Juicy and Succulent Whole Roasted Chicken… Spiced in a Tandoori Masala & Served with a Mint Chutney…! Happy Thanksgiving…!!
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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- 1 whole chicken
- 2 tbsp oil
- 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)
- 1 lemon (make small slits on lemon)
- ½ inch sized ginger
- 2 garlic cloves
- 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)
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Take the whole chicken and remove its giblets and pin feathers, clean inside out and pat dry with paper towels.
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Prepare the marinade by mixing all the ingredients of the Tandoori Marinade listed above, in a small bowl.
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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.
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Refrigerate the chicken and the reserved marinade overnight, preferably 24 hrs.
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Before cooking the next day, take both out from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for at least half an hour.
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Preheat oven to 425 degree F.
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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.
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Place the chicken breast-side up on the a roasting pan/iron skillet greased with cooking spray.
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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.
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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.
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Remove from the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
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Dispose the stuffed ginger and garlic from cavity; squeeze the lemon (stuffed inside the cavity) over the chicken before serving.
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Serve with Rice, Naan/Roti, Mint Cilantro Chutney, & Salad.
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Blend all ingredients until smooth. Add salt as needed.
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.
I was salivating throughout the entire post! What a nice chicken this is! It is a must-try!
Thank You so much Makos…!
Hey Akhila…! i love chicken and your tandoori whole chicken roast looks sooo yummy & delicious, i can’t wait make this. am so glad like your photography. Thanks for sharing….keep shared your new amazing recipes….!
Thank You so much Umakant…!
Hi Akhila..Wonderful recipe and I’m gonna try it this weekend. You had mentioned that the chicken has to be marinated in buttermilk over night for best results. Do you suggest using buttermilk instead of yogurt in the tandoori marinade or first marinate it in butter milk and then use the tandoori marinade for second round of marination?
For this Tandoori Chicken, I would suggest using yogurt as its the traditional way. But you can substitute it with buttermilk. There is no need of a second marination, you need to marinate chicken with yogurt along with spices (preferably overnight) for a flavorful chicken.
I tried this recipe two weeks ago and it was the best chicken i have ever cooked. Im making it again and it’s going to become a weekly staple. The yogurt marinade kept it so juicy even though it was high heat. Crispy crispy flavorful skin and super juicy meat is everything I want in a chicken!
Awesome…I am so happy that you liked it. Thank You so much Elizabeth for trying out my recipe 🙂