Tandoori Chicken Whole Legs | Restaurant style Chicken
Jump to Video Jump to Recipe
Tandoori Chicken Whole Legs | Restaurant style Tandoori Chicken | How to make Grilled Chicken at Home
Tandoori Chicken Whole Legs | Restaurant style Tandoori Chicken! I am sure tops your order list if you are in an Indian Restaurant and are a non-vegetarian. While waiting impatiently for your Tandoori Chicken order to arrive, an imagery builds of yourself biting into the fiery red and succulent chicken . Well, the recipe here gives you that fiery orange coloured delectable Tandoori Chicken to enjoy with Naan, Coriander Chutney and buttermilk Chaach.
What is Tandoori Chicken
Tandoori Chicken Whole Legs is a soft, succulent dish made by grilling chicken that is marinated with yogurt and a mix of spices. such as garlic, ginger, salt, chili powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder and sometimes turmeric and paprika. Its fiery red orange color is attributed to the liberal amounts of red chili powder or the tandoori red food color . The mix of spices is readily available in the market as Tandoori masala powder.
Tandoori Chicken got its name from the cylindrical clay oven ‘Tandoor’ in which it was prepared. Tandoori chicken whole legs need not mandatorily be prepared in Tandoor. It can also be cooked over charcoal – barbecue as we know it, or in conventional ovens. To enhance its flavors, smoky flavor is imparted through the traditional Dhungar method.
Tandoori Whole Legs is the most desirous way of making an impressive, hassle free main course or snack. Some variations of Tandoori Chicken on this blog are Tandoori Chicken Lollipops and Tangdi Kebab
Why Chicken Whole Leg parts
Chicken Whole leg parts refer to the drumstick part along with the thigh of the chicken. These roasted chicken whole legs are tender, juicy and full of flavors. Many a times, while roasting the chicken, it dries and shrivels in size, leaving scanty chicken meat to savor , By using, the Whole legs, even after baking and broiling there is enough juicy succulent meat to enjoy.
How to make Grilled Chicken at Home Step by Step Instructions with Pictorial Representation.
Prepare Chicken parts before Marinating.
Firstly, trim off the fats, skin or membranes from the whole legs
Then make diagonal flat slashes in each chicken whole leg
How to marinate Tandoori Chicken Legs
First Marinade – Ingredients and Method:
Rub the chicken legs with lime juice, salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, smoked paprika, Kashmiri chili powder and tandoori masala powder .
Cover and keep aside for 20 minutes
Second Marinade – Ingredients and Method
Now, blend curd with garlic, ginger, green chilies, kasoori methi, roasted gram flour (besan) along with the remaining spice powders that is tandoori masala powder Kashmiri chili powder, smoked paprika powder, coriander powder, salt and turmeric powder .
Transfer to a bowl. Add a pinch of tandoori food color.
Now nicely mix this marinade with the chicken whole legs.
Add mustard oil.
Cover with cling wrap and ideally keep aside for half an hour.
Then keep in the fridge of 3-4 hours or overnight for best results
Roasting/ Grilling:
Line a baking tray with foil and grease it with butter or oil.
Preheat the oven at 200 ° C for 10 minutes.
Transfer the chicken along with marinade onto the tray. Add some more oil.
Roast for 15 minutes at 200°C.
Then reduce temperature to 180° and roast for 30 minutes.
In between, flip the chicken and baste with oil on both sides to ensure that the whole legs remain moist. This also helps in an even roasting.
How to Infuse Smoky Flavour to Tandoori Chicken
As the last step in this process, keep cloves and cumin powder in a small metallic stainless steel bowl.
Transfer the chicken along with its liquids into a wide bowl.
Keep the small metallic bowl in this wide bowl of chicken.
Place live charcoal in the metallic bowl. At once add the butter or ghee.
Cover the bowl of chicken so that the fumes don’t escape. Keep covered for 15 minutes.
Broiling the chicken to give a Restaurant style look:
Finally, transfer back the chicken and its liquids back onto the baking tray.
Change the oven settings to broil mode (260-290° C and broil/grill for around 5-10 minutes or more till liquids dry and chicken looks charred and crispy. In between, baste with oil and flip to the other side. You could also heat each whole leg over the gas flame rotating it to further add on a charred look effect.
How to Serve Tandoori Chicken Whole Legs
Squeeze some lime juice on the Tandoori chicken. Enjoy with flavored rice, naan or roti and boondi raita yoghurt mint dip or Coriander Chutney and buttermilk Chaach
Tips for Perfect Grilled Chicken
Alternatively you could grill the chicken on electric or charcoal grill.
Make sure to put enough gashes so that the marinade penetrates well into the meat.
Regularly baste the chicken legs throughout grilling/ roasting process.
Video Recipe – How to Make Smoked Tandoori Chicken at Home
You might like to go through these recipes Makhni Paneer , Hariyali Murgh
Recipe Card
Tandoori Chicken Whole Legs | Restaurant style Tandoori Chicken Style
Ingredients
- 500 gm chicken whole legs
- ½ cup hung curd
- Juice of 2-3 limes
- 1 tsp chopped ginger
- ½ tbsp chopped garlic
- 2 chopped green chilies
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika powder
- ½ tbsp roasted besan gram flour
- 1-2 tsp of tandoori masala powder
- 1 tsp of kasoori methi leaves
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp of regular cooking oil+ more for basting
- 1 tbsp of mustard oil
- A pinch of tandoori colour powder
For Smoky flavor(Dhungar)
- 1 tbsp of soft butter or ghee
- 3-4 cloves
- 1 tsp of cumin seeds
- 1-2 coal pieces 3-4 if the size is small
Instructions
Prepare Chicken parts before Marinating.
- Trim off the fats, skin or membranes from the whole legs
- Make diagonal flat slashes in each chicken whole leg
How to marinate Tandoori Chicken Legs
a) First Marinade – Ingredients and Method:
- Rub the chicken legs with lime juice, salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, smoked paprika, Kashmiri chili powder and tandoori masala powder .
- Cover and keep aside for 20 minutes
b) Second Marinade – Ingredients and Method
- Blend with curd, garlic, ginger, green chilies, kasoori methi, roasted gram flour (besan) along with the remaining spice powders that is tandoori masala powder Kashmiri chili powder, smoked paprika powder, coriander powder, salt and turmeric powder .
- Transfer to a bowl. Add a pinch of tandoori food color.
- Now nicely mix this marinade with the chicken whole legs.
- Add mustard oil .
- Cover with cling wrap and ideally keep aside for half an hour.
- Then keep in the fridge of 3-4 hours or overnight for best results
Roasting:
- Line a baking tray with foil and grease it with butter or oil.
- Preheat the oven at 200 ° C for 10 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken along with marinade onto the tray. Add some more oil.
- Roast for 15 minutes at 200°C.
- Then reduce temperature to 180° and roast for 30 minutes.
- In between, flip the chicken and baste with oil on both sides to ensure that the whole legs remain moist. This also helps in evenly roasting.
Infusing Smoky flavor to Tandoori Chicken
- In a small metallic stainless steel bowl, keep cloves and cumin powder
- Transfer the chicken along with its liquids into a wide bowl.
- Keep the small metallic bowl in the wide bowl of chicken.
- Place live charcoal in the metallic bowl. At once add the butter or ghee.
- Cover the bowl of chicken so that the fumes don’t escape.
- Keep covered for 15 minutes.
Broiling the chicken to give a Restaurant style look:
- Transfer back the chicken and its liquids back onto the baking tray.
- hange the oven settings to broil mode (260-290° C and broil for around 5-10 minutes or more till liquids dry and chicken looks charred and crispy. In between, baste with oil and flip to the other side. You could also heat each whole leg over the gas flame rotating it to further add on a charred look effect.
What to eat with
- Squeeze some lime juice on the Tandoori chicken. Enjoy with flavored rice, naan or roti and boondi raita yoghurt mint dip or chaachch.
Notes
- You may use olive oil , butter or refined oil for the second marinade and basting.
- Basting ensures that the chicken remains moist, hence do not omit this step
- Oven temperature and duration may vary from oven to oven.
Thank you for stopping by my blog. Your feedback and comment is much appreciated. Hope you have enjoyed reading this post. Will be back with another interesting post.
Until then
Stay Bright!
[…] Tandoori Chicken Whole Legs […]
Tandoori chicken is our all time favourite. I loved how you have marinated the chicken twice and I am sure it might have added a nice flavour to it. Your detailed recipe is such a blessing for the people who want restaurant style food at home.
Glad you liked it. The two stage marination augments the taste and is highly recommended. But when in haste you could apply shortcuts too.
These step by step images and extensive explanation will surely help someone even new to get this tandoori chicken recipe right. I will pass it on to some good friends who are looking for a reliable recipe.
That’s very nice of you. The vegetarians can follow some of the steps for making tandoori paneer. I am sure you would love it.
A detailed and step by step explanation on how to make the famous tandoori chicken whole legs. It’s hubby’s favourite. Getting the tandoori flavour in an oven is remarkable.
Glad that your family loves this Tandoori Chicken. The vegetarians can follow some of the steps for making Tandoori paneer. The recipe indeed gives you the charred look and smoky flavor just like the restaurants.
Tandoori chicken looks so inviting I have a question when we blend the curd with spices it becomes little watery so is it okay to blend the curd or we need to whip the curd in another pan. Just asking
I am glad you asked this. No need to whip curd separately. Just add to the spices and mix, it will become smooth. For marinating , take a thicker curd. Whatever water remains is absorbed by the gram flour and in baking/broiling. Hope to have answered your query.
You recipe is spot on. But the little tips and method you have shared are integral to this recipe. Lovely share!
Glad you liked it. Delighted that the tips and options caught your attention. Do give it a try.
Restaurant style tandoori leg has turned out perfect. I love the way you have added smoky flavor to it. Beautifully written
Glad you liked it. Do give it a try.
I am loving your detailed post on tandoori chicken, very well explained. The spices you have used in marinate are spot on.
I am glad that you noticed the two-step marination process and the spices. This is what gives the succulent and delicious flavor to the chicken.
[…] such as Masala Boondi chhaas. Mint Lassi or Jal jeera because these go so well with Tandoori Chicken, Tangdi Kabab & Green Coriander Mint Chutney or Paneer Makhni & Veggie & Boondi Raita . […]
[…] it is similar to the Indian tomato- onion salad, Pico de Gallo goes well with Tandoori Chicken as […]
[…] with grilled meats , Tandoori Chicken Whole legs, Easy Garlic Hummus or Spiced Labneh Dip or warm Marinara […]
[…] salad makes a good standalone meal or as a side dish to go with grilled foods such as Tandoori Chicken, Smoky Chicken Seekh Kabab The salad can be served chilled, allowing the flavors to meld together […]
[…] dish. Enjoy it as a side dish or light snack. Pair up this 10 minute Crunchy Refreshing Salad with Tandoori Whole legs, Chicken Seekh Kebab or Potato Lentils […]