Uzbek Tandir Kabob (Whole Roasted Spiced Chicken)

About This Recipe

Uzbek Tandir Kabob is a real, traditional Uzbek dish, known as Whole Roasted Spiced Chicken. A whole chicken marinated in yogurt and spices, traditionally roasted in a tandoor oven until the skin turns deeply golden and crisp.\n\nTandir kabob reflects Uzbekistan's tandoor cooking tradition, historically used for both bread and meat, with the intense, even heat of the clay oven producing a distinctively crisp exterior while keeping the meat inside moist.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Uzbek home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1.5 kgwhole chicken
• 200 mlplain yogurt
• 6garlic cloves(minced)
• 1 tbspground cumin
• 1 tbspsweet paprika
• 1 tspturmeric
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 1lemon(juiced)
• 2 tbspneutral oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the marinade

   Whisk together yogurt, garlic, cumin, paprika, turmeric, salt, pepper and lemon juice.

2. 2

   Marinate the chicken

   Rub the marinade all over the chicken, inside and out, and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight for best flavor.

3. 3

   Preheat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).

4. 4

   Roast

   Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan and roast for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, basting occasionally, until the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F) and the skin is deeply golden.

5. 5

   Rest

   Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving.

6. 6

   Serve

   Carve and serve hot with non bread and a simple salad.

Variations

• •

  Spatchcock the chicken (remove the backbone and flatten) for faster, more even roasting.

• •

  Add a bit of chili powder to the marinade for a spicier version.

• •

  Grill the marinated chicken over charcoal instead of roasting for a smokier flavor closer to true tandoor cooking.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions