Easy Oven Baked Tandoori Chicken

IngredientsTANDOORI MARINADE:
- 1 1/2 cups plain yoghurt (full fat best)
- 2 tbsp oil (any)
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp ginger grated
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tsp garam masala spice mix (Note 1)
- 1.5 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder (Note 2 subs)
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 1/2 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder adjust to taste (pure not US chili Note 3)
- 1 tsp salt
CHICKEN:
- 1.2kg / 2.4lb drumsticks bone-in skin on chicken thighs or Marylands (whole chicken legs) (Note 4)
- Oil spray
MINT YOGHURT (OPTIONAL)
- 1 cup plain yoghurt
- 1/2 cup mint leaves packed
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Mix Marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken cover and marinate 12 to 24 hours (Note 5)
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Line a tray with foil and place a rack on the tray.
- Remove chicken from the Marinade shaking off excess (reserve Marinade) and place on the rack. Bake for 20 minutes then slather Marinade generously on both sides.
- Bake for a further 10 minutes brush/dab top with Marinade.
- Bake further 10 minutes do a final baste with Marinade then spray with oil.
- Increase heat to 220C/450F. Bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes until you get some nice charred spots. Serve with Minted Yogurt and Saffron Rice (below)!
MINTED YOGHURT:
- Combine ingredients in a food processor and blitz until mint is very finely chopped.
BBQ OPTION:
- Preheat BBQ with closed lid to medium brush grills lightly with oil. Place bone-in skin-on chicken skin side down on grills cook 5 min until surface is just caramelised – no more.
- Baste then flip. Baste then close lid. Cook for 20 minutes or until internal temperature is 175F/80C (bone in thighs and drumsticks) basting once or twice more.
This article and recipe adapted from this site