Tandoori Chicken ..........

 



Ingredients:
4 lbs chicken whole legs (2 piece, with drumsticks and thighs), bone-in and skin removed
Tandoori Spice Blend
Yogurt Paste
onions, tomatoes, thinly sliced (optional)
romaine lettuce, cut into bite-size pieces (optional)


Tandoori Spice Blend Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoon garam masala (store bought)
3/4 teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper (as per taste)
1/2 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder


Yogurt Paste:
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1-inch ginger, peeled and minced
1/2 cup plain yogurt, lightly whipped
1/4 cup butter, ghee or oil (lightly warmed)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar or lemon juice
2 teaspoons salt (or as per taste)
pinch of red coloring or saffron (optional


Method:
1. In a skillet, lightly toast the Spice Blend ingredients for a quick 2 minutes or until fragrant. In a large bowl, make the Yogurt Paste, add in all the toasted Spice Blend, mix well and set aside.
2. Clean and pat dry the chicken legs. With a knife, make 3-4 deep slits on parts of the chicken, front and back. Coat chicken with blended Tandoori Spice paste, making sure extra marination goes into the slits of the chicken. Marinade for 4-6 hours, preferably overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degree Fahrenheit. Line the baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the broiler rack over it. Place the whole rack in the oven for 10 minutes.
4. Remove rack from the oven, place marinated chicken legs in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Flip the chicken half way, and baste it with extra marinade and continue baking.  Reserve juice in the baking sheet, if any and pour juice over the chicken, cool down/refrigerate until ready for grill.
5. Turn broiler oven or grill to High for 5-10 minutes. Cut the whole legs into 8 equal pieces and arrange them onto the grilling rack. Broil for 5-7 minutes on each side until the chicken is lightly charred and completely cooked.
6. Remove from oven, and ready to serve with a bed of fresh salad, Naan bread or Raita.