traditional Recipe

Traditional recipe is somewhat simpler than the Classical recipe. Chicken is marinated in a Yogurt Lime marinate overnight before cooking in the Tandoor

Whole chicken is hardly used. The cooking times for various parts are different. Therefore, You may choose one of the following three options.

1. Skinless chicken breast quarters with bones

2. Skinless Chicken thighs with bones

3. Skinless Chicken thighs and drum sticks with bones

I like to use Skinless thighs with bones

Ingredients

Marinate

1. Skinless Chicken thighs with bones: 2 pounds

2. Saffron: 1 teaspoon

3. Hot water: 1 Tablespoon

4. Chopped onion: 1 cup

5. Fresh ginger: 1"x1" chopped

6. Garlic Cloves peeled chopped: 3

7. Ground Cumin: 1½ teaspoon

8. Ground coriander seed: 1 teaspoon

9. Garam Masala Standard Frying Punjab: 1½ teaspoon

10. Ground Nutmeg: ¼ teaspoon

11. Ground Cayenne: ½ teaspoon

12. Salt: 1½ teaspoons

13. Paprika:: 2 teaspoon

14. Red food color Liquid: 6 drops

15. Lime juice: ¼ cup

16. Canola oil: 2 teaspoons

17. Dahi Yogurt: 1½ cup

Cooking

1. Melted Ghee: ¼ cup

Method

Marinate

1. With a sharp knife cut a deep cross on top and bottom side of of each piece of chicken.

2. Crush saffron with fingers. Steep in water for five minutes

3. Combine all ingredients except Chicken in a food processor. Process at continuous speed for 2 minutes to form a smooth creamy paste. Transfer marinate to the glass bowl. Add Chicken. Mix well with a spatula. Cover and let it rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours up to over night

Step 3: Cooking

1. Preheat oven to 425º F for about 30 minutes

2. Remove chicken from marinate. Discard Marinate

3. Arrange chicken pieces in a single layer in a shallow baking pan

4. Bake for 15 minutes.

5. Remove baking dish from the oven and baste chicken with Ghee. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes till chicken is cooked through.