By Ranita Ray
With its roots in Punjab, tandoori chicken has become a global favourite. It is delicious, filling and healthy. One can include this dish almost in any festive spread. But making it at home often turns out challenging. Apart from having the best recipe for tandoori chicken, with these 8 tips, one can cook perfect tandoori chicken!
Marination is the key to keeping the meat tender in tandoori chicken. Marinade the chicken in yoghurt and spices for at least 2 hours to ensure that the flavours are absorbed.
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Use a tandoor oven or a grill to cook the chicken. This will give it the signature smoky flavour characteristic of tandoori chicken.
When cooking tandoori chicken in a microwave, the convection setting helps keep in more natural juices than grilling.
If you don't have access to an oven or microwave, you may slow-roast the meat in a heavy-bottomed skillet or on a tawa. Keep an eye on it, and it will taste excellent.
If cooking in tawa, burn a piece of coal, keep it in a steel bowl, and pour ghee. Place it in the pan just when the chicken is cooked and cover it with a lid. It will lend a smokey aroma.
If cooking in tandoor, microwave or tawa, baste the chicken pieces with butter or oil while it is cooking to keep them moist and tender.
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Use a meat thermometer for ensuring that the chicken is cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.
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Often burnt tandoori chicken is a result of over-roasting. It spoils the meat. Keep a watch, and flip once in a while to cook evenly.