Tandoori Chicken

Since America discovered the foods of India, we have learned to appreciate the complex palate of flavors. North Indian Tandoori is the most popular style of Indian cooking. The meat is cooked at a very high temperature in a drum shaped clay-lined oven, called a tandoor. In India spices are often blended specifically for each dish.

Marinade

    1 cup plain yogurt
    ½ cup chopped yellow onion
    1 tablespoon sweet paprika
    2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
    1 tablespoon minced, peeled fresh ginger
    1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
    1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
    ¾ teaspoon seasoning salt
    ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
    Pinch Spanish saffron powder
    Pinch cardamom

Chicken

    4 pounds skinless chicken breasts with ribs

1.  Day 1: In a large bowl, mix the yogurt, onion, paprika, lime
     juice, ginger, cumin, coriander, seasoning salt, cayenne, saffron
     and cardamom.

2.  Place the chicken in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Pour
     the yogurt sauce over the chicken and marinate for 48 hours.
 
3.  Day 3: Preheat the oven to 500° . Place the chicken on a
     nonstick grill pan, reduce heat and bake at 450 ° for 30
     minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 185° .

4.  The chicken will be reddish yellow in color.
 
     Hint: Serve with rice, naan, cucumber mint sauce and Apple
     Raisin Coleslaw. Mango Lassi or Masala Chai are the preferred
     drinks.

     Idea: You could also use the spice mixture with the yogurt
     and lime juice and marinate chicken pieces. Skewer the
     chicken pieces and grill or broil them. Marinating is
     essential for juicy, tender chicken.

     Garam masala: This is the word for spice blend in India.
     In this recipe we make our own spice blend.

     Makes 4 servings