Serves 4 as a starter
It’s hard to resist this classic Indian dish. Marinated in the delicious spices of the Tandoori Marinade and then cooked in a tandoor, Tandoori Chicken makes a great starter with salads and pickles. You can create this classic dish at home using your oven – even down to the iconic charred edges.
What you need…
• 4 chicken thighs, skinned and trimmed of excess fat
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 recipe of Tandoori Marinade
How to make it…
1. Make 2–3 small cuts about 3mm deep into the flesh of each thigh. This helps the chicken absorb the the marinade and gives the cooked thighs a nice look too.
2. Squeeze the lemon over the thighs, rub it in well and leave for 15 minutes. This will degrease the chicken and also helps the chicken absorb the marinade.
3. Shake off the excess lemon and coat the thighs in the Tandoori Marinade. Leave for at least 15 minutes but preferably 24–48 hours.
4. Preheat your oven to 170 C. Place the thighs on a baking tray, ensuring all the pieces are kept well apart and cook for 25 minutes.
5. Turn the thighs over and turn the heat up to 240 C. This will blacken the edges of the thighs, creating the same effect achieved by the tandoor.
6. Serve with salad and pickles.
You can mimic the smokey taste of the tandoor by using a small amount of smoked paprika in the Tandoori Marinade.
If you like this you should try our…
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