Tandoori Chicken
Ingredients
6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts2 Tbsp. commercial* or custom** tandoori spice mix
1 cup plain yogurt
Juice of one lemon
2 Tbsp. tomato paste, optional
½ tsp. red food coloring, optional
Preparation
• Pierce the chicken breasts with fork tines so the marinade seeps in.
• Mix the tandoori seasoning, yogurt and lemon juice.
• If you want the traditional red tandoori color, add the tomato paste and red food coloring. Mix well. Pour the marinade over the chicken, cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish and discard the marinade.
• Bake uncovered 45 minutes, turning and basting the chicken with pan juices every 15 minutes.
* Pre-mixed blends of tandoori seasoning are available at Soulard Spice Shop, Penzeys Spices and Indian grocery stores.
** Mix your own custom version with these basic spices:
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. ground ginger
You can also customize the mixture to your taste by substituting fresh ginger for the ground or by adding:
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
