Tandoori Whole Chicken

Ingredients (Serves 6- 8)

1. Whole chicken ( 4 – 5 pounds)

Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tbsp

Lemon juice – 1.5 tbsp

Kashmiri chilli powder – 1 tbsp

Shan Chicken tikka/tandoori chicken masala powder (store bought) – 1 tbsp (optional, added for extra flavor)

Salt – As required

2. Thick yoghurt – 1/2 cup

Turmeric powder – 3/4 tsp

Kashmiri chilli powder (good quality) or mildly spicy chilly powder – 1 tbsp

Regular chilli powder – 1 tbsp

Pepper powder – 1 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 tsp

Ginger-garlic paste – 1.5 tbsp

Garam masala powder – 2 tsp

Kasoori methi –  2.5 tsp

Cumin powder – 2 tsp

Lemon juice – 1.5 tbsp

Chat masala – 1.5 tsp

Salt – As needed

3. Mustard oil / vegetable oil / melted butter or ghee – 2 tbsp

4. Melted butter / ghee – 2 tbsp, to baste

Method

1.  Clean the chicken by removing the skin, giblets and any extra fat inside the cavity. Rinse with water and dry thoroughly with a paper towel. You can keep the skin on, if you want.

2.  Make deep gashes on the  fleshy parts of the chicken so that the masala can penetrate inside. Combine chicken pieces with the remaining ingredients numbered 1. Set aside for 30 minutes.

3. Combine all the ingredients numbered 2 in a bowl. Marinate the chicken with this mixture. Heat a piece of charcoal on direct flame until it is nicely hot, this will take a few minutes. Once the charcoal is hot, place it in a bowl placed along with marinated chicken and pour a tsp of oil/ghee on top. Immediately cover with lid. It gives a nice smoky flavor to the chicken. Remove the bowl after 20 minutes. (You can also do immediately after the chicken is completely cooked through. Take the baking tray out of the oven. Keep the heated charcoal inside a bowl, pour 1 tsp oil and cover with an aluminium foil (so the smoke won’t escape) for 10 minutes).
Keep the marinated chicken inside the refrigerator for at least 12 – 15 hrs. Take it out 30 minutes before you are ready to bake. Add 2 – 3 tbsp oil / melted butter and apply on the marinated chicken.

3. Preheat the oven at 450 F.

4. Line a large baking tray with aluminium foil. Top it with an oven rack. Grease the oven rack with oil / butter. Place the marinated chicken on the rack. Cover it  loosely with an aluminum foil and place inside the oven.

5. After 30 minutes, take the chicken out and baste it with ghee / oil. Flip over to the other side carefully. Brush with oil/ ghee. Cover with aluminium foil and bake for another 30 – 40 minutes or until completely done. Flip over to the other side. Apply ghee/melted butter generously over the chicken. Broil for 3 – 5 minutes ( do not cover with foil)until well-roasted. Take it out and set aside for 5 minutes. Serve with green chutney, sliced onion, tomato and lemon wedges.