Cast Iron Tandoori Roasted Chicken Recipes

Steps:

• Rinse the chicken with cold water and pat dry. Trim the excess fat. Loosen the skin from the breast and drumsticks by gently pushing your fingers in between the skin and the meat, starting at the neck cavity. Remove the backbone using kitchen shears, and then place the chicken breast-side up on a cutting board. Flatten by firmly pressing the heel of your hand down over the breastbone. Whisk together 1/3 cup of the Tandoori Spice, the yogurt, ginger and garlic in a large glass baking dish. Coat the chicken thoroughly in the marinade, and then let marinate in the refrigerator 24 hours. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle all over with the remaining 2 tablespoons Tandoori Spice. Heat a large cast-iron pan over high heat, and add the ghee. Sear the chicken skin-side down until crispy and charred, 5 to 7 minutes, and then flip and place in the oven until an instant-read thermometer stuck in the thickest, meatiest part of the thigh registers between 155 and 160 degrees F, 20 minutes. Baste generously with the lemon curd every 5 minutes. Tent the chicken with foil and let rest before serving.
• For Tandoori Spice: Heat the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom pods, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves and cinnamon in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the cumin becomes brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Grind the spices in a spice grinder or coffee mill until powder fine, and then transfer to a bowl with the annatto seed, paprika, Kashmiri powder, salt, turmeric, mace and nutmeg. Mix thoroughly and store in an airtight container up to 4 months. Yield: 1 cup.

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the yogurt, ginger, turmeric, cumin, paprika, cayenne, garlic, and onion, and process to a smooth puree. Put the puree into a shallow, flat dish and place the chicken breasts into the puree, coating both sides evenly. Allow to marinate, covered and refrigerated, for several hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Season the chicken breasts lightly with salt and pepper and place on a rack in a roasting pan that has been preheated for 10 minutes in the oven. Roast the chicken, turning once, until fully cooked but still moist and not dried out. Cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of the chicken breasts.
• Alternately, prepare an outdoor grill and cook over indirect heat with the lid on, turning once. Serve the chicken breast with a salad and a grain such as lentils to make a complete meal.