This “tandoori” masala chicken recipe is so simple that when you read the instructions, you will laugh. But it is also delicious. After eating it, Mr Fitness said, “Wow, this is even better than F— Indian Restaurant we went. You can sell this.”

A tandoor is an Indian cylindrical clay oven. It looks like huge Korean jars used to ferment kimchi or huge Chinese jars of alcohol in wuxia movies. Wood or charcoal is burnt in the inside of the tandoor, and the temperature can reach up to almost 500 °C. They stick naan at the sides of the tandoor and they put in skewers of meat. Because of the high heat, the meat is cooked quickly so that it is still juicy and tender and has a beautiful charred skin.

Obviously, most of us don’t have a tandoor at home. A tandoor can be substituted by a home oven, although a home oven cannot produce that smokey umami in the meats. Still, this is super delicious, very satisfying. It is also impressive to make for your family and friends.

Beat of all, it only takes 10 minutes of preparation + 30 minutes baking. Great for busy people. Just marinate it the night before, and when you come home from work, stick it in the oven. During that 30 min of baking, you can prepare a salad, fry an omelette, and cook rice to go with the masala chicken. 

INGREDIENTS 

Chicken, 800g (You can use any part but I use drumsticks for easy eating and because  they are tender)

Greek yogurt, 4 tablespoons

Tandoori masala powder, 3 tablespoons

Mustard oil, 1 tablespoon (If you can’t get mustard oil, olive oil is fine.)

Ginger and Garlic paste, 1 tablespoon

Lime juice (or lemon juice), 1 tablespoon

Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD 

1. Mix everything and marinate overnight.

2. Take out from fridge and allow chicken to reach room temperature. Preheat oven at 425°F (215°C). Bake in oven for 30-35 minutes.

Ta-dah! It’s done!

For your convenience, I made a video of the cooking process.

Written by A. Nathanael Ho.