Cast Iron Tandoori Roasted Chicken Recipes

TANDOORI-STYLE ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• • In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt and 2 teaspoons of the seasoning salt. Place the chicken in a large lock-top plastic bag. Add the yogurt mixture and turn the chicken to coat evenly. Seal the bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours, turning occasionally.
• • Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the potatoes in a roasting pan and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt over them. Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Place on a rack (a vertical roaster works well), and arrange in the pan on top of the potatoes. Pour the remaining reserved marinade over the potatoes and turn to coat them lightly.
• • Roast the chicken for about 30 minutes. Turn the potatoes so they cook evenly. Roast for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until the juices run clear when a thigh is pierced with a knife and the potatoes are crispy and cooked through.
• • Transfer the chicken to a carving board and let rest for a few minutes. Carve into pieces and arrange on a platter. Surround with the potatoes. Pour the juices from the pan over the chicken and potatoes. Garnish with parsley or watercress and serve immediately.

TANDOORI ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Mix the marinade ingredients with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Slash the legs of the chicken a few times, then rub the marinade all over, including under the skin of the breast. Marinate in the fridge for up to 24 hrs.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the onions, lemon halves and ginger in a roasting tin. Sit the chicken on top and roast for 1½ hrs or until the thigh juices run clear when tested with a skewer.
• When the chicken is done, lift out of the tin, sit in a new dish, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest. Fish out the ginger from the tin and discard. Scrape out the roasted middles from the lemons into a food processor, add the onions and any pan juices, and whizz to a purée. Scrape the purée back into the tin and sit on the hob. Stir in the coconut milk and bubble gently, scraping up any chicken bits that have stuck. You can add a splash of water if the sauce is too thick. Stir in the coriander and serve with the chicken.

RESTAURANT-STYLE TANDOORI CHICKEN IN THE OVEN!

Steps:

• In a small mixing bowl, stir together the yogurt and lemon juice. Add the spices, minced garlic, and chili paste, and whisk until you have a smooth, thick marinade.
• Put 6 pieces of the chicken in each of two zip-lock bags, and add 1/2 the marinade to each bag. Zip closed and knead the bags until the chicken is well-coated with marinade. Open bags slightly, squeeze out most of the air, and zip closed again. Refrigerate 12-24 hours. If serving this for dinner, I usually make the marinade and start the chicken soaking the evening before.
• Turn the bags and knead the marinating chicken once or twice while it's in the refrigerator.
• When you are ready to cook, take the chicken out of the refrigerator, line a large roasting pan with foil, lay a rack over the pan so air can circulate under the roasting chicken, and pre-heat your oven to 425. If you have a convection bake or convection roast cycle, use that.
• Place the chicken pieces on the rack so they are not touching. Empty what is left of the marinade into a bowl or measuring cup and touch up any "empty" spots on the chicken pieces with the marinade.
• Once the oven is hot, put the pan with the chicken in the oven, and leave the door closed (no peeking!). Turn the chicken pieces once after 30 minutes of cooking time, then roast for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until slightly charred on the second side, but no more than 15 minutes for legs and thighs. If you are cooking breasts, poke one with a skewer to make sure the juices run clear.
• NOW TURN THE OVEN OFF, and let the chicken rest in the closed oven for 20-30 minutes more (not critical, but NO PEEKING!).
• Remove the chicken to a warm platter, garnish with the onion rings and a few squeezes of lemon, and enjoy!
• See if you don't agree this is as good as any "authentic" Tandoori chicken you've ever tried!

CAST IRON TANDOORI CHICKEN

Steps:

• Rinse the chicken with cold water and pat dry. Trim the excess fat. Loosen the skin from the breast and drumsticks by gently pushing your fingers in between the skin and the meat, starting at the neck cavity. Remove the backbone using kitchen shears, and then place the chicken breast-side up on a cutting board. Flatten by firmly pressing the heel of your hand down over the breastbone. Whisk together 1/3 cup of the Tandoori Spice, the yogurt, ginger and garlic in a large glass baking dish. Coat the chicken thoroughly in the marinade, and then let marinate in the refrigerator 24 hours. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle all over with the remaining 2 tablespoons Tandoori Spice. Heat a large cast-iron pan over high heat, and add the ghee. Sear the chicken skin-side down until crispy and charred, 5 to 7 minutes, and then flip and place in the oven until an instant-read thermometer stuck in the thickest, meatiest part of the thigh registers between 155 and 160 degrees F, 20 minutes. Baste generously with the lemon curd every 5 minutes. Tent the chicken with foil and let rest before serving.
• For Tandoori Spice: Heat the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom pods, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves and cinnamon in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the cumin becomes brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Grind the spices in a spice grinder or coffee mill until powder fine, and then transfer to a bowl with the annatto seed, paprika, Kashmiri powder, salt, turmeric, mace and nutmeg. Mix thoroughly and store in an airtight container up to 4 months. Yield: 1 cup.

TANDOORI ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Mix the marinade ingredients. Slash the legs of the chicken a few times, then rub the marinade all over, including under the skin of the breast. Marinate in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 400°F Put the onions, lemon halves and ginger in a roasting pan. Sit the chicken on top and roast for 1½ hrs or until the thigh juices run clear when tested with a skewer.
• When the chicken is done, lift out of the pan, sit in a new dish, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest.
• Take out the ginger from the pan and discard. Scrape out the roasted middles from the lemons into a food processor, add the onions and any pan juices, and whizz to a purée. Scrape the purée back into the roasting pan (or in a saucepan if your pan can't go on the stove - be sure to scrape out every little bit that is in the pan!) and heat over medium heat. Stir in the coconut milk and bubble gently, scraping up any chicken bits that have stuck. You can add a splash of water if the sauce is too thick.
• Stir in the cilantro and serve sauce with the chicken.