Tandoori Chicken with Bombay Potatoes

 06/07/2015

You can make this in advance and leave it to marinate in the fridge. It will only taste better the longer you leave it. The mix of spices permeate and tenderise the chicken resulting in a massive flavour punch in each bite.

The chicken can be served hot with naan and rice or cold with salad. As you can see from the picture, I served mine with Bombay potatoes (recipe included) and garlic and coriander flatbreads (see earlier post). Unfortunately my salad options were vastly limited hence the random two tomatoes you see. I also made a quick raita with cucumber and mint as the freshness is lovely against the other bold flavours on the plate.

Tandoori Chicken (serves 2)

Ingredients:

• 1 pack of chicken joints (I used drumsticks)
• 1 tsp salt
• Juice of half a lemon
• ½ inch cube of ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 fresh green chilli, coarsely chopped
• 2 Tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 75g/3oz thick set natural yoghurt
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp tomato purée

Method:

1. Remove skin from the chicken and cut each piece into two. With a sharp knife, make 2-3 slits in each piece. Rub salt and lemon juice into the chicken pieces and set aside for half an hour.
2. Meanwhile, put the ginger, garlic, green chillies, coriander leaves and the yoghurt into a blender and blend until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend again.
3. Pour and spread the marinade all over the chicken and in the slits. Cover and leave to marinade for 6-8 hours or overnight in the fridge.
4. Preheat the oven to 240C. Line a roasting tin with foil and arrange the chicken pieces in it. Place the tin in the centre of the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, turning the pieces over carefully as they brown and basting with juice in the roasting tin.
5. Remove from the oven and serve hot or cold.

Bombay Potatoes (serves 2)

Ingredients:

• approx 8 Charlotte potatoes
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1 green chilli, finely sliced
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• Small bunch of spring onions, sliced
• ½ tsp Garam Masala
• 1 tsp Onion Seeds
• 1 tsp Ground Coriander
• ½ tsp Fennel Seeds
• 3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• Fresh or tinned tomatoes (optional)

Method:

1. Boil the potatoes in water until tender. Drain well.
2. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium high heat. When really hot add chilli and cook for 30 seconds until brown.
3. Add the garlic, the spring onions, garam masala, ground coriander, fennel seeds, turmeric and onion seeds, and cook until the spring onions go slightly tender.
4. Now add the potatoes and cook for a further 5-7 minutes on a medium low heat. If using tomato, add it at this point. Slightly crush the potatoes in the pan so they take on all the lovely spices. Add a drop of water if it looks too dry.
5. Add Lemon juice, fresh coriander and salt and pepper to taste and serve.