Baked Tandoori Chicken

Name: Baked Tandoori Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 5 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups plain yoghurt (full fat best); 2 tbsp oil (any); 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tsp ginger (, grated); 5 garlic cloves (, minced); 3 tsp garam masala spice mix (Note 1); 1.5 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder (Note 2 subs); 1 tsp turmeric powder; 2 tsp cumin; 2 1/2 tsp coriander powder; 1/2 tsp chilli powder, adjust to taste (pure, not US chili Note 3); 1 tsp salt; 1.2kg / 2.4lb drumsticks, bone-in skin on chicken thighs or Marylands (whole chicken legs) (Note 4); Oil spray; 1 cup plain yoghurt; 1/2 cup mint leaves, packed; Salt and pepper; Olive oil; Basmati rice (OR Saffron rice (see note)

Description: Recipe video above. Tandoori chicken - baked in the oven! For everyone who doesn't have a tandoor sitting in the middle of their kitchen. :) The flavour infusion and the lovely crust from the marinade is sensational. Easy sub for Kashmiri Chilli, the only ingredient that is not sold at supermarkets.

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 40

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups plain yoghurt (full fat best)
2 tbsp oil (any)
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp ginger (, grated)
5 garlic cloves (, minced)
3 tsp garam masala spice mix (Note 1)
1.5 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder (Note 2 subs)
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp cumin
2 1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder, adjust to taste (pure, not US chili Note 3)
1 tsp salt
1.2kg / 2.4lb drumsticks, bone-in skin on chicken thighs or Marylands (whole chicken legs) (Note 4)
Oil spray
1 cup plain yoghurt
1/2 cup mint leaves, packed
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Basmati rice (OR Saffron rice (see note)

Instructions

Mix Marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken, cover and marinate 12 to 24 hours (Note 5)
Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Line a tray with foil and place a rack on the tray.
Remove chicken from the Marinade, shaking off excess (reserve Marinade), and place on the rack. Bake for 20 minutes, then slather Marinade generously on both sides.
Bake for a further 10 minutes, brush/dab top with Marinade.
Bake further 10 minutes, do a final baste with Marinade then spray with oil.
Increase heat to 220C/450F. Bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes until you get some nice charred spots. Serve with Minted Yogurt and Saffron Rice (below) or plain Basmati Rice.
Minted Yoghurt:
Combine ingredients in a food processor and blitz until mint is very finely chopped.
BBQ Option:
Preheat BBQ with closed lid to medium, brush grills lightly with oil. Place bone-in skin-on chicken skin side down on grills, cook 5 min until surface is just caramelised - no more.
Baste, then flip. Baste, then close lid. Cook for 20 minutes or until internal temperature is 175F/80C (bone in thighs and drumsticks), basting once or twice more.