Tandoori Chicken — Two-Marinade System (तंदूरी चिकन)

Ingredients

• 800g chicken thighs, skin-on, cut into 5cm pieces
• 200g Greek yogurt, full-fat
• 30ml ginger-garlic paste, freshly ground
• 15ml Kashmiri chilli powder
• 5ml ground cumin, toasted
• 5ml ground coriander, toasted
• 2ml turmeric powder
• 2ml Kashmiri saffron threads, bloomed in 30ml warm water
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 60ml vegetable oil
• Salt and Tellicherry black pepper, to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves and lemon wedges for garnish

Method

1. 1
   Combine yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, Kashmiri chilli powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric, saffron with soaking liquid, and salt in a bowl; whisk until smooth.
2. 2
   Coat chicken pieces thoroughly in marinade; refrigerate covered for minimum 4 hours, preferably overnight.
3. 3
   Heat vegetable oil in a cast-iron skillet or tandoor oven to 220°C; arrange chicken on skewers or directly in pan.
4. 4
   Grill or bake chicken 18–22 minutes, rotating halfway, until charred at edges and internal temperature reaches 74°C.
5. 5
   Rest chicken 3 minutes; serve scattered with fried onions, fresh coriander, and lemon wedges.