Tandoori chicken with lentil salad
Try Atul Kotchar’s recipe for perfectly spiced tandoori chicken.
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 2 x whole chicken, skin removed, jointed
- 200ml/7fl oz yoghurt
- 2 tsp ginger and garlic paste
- ½ tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp mango powder (available from specialist Asian stores)
- ½ tsp fenugreek leaf powder
- 1 tbsp chickpea flour
- 1 tsp saffron water or ¼ tsp edible orange colour
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- pinch salt
- 50g/2oz melted butter, for basting
- 1 tbsp chat masala (available from specialist Asian stores), to serve
- 1 lime wedge, to serve
For the lentil salad
- 200g/7oz black chickpeas, sprouted or cooked
- 110g/4oz green lentil, sprouted or cooked
- small bunch watercress
- small bunch baby red chard leaves
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 cucumber, chopped
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
- ½ tsp chopped fresh ginger
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp lime juice
- pinch salt
- pinch sugar
- 1 green chilli chopped (optional)
- ½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted, ground
- 1 tsp chat masala (available from specialist Asian stores)
For the mint chutney
- 200g/7oz fresh mint leaves
- 110g/4oz fresh coriander leaves
- 2 tbsp chopped red onions
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 green chilli, chopped finely
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tbsp vegetable oil
- 5 tbsp thick Greek-style yoghurt
Method
Make deep incisions into the chicken breasts, thighs and drumsticks.
Whisk the yoghurt in the large bowl, add the remaining marinade ingredients and mix until well combined.
Rub the marinade over the chicken until it is completely coated, then chill in the fridge for 3-4 hours.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
Place the chicken onto the rack above a roasting tray and cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes (or on a charcoal grill for about 12 15 minute until cooked).
Preheat the grill to high.
Remove the chicken from the oven and rest for 2-3 minutes. Baste thoroughly with butter and roast under the grill for 3-4 minutes, or until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with a skewer and it is completely cooked through.
For the salad, mix the ingredients together and set aside.
Whisk the dressing ingredients in a bowl together until well combined and pour it over the salad.
For the mint chutney, put all the ingredients except the yoghurt into a food processor and blend until well combined.
Remove the mixture from the food processor and whisk together with the yoghurt until well combined. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and chill in the fridge until required.
Squeeze the lime juice over chicken, dust with chat masala and serve with the lentil salad and mint chutney.
