Tandoori chicken in oven

Ingredients

Marinade 1
Chillie powder : 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste : 1 tsp
Lemon juice : 1 lemon
Salt : to taste

Marinade 2
Chicken breasts : 800gms/ Skinless chicken thighs or leg (drumsticks) : 1 kg
Thick yoghurt/curd : 3/4 cup
Mustard oil : 2 tbsps
Ginger garlic paste : 1 tbsp
Kashmiri chillie powder : 1 tsp
Cumin powder : 1 tsp
Coriander powder : 1 tsp
Garam masala powder : 1 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Pepper powder : 1/4 tsp
Salt : to taste

Butter : for brushing during baking

Method

Place the yoghurt/curd in a muslin cloth and let to drain off excess liquid. Wash and clean the chicken, pat dry it thoroughly with a kitchen towel. If using chicken breasts cut 2" cubes, if using thighs or drumsticks make deep slits, so it would be easy for the marinade to penetrate. 

Mix the chicken with marinade 1, gently rub the spices in the slits and all over the chicken. Keep it aside for 1 hr. Meanwhile mix together all the ingredients for marinade 2 and whisk well to form a smooth paste. After 1 hour pour this paste over the chicken and rub it into the slits, leave it for a 2-3 hours or if possible leave it in the fridge overnight. 

If you are using wooden skewers for chicken cubes soak them in water for 1 hr. Preheat the oven at 200 degrees C. Now thread the marinated chicken on to the skewers leaving little place between each piece. If you are using chicken thighs or drumsticks you need not use skewers.

Brush the oven tray with tsp of oil and place the chicken, start brushing melted butter on the chicken every 10 mins and keep turning on all sides so it cooks and browns evenly. Chicken on the skewers will cook quickly within 20-30 mins so keep checking and drumsticks will be done in 30 mins, if needed leave it in the oven for longer.

Garnish with onion rings, slices lemon and coriander. 

Serve hot with Mint and coriander chutney.

Important things to remember

• The yogurt needs to be thick, so that the marinade is not thin and runny.
• Give a good rub of the marinade into the slits.
• Marinating time is the key, it really needs to sit for a long time so that the spices penetrate the flesh and the chicken does not turn out bland.
• Brushing with butter will keep the chicken tender.
• Adjust the spices according to your taste (taste the marinade before adding chicken).
• Try to keep the bird within a kilo, too big will turn out hard. Small ones stay tender and cook easily.
• You can try the same recipe on a BBQ grill, it comes out even better.