Whole Roasted Chicken recipe, How to make Whole Roasted Tandoori Chicken in Oven

Ingredients

Whole chicken – 1 kg

Oil - 1-2 tbsp

First marinade

• ½ tsp of turmeric powder
• 1 tsp of red chilli powder
• 2 tsp of lemon juice
• 1 tsp of Salt

Main marinade

• Yogurt – 2 cups (Strain the yogurt by hanging it in a muslin cloth for 3-4 hours, it will reduce to approximately 1 cup)
• 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
• 1 tsp of red chilli powder
• 1 and ½ tsp coriander powder
• 1 and ½ tsp of cumin powder
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp of black / white pepper powder
• 2 tbsp of kasoori methi or dried fenugreek leaves (Dry roast them until crisp and then crush to a fine powder)
• Ginger and garlic paste 1 tsp each
• Salt to taste

How to make Whole Roasted Tandoori Chicken in Oven

• First take the skin off and wash the chicken really well under cold running water.
• Pat dry and make some slits on both the sides of flesh so that marinade penetrates.

• Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, lemon juice and salt and rub it into the slit parts of chicken.
• Let it rest for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile get ready with main marinade.

• Take strained yogurt in a bowl and add salt to taste.
• Add kasoori methi, all the spices, few drops of red color.

• Mix well and marinade is ready.
• Drain out the excess water from the chicken.

• Put all the marinade onto the chicken and spread all over. Make sure each side is nicely coated with marinade.
• Now cover and allow it to marinate in refrigerator overnight or at least 6-8 hours. I kept it overnight.
• Next morning or after 8 hours, take out chicken from refrigerator and preheat oven to 200 degrees C for 15 minutes.

• Line a baking tray with aluminium foil and place rack on it so that dripping from the chicken falls into the baking tray.  I kept some sliced onion and potatoes in the baking tray. You can serve them with chicken later.
• Now place marinated chicken onto the rack and pour 3-4 tsp of oil all over.

• Place the tray in the oven and Let the chicken bake for 45-50 minutes until chicken turns brownish and crispier from outside and juicy and tender inside.

• After 50 minutes, take out the chicken from oven and flip it. 

• Again pour 2-3 tsp of oil and put it back in the oven and roast for 20 minutes.
• Now increase the temperature of oven to maximum and place the chicken on top rack for 5-10 minutes so that it gets nice char on the top.

• Serve it with some lemon slices and onion and tomato salad, green chutney and rice.