Grilled Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori chicken is traditionally cooked in tandoor ovens: pear-shaped clay ovens that are fired to a very high heat. The meat is cooked on long skewers and turned often to produce a crisp exterior and a moist tender interior. Tandoori chicken is also easy to cook on a gas or charcoal grill which give it the same tastes as if it was cooked the traditional way. You can adjust the heat of the marinade based on your tastes to make it as mild or fiery hot as you wish. Leftover tandoori chicken makes a great topping for pizza.

Marinade:

1 cup plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
2 teaspoons grated ginger
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
Zest of one lemon

Mix all marinade ingredients together. Taste marinade for heat and add more chili powder if necessary. Cut a whole chicken into 8 pieces (two breasts, two thighs, two wings, and two legs). Remove the skin and score deeply every two inches. Place chicken in large storage bag with marinade and massage marinade into meat. Allow to marinate in refrigerator overnight.

Fire up a grill until the coals just begin to turn ashen. Brush the grill surface with vegetable oil and arrange chicken on grill. Turn when the side facing down turns brown but do not burn. Cook until the internal temperature of all pieces is 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve with cucumber raita or over rice.

Leftover grilled tandoori chicken can be chopped into chunks and served on pizza or served with pasta alfredo.

Tandoori chicken is part of the January Meal Plan

Related Dishes:
Indian Dosa Potatoes
Cucumber and Mint Raita