Dhaba Style Tandoori Chicken

Juicy, moist, smoky and charred dhaba style Tandoori chicken roasted in the oven. You won't need take-out anymore. Homemade tandoori masala with the aromatic Indian spices is mixed with sour cream for the marinate. Chicken is marinated for 4 hours and oven roasted until cooked and charred under the broiler with the basting liquid.

 

Don't be overwhelmed by the huge list of ingredients required for the preparation. These are everyday ingredients that you might already have in your kitchen.

 

Ingredients

• 4 Chicken drumsticks ( and /or ) Chicken Thighs with Skin on (Chicken legs and thighs yield the moist baked chicken. Chicken breasts tend to dry out with this preparation)

To Marinate Chicken

• 1/3 Cup Sour Cream
• 1 Tablespoon Heavy Cream
• 1 teaspoon Ginger Minced
• 4 Garlic cloves crushed and minced
• 4 Tablespoons Homemade Tandoori Masala powder(recipe follows)
• 1 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Garam Masala
• 1 Teaspoon Paprika for the bright red color
• 1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
• Zest of a lemon
• 2 Tablespoon vegetable Oil
• Salt to taste

For Basting ( Mix everything together)

• 1/2 Tablespoon Sour Cream
• 1/2 Tablespoon Heavy Cream
• 2 Tablespoons Tandoori Masala Powder

For the Tandoori Masala Powder

• 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• 1 Teaspoon Whole black peppercorns
• 1/4 Teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
• 3 Cloves
• 1 Green Cardamom
• 1/2 inch Cinnamon Stick
• 1/4 Teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1 Tablespoon Coriander seeds
• 3 Dry Red Chillies

Prepare Tandoori Masala

1. In a pan dry roast all the ingredients listed under 'For the Tandoori Masala powder' on low flame for a minute or until you smell the flavors of roasted spices
2. Switch off the flame and let the ingredients cool completely
3. Then add the ingredients to the spice grinder and grind it to a smooth powder
4. Store in airtight container and use as required

Directions

1. Wash chicken drumsticks and thighs and make slits on the pieces. This is done so that spices gets well inside the chicken pieces. Retain the skin on the chicken pieces.

 

2. Mix all the ingredients listed under marinate                   

 

3. Taste and check for salt and pepper and add more if required

 

4. Add the chicken pieces in the marinate and coat each piece with marinate. Make sure you apply mixture inside the slits also                              

 

5. Let the chicken marinate for 3 to 4 hours in the refrigerator or overnight in the freezer

 

6. Take the chicken out of the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature. When you are ready to roast the chicken, preheat the oven to 200 C.

 

7. Grease and line Baking tray with aluminium foil. Grease the foil with oil. Arrange the marinated chicken pieces in a single layer and drizzle with 1 Teaspoon of oil over the chicken pieces. Cover the tray with a aluminium foil.                  

 

8. Bake at 200 C for 15 minutes

 

9. Reduce the temperature to 180 C and bake the chicken covered with aluminium foil for 25 to 30 minutes

 

10. Flip sides once or twice to make sure chicken is getting cooked evenly. Drizzle with oil when you flip sides

 

11. After 25 minutes , check if the chicken is cooked through

 

12. Remove the foil. Baste the chicken with basting liquid we prepared. Return the chicken to the top most rack and broil for 2 to 3 minutes or until chicken gets nice char on the top. If your oven does not have broil option, then use the grill mode of the oven

 

13. Once out of the oven, cover the chicken with aluminium foil and let it rest for 5 minutes

 

13. Slice and Serve hot with tangy green mint chutney, sliced onions and lemon wedges