Pakistani Tamarind Tandoori-Style Roast Chicken

About This Recipe

Tandoori chicken is traditionally cooked in a clay tandoor at extreme heat, but this home-oven version keeps the essential marinade — yogurt as a tenderizer, red chile and garam masala for heat and warmth — while adding tamarind pulp and tomato paste for a tangier, deeper-colored version that leans into the sour notes common in Sindhi cooking. The tamarind cuts through the richness of the yogurt marinade and helps the spice crust caramelize a little more aggressively in the oven. The chicken needs deep slashes cut into the thickest parts of the thighs and breast so the marinade actually penetrates the meat rather than sitting on the skin, and it benefits from marinating overnight rather than a quick 30-minute soak. Roasting at very high heat for the first stretch, then finishing under the broiler, mimics the char a tandoor gives without needing specialized equipment. Served with mint chutney, sliced onion and lime, this is the kind of centerpiece dish made for a Sunday family lunch or a small gathering.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 wholechicken(about 1.5kg, skin scored)
• 1 cupplain yogurt
• 2 tbsptamarind pulp
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 1 tbspginger-garlic paste
• 2 tspred chile powder
• 1.5 tspgaram masala
• 1 tspturmeric
• 2 tspsalt
• 2 tbspvegetable oil
• 1lime(juiced)
• 1onion(sliced, for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Score and marinate

   Cut deep slashes into the thighs, drumsticks and breast. Whisk yogurt, tamarind, tomato paste, ginger-garlic paste, chile powder, garam masala, turmeric, salt, oil and lime juice. Rub all over and into the slashes.

2. 2

   Rest the marinade

   Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, for the flavor to penetrate.

3. 3

   Roast at high heat

   Preheat oven to 220C (425F). Roast the chicken on a rack over a tray for 35 minutes.

4. 4

   Broil to char

   Switch to broil/grill setting for the final 8 to 10 minutes, watching closely, until the skin chars in spots and the juices run clear at the thigh.

5. 5

   Rest and serve

   Rest the chicken 10 minutes before carving. Serve with sliced onion, lime wedges and mint chutney.

Variations

• •

  Use chicken thighs and drumsticks only for a version that's harder to overcook than a whole bird.

• •

  Grill over charcoal instead of the oven for a more authentic smoky char.

• •

  Reduce the tamarind by half for a milder, more traditional tandoori flavor that leans more on yogurt and chile.

Storage

Refrigerate carved leftovers up to 3 days. Reheat gently, covered, in a low oven to avoid drying the meat out further.

Frequently Asked Questions