Tandoori Chicken

The story of its origins lies with Kundan Lal Gujral, a Hindu Punjabi, who ran a restaurant called Moti Mahal in Peshawar in the 1920s. Following the partition in 1947, Gujral found himself one of many Hindu refugees fleeing to India to to escape the rioting and upheaval. He moved his restaurant to Delhi in a place called Daryaganj. Using new recipes to keep his patrons interested, Gujral tried cooking chicken in tandoors (clay ovens) which were until then only used to cook naan bread. Tandoors are bell-shaped ovens that are set into the earth and fired with wood or charcoal; they can reach temperatures of about 480 °C (900 °F).



The first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, happened to eat at Moti Mahal and was so impressed by the crispy, tender dish that he made a point of planning many state banquets there. Foreign dignitaries that enjoyed Tandoori Chicken included American Presidents Richard Nixon and John Kennedy, Soviet leaders Nikolai Bulganin and Nikita Khrushchev,

the King of Nepal, and the Shah of Iran.



The key is a very hot, dry fire. The chicken must cook just until the center is warm enough and the outside should crisp and seal in the juice.







Ingredients :



chicken 6 leg pieces

yogurt 3 tbsp

ginger and garlic paste 1 tbsp

Lime 1 no.

Pepper powder 1/2 tsp

Red chilly powder 2 tbsp

fenugreek leaves/ dried methi leaves/ Kasoori methi 1/2 tsp

garam masala powder 1/4 tsp

cumin powder 3/4tsp

corriander powder 3/4tsp

turmeric 1/2tsp

Salt as per taste



Method :



1. Run you knife in the flesh of the chicken leg.Make deep gashes for the marinating the chicken pieces

2. First marinate the chicken pieces with 1tbsp of chilly powder, salt and 1/2 lime juice and keep it aside.

3. Take 3 tbsp of thick yogurt. (1/2 tbsp of yogurt for one chicken leg), add chilly powder, ginger garlic paste, salt as per taste, 1/2 teaspoon pepper powder,

1/2 tsp of methi leaves powder,little turmeric , 1/4 teaspoon garam masala 3/4 teaspoon cumin powder 3/4 teaspoon of corriander powder and 1/2 lime juice,

mix it really well. add little kashmiri chiily powder for the color.

4. Add little oil on top after marinating the chicken.

5. Keep the marinated chicken pieces in fridge for minimum 12 hours.



Preheat the oven to 400 to 450 F and put the marinated chicken pieces for approximately 30 to 40 min.Don't forget to check the chicken pieces in the oven after 25 min.







Tips :

1. Squeeze the water from yogurt before marinating it with chicken. Otherwise the mixture will become very liquid.

2. It will taste better if u can keep it marinated for 24 hours.

Nutrition Facts:

Serving Size 1 serving

Calories from Fat 25

Calories 103

Cholesterol 38mg

( These information may not be accurate. Varies according to cooking styles, type of oil used and various other factors)