Tandoori is a style of Indian cuisine that involves cooking meat, vegetables or bread in a tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven that traditionally uses charcoal or wood as fuel. Meats cooked in a tandoor are often marinated in a vibrant combination of tangy yogurt and a sweet and spicy paste made of garlic, ginger, tamarind, cumin, coriander, black pepper, turmeric and chile peppers.
Ready-made tandoori paste, available at Indian markets and grocery stores with expansive international sections, greatly simplifies the preparation. Tandoori chicken is perhaps best known for its phenomenal bright red color, a result of food dyes and heaping amounts of fiery chiles in the mixture. The ultra-high heat cooks food quickly and creates characteristic deliciously charred bits, a result of the aromatic marinade.
In the likely absence of a tandoor clay oven, you can use an indoor grill pan or skillet with fantastic results.
Tandoori-Style Chicken
For a busy weeknight meal, it’s easier to prepare the chicken on the stovetop than firing up the grill. Still want to take it outdoors? For charcoal grills, ignite the charcoal and burn for 20 minutes, until the coals are coated in light gray ash. Spread coals evenly over the bottom, position the grill rack above the coals and heat until medium-hot. For a gas grill, turn all burners on the gas grill to high, close the lid and heat until very hot, 10 to 15 minutes. Before placing the chicken thighs directly onto the hot grill, clean and grease the grill rack. Proceed with the recipe as written.
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