Tandoori Chicken, Mint Raita and Spiced Potatoes

It is believed that dishes very similar to Tandoori Chicken could date as far back as 3000 BC. Tandoori Chicken as we know it today originated from the Punjab region (Northern India and Eastern Pakistan) of the Indian subcontinent and became popular in the late 1940’s, before being introduced to the western world.

Tandoori is a dish which uses a blend of many different spices to give it its unique flavour and orange-red colour, mixed with plain (often strained) yoghurt to create a delicious paste to coat the food. Traditionally, it is cooked in a clay ‘Tandoor’ oven at a very high temperature to give it a distinctive charring and taste.

Tandoori Chicken and other Tandoori style dishes can also be recreated at home and work particularly well on a BBQ or griddle pan.

This Tandoori Chicken recipe uses a whole spatchcocked chicken (backbone removed and flattened), cooked on a charcoal BBQ for extra flavour. You can also cook it in the oven if preferred. It takes just 40-50 minutes to cook, depending on the size of the chicken and is a great dish to share with all the family for up to 6 people. Marination time can be up to 24 hours with a recommended minimum of 2 hours.

Tandoori Chicken – what you need:

1x whole chicken – spatchcocked, skin removed and flesh scored lightly all over – see here for how to spatchcock a chicken.

Sea salt and black pepper.

Approx. 6x heaped teaspoons of The Food Beaver Tandoori Seasoning.

1x tablespoon oil.

2x tablespoons plain yoghurt – greek style is thicker and works well.

1/4 of a lemon.

2x long BBQ skewers.

Mint Raita – what you need:

2x tablespoons plain yoghurt.

1x handful fresh finely chopped mint leaves.

1/4 of a lemon.

Spiced Potatoes – what you need:

New potatoes (enough for everyone!) – halved.

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric.

2x cardamom pods – slightly crushed.

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin.

1/2 teaspoon ground garam masala.

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander.

Knob of butter.

Sea salt and black pepper.

Tandoori Chicken – what to do:

  1. Firstly, spatchcock the chicken, remove the skin and score the flesh lightly all over about an inch apart. Then season with sea salt and black pepper and add the Tandoori Seasoning. Add the oil and rub everything all over the chicken, both sides. Now add the yoghurt and juice of 1/4 lemon and rub in again. Skewer the chicken diagonally from leg to wing on both sides (see image below). Leave to marinate up to 24 hours, minimum 2 hours.
Spatchcock tandoori chicken with skewers - example.

2. Prepare your BBQ (if using charcoal ensure coals have turned white before cooking). If using gas or an oven, heat to 220°C. Cook the chicken for approx 20-25 minutes on each side (BBQ) or 40-50 minutes in the oven. Check juices run clear or use temperature probe (80°C). Cover loosely with foil and leave to rest. Idea: cook a skewer of onions and peppers on the BBQ too!

3. Meanwhile, prepare your new potatoes and add to a large pan of salted, boiling water. Add the turmeric and cardamom pods. Once cooked, drain and add the cumin, garam masala, ground coriander and butter – stir over low heat until the spices have infused and butter melted. Season with salt and pepper if needed.

4. For the mint raita – simply mix the yoghurt, mint and lemon juice together in a bowl.

5. Cut the Tandoori Chicken into portions (legs, thighs, wings, breast), squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top and serve with the spiced potatoes and a generous helping of mint raita. Enjoy!

Tasty food made simple.

We hope you like this whole Tandoori Chicken with mint raita and spiced potatoes recipe. As always, your feedback is most welcome so please comment below or get in touch at thefoodbeaver.com or through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The Food Beaver.

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