I know I have been preaching Tandoori recipes a lot lately! In fact my recent Tandoori Salmon recipe post turned out be such a hit among my family and friends circle, that I have become pretty obsessed with it. So, as I was finalizing my menu for this year’s thanksgiving holidays, I thought of doing an Indian version with all the masala flavours and aromas to rekindle my vacation memories back home. I did not do a turkey this year, as chicken being a perfect replacement for small family gatherings, suited mine as well.

So how do you like your chicken cooked; with a crispy skin or both charred and crispy? Well I always prefer the latter, and for sure when it’s with a tandoori marinade. Tandoori dishes have to be charred on the surface, as that tells that it has been cooked thoroughly in the clay oven. And no matter how burned the skins looks, the inside is soo moist n juicy. And when paired with mint chutney, it’s a match made in heaven!!

The secret to a moist chicken is the overnight marination in buttermilk. Buttermilk tenderizes the chicken and makes the meat soft and moist. So, plan your Thanksgiving cooking accordingly, with the prep a day in advance.

There is no better combination than Mint Cilantro Chutney for any tandoori dishes. It’s fresh n minty flavours perfectly blends with the smoky juicy textures, you can also serve with Saffron Rice, Naan/ Roti, and a yogurt salad for a full-fledged feast…

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking n Happy Thanksgiving!!!

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Tandoori Whole Chicken Roast

Juicy and Succulent Whole Roasted Chicken… Spiced in a Tandoori Masala & Served with a Mint Chutney…! Happy Thanksgiving…!!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword tandoori chicken, whole chicken roast

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 32 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 2 tbsp oil

For the Tandoori Marinade

• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (crushed)
• ⅓ cup yogurt
• Juice of a half lemon
• Salt (as required)

For the Stuffing

• 1 lemon (make small slits on lemon)
• ½ inch sized ginger
• 2 garlic cloves

For the Mint Cilantro Chutney

• 1 handful of cilantro leaves
• 1 handful of mint leaves
• Juice of half lime
• 2 tbsp yogurt
• 1 small onion/1 tbsp chopped onion
• 1 garlic
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

For the Tandoori Chicken

• Take the whole chicken and remove its giblets and pin feathers, clean inside out and pat dry with paper towels.
• Prepare the marinade by mixing all the ingredients of the Tandoori Marinade listed above, in a small bowl.
• Reserve a fourth of the marinade for basting later, and rub the rest generously over the chicken, inside its cavities, and gently under the loose skin.
• Refrigerate the chicken and the reserved marinade overnight, preferably 24 hrs.
• Before cooking the next day, take both out from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for at least half an hour.
• Preheat oven to 425 degree F.
• Stuff the chicken cavity with lemon, ginger and garlic. Tie the legs together with a kitchen twine, and tuck the wings behind by lifting the tips up and over the back.
• Place the chicken breast-side up on the a roasting pan/iron skillet greased with cooking spray.
• Bake for an hour and 12 minutes in total, basting it at 15 minutes intervals with the reserved marinade and dripping sauce from the chicken. Drizzle oil over the chicken after half an hour.
• Towards the end of the cook, check the skin for its browning/charring and measure the internal temperature of the chicken to reach 165 degree F.
• Remove from the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
• Dispose the stuffed ginger and garlic from cavity; squeeze the lemon (stuffed inside the cavity) over the chicken before serving.
• Serve with Rice, Naan/Roti, Mint Cilantro Chutney, & Salad.

For the Mint Cilantro Chutney

• Blend all ingredients until smooth. Add salt as needed.

Notes

1. You can also prepare this recipe with a store bought tandoori masala from your local Indian/Asian grocery store/World Market, or prepare it at home yourself as per the instructions above.

2. Vary the amount of red chili powder and black pepper powder used in the tandoori marinade to suit your spice levels.

3. The garam masala I have used in my recipe has been bought from an Indian store (Sakthi garam masala). You can also use a homemade masala which is preferable.

The post Tandoori Whole Chicken Roast appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Tandoori dishes are an Indian Delicacy. They are spicy, smoky, packed with a mix of versatile spices & cooked to perfection, making them always a Winner Dish!! The word “tandoori” is not the name of any dish; it’s in fact a method of cooking. Tandoori refers to traditional Indian style baking/cooking in a tandoor oven, which is a cylindrical shaped clay oven, fired with charcoal or wood and can reach temperatures up to 600 degree F.

The marinade for a tandoori masala is a mix of different spices including garam masala, along with yogurt and lemon juice. The main meat/protein ingredient should be marinated in it for a few hours to absorb the flavors and tenderize. It is then cooked vertically using skewers in a tandoor or horizontally on a grill. The fat and juices from the meat drip onto the hot coal creating a smoky environment perfect for a tandoori recipe. The cooked dish would have a charred coating, but the meat inside would be tender with a distinct aroma from the smoked spices. Tandoori recipes are considered as one of the healthiest foods as it is fat free. Originally, tandoori dishes were a delicacy found only in the royal kitchens with varieties like in naan, chicken, lamb, fish, paneer and vegetables. Down the years it started trickling to restaurants and onto the streets, in fact tandoori dishes gained its widespread popularity through street food stalls, night markets, bazaars, and dhabas. It has also gained immense popularity throughout the world and is a well sought-after dish in Indian restaurants globally.

Having a traditional clay oven at home is not easy, but you can still cook a wonderful tandoori dish in a conventional oven using the right spices and grilling/broiling methods. For this recipe, the Salmon is marinated in a homemade masala and is kept for a few hours (overnight preferably), cooked on both sides and finally broiled until it is charred and smoked on the surface. This dish tastes best with a bowl of basmati rice mixed with fried raisins and cashews, and cucumber yogurt raita. The sweetness and crunchiness from the raisins and cashews, along with the cooler cucumber raita, complement the smokiness and heat from the tandoori salmon, creating the perfect balance of flavors.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking!!!

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Tandoori Salmon with Rice and Cucumber Raita

Salmon in a Yogurt flavored Tandoori Masala… Served on a bed of Fragrant Basmati Rice and Cucumber Raita…! Healthy n Delicious Protein meal. 

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword salmon, tandoori salmon

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 16 minutes minutes

Total Time 31 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the Tandoori Salmon

• 6 salmon fillets
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp chili powder (add 1 tsp more if u like spicy)
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ¼ tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (crushed)
• ½ of lemon juice (squeezed)
• 3 tsp yogurt
• 1 tsp oil
• Salt (as required)

For the Rice

• 2 cup basmati rice
• 3 cups water
• Salt (as required)
• 1 tbsp ghee / butter
• ¼ cup cashews
• ¼ cup raisins
• Chopped fresh cilantro leaves (garnish)

For the Cucumber Raita

• 1 cucumber (peeled n chopped)
• 1½ cup yogurt
• Chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

For the Tandoori Salmon

• Marinate the salmon with ginger-garlic paste, chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, cumin, garam masala, fenugreek leaves, lemon juice, yogurt and salt for 4-5 hours (or at least 2 hrs).
• Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and spray cooking oil.
• Line the marinated salmon on the tray and bake for 10 minutes in the oven. Then turn up the heat to a broil and cook for 5-6 minutes until it starts to char on the surface.

For the Rice

• Wash and soak rice for 30 minutes and drain the water completely. Cook the rice in water and salt till the water is completely absorbed. Keep aside.
• In a small pan, add ghee and fry cashews and raisins until they are golden. Add to the rice and fluff with a fork, garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.

For the Cucumber Raita

• Mix everything together and adjust seasoning.

Notes

1. Make sure to keep an eye on the salmon while broiling to prevent it from burning.

2. You can also prepare this recipe with a store bought tandoori masala from your local Indian/Asian grocery store/World Market, or prepare it at home yourself as per the instructions above.

3. The garam masala I have used has been bought from an Indian store (Sakthi garam masala). You can also use a homemade masala which is preferable.

The post Tandoori Salmon with Rice and Cucumber Raita appeared first on Pepper Delight.