Tandoori chicken in Oven and Tawa

Introduction:

Tandoori chicken is a classic appetizer popular not only in India, but across the globe..Chicken pieces are marinated overnight in spicy thick curd/yogurt marinade and then grilled to perfection in an oven...Traditionally marinated chicken is roasted in a tandoor/clay oven...Since most of our homes do not have a clay oven, we can use an oven (OTG) or a tawa to grill the chicken pieces...

	Cuisine: Indian
	Recipe category: non-veg, chicken, appetizer
	Prep time: 15 min
	Marinating time: 6 hours to overnight
	Cooking time: 50 mins
	Serves: 5
Ingredients:
Chicken	1/2 kg (thigh and leg pieces cut into medium sized pieces)
For the marinade:
Thick curd/hung curd/yogurt	1/2 cup/120gm
Ginger garlic paste	1 and 1/2 tbsp
Green chilly	2 sliced
Chilly powder	1 and1/2 tbsp
Cumin powder/seeraga powder	1/2 tbsp
Pepper powder	1/2 tbsp
Carom seeds/omum/ajwain	1/2 tsp
Lime juice	1 tbsp
Oil (preferably mustard oil)	2 tbsp
Salt	according to taste
For basting:
Oil	1tbsp
Tandoori chicken in tawa:
Oil	1 and 1/2 tbsp

Method:

1. Clean chicken pieces and make deep gashes (cuts) over it
2. Drain the water completely from chicken pieces and keep it aside
3. In a deep bowl add thick curd, ginger garlic paste ,chilly powder, cumin powder, pepper powder, carom seeds, lime juice ,oil and salt
4. Mix well using a whisk or with your hands
5. Rub the chicken pieces with the marinade .Apply the marinade well in the gashes
6. Cover & allow it to marinate for at least 6 hours or overnight (in the refrigerator)

TANDOORI CHICKEN IN OVEN:

1. Preheat oven 240 degree C (10 mins)
2. Coat the chicken pieces well with the marinade and place it on the wire rack.
3. Place it in the middle rack of the oven and grill at 240 degree C for 15 mins
4. After 15 mins turn the pieces to the other side, baste (brush) oil over the pieces and put it back in the oven
5. Grill at 240 degree C for another 15 mins. Remove from oven turn the pieces, baste with oil and place the wire rack on the top rack of the oven
6. Grill for 7 -10 mins at 240 degree C. Repeat the last step once again. Grilling the chicken in the top rack gives the charred effect
7. And your Tandoori chicken is ready to serve

TANDOORI CHICKEN IN TAWA

1. Pour oil in a tawa and when hot add marinated chicken pieces. Fry 3 mins (low heat)on each side. Press down the pieces with a spatula.
2. This gives the charred effect...Turn on both sides until cooked and remove from tawa

Notes:

• Use thigh and leg pieces of chicken (as they do not dry out easily while grilling)
• Thick curd/hung curd - to make thick curd line a piece of cloth over a sieve. Place the sieve on a bowl. Pour curd and let it sit aside for at least 1 hour. The extra water will be collected in the bowl..And you will get thick curd in the sieve
• Drain water completely from the chicken pieces before adding to the marinade
• Use mustard oil for authentic flavour
• The original Tandoori chicken recipe does not call for carom seeds/omum(it gives a unique flavour)...you can skip it and instead add Kasuri methi
• After removing the chicken pieces from the oven you can baste it with butter and sprinkle a little chat masala
• Cooking time varies depending on the size of chicken pieces