Oven-baked tandoori chicken with mint and coriander relish

Name: Oven-baked tandoori chicken with mint and coriander relish
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4 as part of a shared meal
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1kg (about 6) skinless chicken thighs, bone in

June 29, 2015

Tandoori chicken with mint and coriander - marinate overnight for best flavour.William Meppem

Time:1-2 hoursServes:4 as part of a shared meal

You can use any part of the chicken - breast, thigh or drumstick, but I think the thighs have the best flavour. For best results, marinate overnight before cooking. If the weather is nice enough to venture outside, the tandoori chicken is great when grilled on a super-hot barbecue.

Ingredients

1kg (about 6) skinless chicken thighs, bone in

For the marinade

1 tbsp finely grated ginger
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 tbsp tandoori paste
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
pinch of sea salt
200g natural yoghurt

For the relish

1 cup coriander leaves
¼ cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 small brown onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
1 deseeded green chilli, sliced
1 tbsp lemon juice
¼ tsp cumin seeds
sea salt, to taste

Method

Make a few incisions in the chicken, but not too deep. This will help the marinade to get into the meat.
In a large bowl, combine marinade ingredients and mix well. Add chicken, rubbing mixture in to coat well. Cover and marinate for at least 4-6 hours.
Take the chicken out of the refrigerator and preheat oven to 220°C.
Line a large roasting pan with foil and lay a rack on top. Place the chicken pieces on the rack so they are not touching each other.
Once oven is at correct temperature, place chicken in. Turn the chicken pieces once after 20-25 minutes; they should have slightly charred edges. Roast for another 10-15 minutes, until slightly charred on the second side. Turn oven off and let the chicken rest in the oven for 20-30 minutes, propping the door open slightly with a wooden spoon.
To make the relish
Place ingredients in a small blender and process until smooth. Slowly add water, about 1-2 tbsp, until mix reaches a saucy consistency. Check seasoning.
Remove the chicken to a warm platter and serve with the relish.