Chicken Tandoori

Chicken Tandoori is one of our favorite dishes. We both are quirky in terms of our preference for non-vegetarian food and prefer grilled/ charred/ bbq'd/ baked version of meat only. Both of us do not like much of meat curries and sea-food curries as well. This sometimes leaves us with some tasty and luxurious options like what we made today - Chicken Tandoori.

I researched a lot for the recipe online. Finally P decided to cook it his way. He treated the Chicken Drumstick (skinless, with bone: we used Tyson Brand) with Shan BBQ Tikka Masala (this one is widely available at all India stores in US). As I have mentioned many a times that Shan is one of our favorite masala. This Pakistani masala renders the unique color and flavour which makes the meat all the more edible, tender and succulent.

Happy Eid-Ul-Fitr to all my Muslim friends!!

Recipe born from our teamed effort in kitchen
Serves ~ 2 individuals

Ingredients:
Chicken Drumstick - 5 pieces ~ with bone, skinless
Shan BBQ Tikka Masala - 1/2 packet
Yogurt - 5 teaspoon
Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
Red Chili Powder - 1 teaspoon
Lime Juice - 1 teaspoon
Oil - For frying


Contraptions: Baking tray covered with foil to create a pit in the centre to collect the Chicken fat.


Method:
Thaw the Chicken drumstick pieces for atleast 1 hour. Warm up in microwave for around 2 minutes. Make a paste of the masala's listed except oil. It gives rise to a rich orange colored paste. Apply this marinade to the Chicken pieces and refrigerate for around 4-5 hours.

Remove from fridge after 5 hours have elapsed. Pre-heat oven to 375 F. Place each piece on the top rack (cover the rack with foil and poke with forks all around the central point of the rack) and cook on 375 F. Place the baking tray covered with foil at the bottom of the first rack to collect the fat which will drip from the chicken pieces once they begin to cook in the oven.

Allow enough space between each piece so that there is room for baking of each piece. Turn around after 20 minutes. Bake the chicken for 20 minutes more. They will get a brownish cooked look and the meat would have turned white in color.

Transfer to a deep dish saucepan with oil/ghee. Lightly saute till the surface gets charred and glazed with fat on all sides. Turn off the flame and cover the bone ends with foil. Squeeze lime juice on Chicken Drumsticks and serve hot. This dish also serves well as evening party snack or for get together dinner.

Chicken Tandoori goes as my entry for Think Red Chillies hosted by Laxmi of Kitchen Chronicles, an event started by Sunita of Think Spice.