Tandoori Roast Chicken with Raita
Indian spiced roast chicken served with sides
Prep Time 1 day d
Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Total Time 1 day d 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
For the chicken:
- 1 whole chicken neck and gizzards removed from cavity
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp tandoori spice powder
- 1 tbsp salt
For the raita:
- 1 cup greek yogurt
- 1 cup shredded mini cucumber or english cucumber
- 1/4 cup minced cilantro
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp salt
- splash of vinegar I used white vinegar
For the chicken:
Combine the brine ingredients and mix well. Smear all over the chicken, lifting the skin gently from the breast pieces and rubbing the brine under the skin as well as on the outside. Place on a rack on a cookie sheet and place in the fridge overnight. Make sure nothing in your fridge touches the raw chicken for food safety. I know it seems like a lot of salt for this but most of it stays on the skin and it helps to fully season the meat.
When ready to cook, heat oven to 375. Bake chicken for 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 hours until an instant read thermometer inserted into the back almost to the bone and into the thigh reads 165 or above. Do not undercook. In this case it is better to cook a bit longer to be sure it is fully cooked. In this format, the chicken doesn't get dry if you cook a bit over. Cut the meat from the bones along with some of the crispy skin if you like and serve with sauce and sides.
Keyword Chicken, Main Dish