Tandoori chicken is a dish originating in the Indian subcontinent. It is widely popular in India, other South Asian countries, and over the years it has also become popular in other parts of the world mainly United Kingdom and Southeast Asia. It consists of roasted chicken prepared with yogurt and spices. The name comes from the type of cylindrical clay oven, a tandoor, in which the dish is traditionally prepared.Tandoori chicken as a dish originated in the Punjab before the independence of India and Pakistan. Although tandoor cooked chicken dates back to as early as the Mughal era, the dish is believed to be invented by Kundan Lal Gujral, a man who ran a restaurant called Moti Mahal in Peshawar. Gujral moved to Delhi, India after the Independence of India and Pakistan and the subsequent partition of the Punjab Province.
In India, tandoori cooking was traditionally associated with the Punjab and became popular in the mainstream after the 1947 partition when West Punjabis resettled in places such as Delhi. In rural Punjab, it was common to have communal tandoors. Some villages still have a communal tandoor which was a common sight prior to 1947.

Ingredients:

• Chicken - 1 whole chicken cut into 10 pieces
• Butter or Ghee for Brushing on top
• Chat Masala for Sprinkling on top

For First Marination:

• Red Chilli Powder - 1 tblspn
• Salt to taste
• Lemon Juice - 2 to 3 tblspn

For Second Marination:

• Thick Curd / Yogurt - 1 cup
• Chilli Powder - 1 tblspn
• Coriander Powder - 2 tblspn
• Cumin Powder - 2 tsp
• Chat Masala Powder - 1 tblspn
• Black Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
• Garam Masala Powder - 1 tblspn
• Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tblspn
• Kasuri Methi Leaves - 1 tblspn
• Kashmiri Red chili powder - 2 tbsp

Method:

• Take chicken in a bowl, make deep slits on them. Add salt, chilli powder and lemon juice to them and mix well. Leave this aside for 30 mins.
• Now take second marination ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Pour this over the marinated chicken and mix well.

• Leave this to marinate for 2 hours or over night.

• After 2 Hours or Next day, remove it and let it come to room temp.
• Preheat oven to 250 Degree C.

• Now place the chicken over a foil lined baking tray and pop it in oven for 5 mins, remove it and flip over, apply leftover marination over it if you have any and bake it for 5 more mins.Remove the tray from oven, apply ghee all over it.
• Now reduce the oven temp to 160 degree C and bake it for 10 more mins.
• Remove it and flip over and apply ghee all over it and bake it for 10 more mins.

• Now remove it and set aside. Mean time, increase the oven temp to 250 degree C and set the mode to grill.
• Place the tray near to the grill and cook it for 5 mins till you see some black spots over the chicken.

• Remove it from oven, give a final glaze with ghee and sprinkle some chat masala over it.
• Serve with coriander chutney, a lemon wedge, and onion rings!
• Alternatively, you can use a hot pan brushed with olive oil to cook the chicken pieces. using a charcoal grill gives the best flavor. Gas grill can also be used. tandoori chicken can also be cooked on a grill pan.

• If you want to go an extra mile and add that traditional smoke flavor, follow the steps given below....

How to give that smoke flavor to your chicken:

• To begin, first take a piece of coal (about 3 inches big) and hold it over a gas flame with the help of tongs. The coal will begin to turn red hot and grey in about 5 minutes. This indicates that the coal is ready to be used for smoking.
• At this point take a pan and put your chicken pieces in it.
• Push the chicken to the sides and place a small glass or steel cup in the middle. Put your favorite spices like cardamom, clove, black pepper, etc. Now pour some oil on the red hot charcoal.
• It will begin to smoke. Immediately cover the pan and allow it to rest for about a minute. Open the lid and remove the coal cup. You chicken will now have the smoked tandoori flavor.
• Make this Recipe and do share your experiences with us.......