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A whole roasted tandoori chicken that is spatchcocked on a large white platter on top of a bed of lemon rice.

Whole Oven Roasted Tandoori Chicken

Shri Repp
This is a recipe for a whole tandoori chicken that is marinated in a yogurt tandoori masala, slow roasted in a home oven, broiled to get those crisped bits, and then smoked with charcoal for a tender, juicy, and flavorful dish.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Main
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

Ingredients
 

  • 3-4 lbs whole chicken
  • 2 tablespoon ghee melted butter, or vegetable oil for basting and smoking chicken
  • charcoal for adding an extra smoky finish at the end (Optional)
  • cilantro-mint chutney as a dipping sauce, (Optional)
  • lemon rice for serving (Optional)

Dry Rub

Marinade

  • 4 inch (25 g) ginger
  • 10 (40 g) garlic cloves
  • ¼ cup (5 g) fresh mint leaves
  • 2 tablespoons Kashmiri chili powder
  • 1.5 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1.5 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried methi leaves
  • ½ teaspoon asafetida
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • ¼ cup (50 g) Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions
 

  1. Place 3-4 lbs whole chicken on a large cutting board with the breast side down.
  2. Spatchcocking the chicken - removing backbone: Take sharp kitchen shears and cut along the two sides of the backbone to remove it.
  3. Spatchcocking the chicken - flatten the chicken: Turn chicken over so it is breast side up. Use the palms of both hands, one over the other as though you are giving CPR, place them over the chicken breast, and press down with pressure and your body weight to break the chicken breast bones. The chicken breast will become flat as a result.
  4. Remove skin from the chicken and discard.
  5. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
  6. Place the chicken on a wire rack over the sheet tray and arrange it with the breast side up and the wings and thighs to the side. The wire rack helps get air circulation around the entire bird.
  7. Dry brine the chicken: Mix all of the dry rub ingredients (1 tablespoon Kashmiri chili powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon sugar) together in a small bowl. Sprinkle and pat (not spread) the dry rub evenly all over (both sides) the exterior of the chicken and allow it to sit in the fridge uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours. This process allows the chicken to be seasoned within and softens the tough chicken proteins.
  8. Make the marinade: Add all of the marinade ingredients (4 inch ginger, ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, 2 tablespoons Kashmiri chili powder, 1.5 teaspoons garam masala, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1.5 teaspoons sea salt, 1 teaspoon dried methi leaves, ½ teaspoon asafetida, ½ teaspoon sugar, ¼ cup Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons lemon juice) into a small blender or food processor and blend until smooth. It is important that this mixture is fine and doesn’t contain large pieces of ginger or garlic.
  9. Rub the marinade all over the top (not the underside) of the chicken and let it rest for ~30 minutes.
  10. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  11. Line the sheet tray that rests under the wire rack with aluminum foil. It is important to line the tray with aluminum foil so that when you bake the chicken, the drippings won’t leave a mess for you to clean up. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water to the sheet pan lying under the chicken. This helps prevent smoke as the drippings drop down.
  12. Transfer the chicken into the oven on the middle rack and cook for ~60 mins or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh reads 165F. Take the chicken out every 20 mins during the hour, brush the exterior with melted ghee or vegetable oil, and place back in the oven.
  13. Once the chicken is cooked through, turn the oven to the high broil setting and broil the chicken for ~2-5 minutes or until there are black charred marks on the top. It’s important to keep a close eye on the oven at this step and not walk away because the chicken can easily burn at this step. You can alternatively use a kitchen blow torch to broil the chicken. The torch method is my preferred method as you can really control where the chicken chars.
  14. (Optional) Remove the chicken from the oven. Create a large aluminum tent to cover the chicken. Take 1 piece of charcoal and place it directly on the stovetop using tongs. Allow the charcoal to light and burn a bright orange before transfering to a small heat safe bowl. Pour ~1 tablespoon of ghee or vegetable oil directly over the charcoal. Quickly and carefully place the smoking charcoal bowl in the aluminum foil tent with the chicken for 10-15 minutes. This will not only allow the chicken to cool down enough to carve it but also give it that delicious smoky taste!
  15. Carve the chicken as desired and serve with cilantro mint chutney and lemon rice as accompaniments.
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