Tandoori Chicken — Vikas Khanna-Inspired

About This Recipe

This recipe is inspired by Chef Vikas Khanna's Michelin-starred work at Junoon in New York and his refined approach to Indian fine dining. Tandoori chicken — yogurt-and-spice-marinated chicken cooked at extreme heat in a clay tandoor — is one of India's most internationally recognised dishes. Khanna's restaurant approach refined this home/restaurant tradition for fine dining without abandoning its soul. We've adapted the recipe so it can be made in a domestic oven (or grill) while preserving the deep-marinade and high-heat principles that make tandoori chicken what it is.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1whole chicken(skin removed, cut into 8 pieces, scored)
• 300 gthick Greek yogurt
• 2 tbspginger-garlic paste
• 2 tbspKashmiri red chili powder
• 1 tbspsmoked paprika
• 2 tspground cumin
• 2 tspground coriander
• 1 tspgaram masala
• 1 tspground turmeric
• 1 tspajwain (carom seeds)(lightly crushed)
• 2 tbsplemon juice
• 1 tbspKasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)(crushed)
• 2 tbspmustard oil(or neutral oil)
• 1 tbspsalt
• 30 gbutter(melted, for basting)
• 1lemon(wedges, to serve)
• 1red onion(thinly sliced, to serve)
• 0.5 bunchfresh coriander

Instructions

1. 1

   Score the chicken

   Make 2–3 deep slashes across each chicken piece — these are essential for the marinade to penetrate to the bone.

2. 2

   First marinade — citrus

   Mix the lemon juice with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the chili powder. Rub into the chicken and rest 30 minutes. This pre-cure tightens the meat and primes it for the yogurt.

3. 3

   Second marinade — yogurt-spice

   Mix the Greek yogurt with the ginger-garlic paste, remaining chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, ajwain, kasuri methi, mustard oil and remaining salt. Add the chicken and massage thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate AT LEAST 6 hours — overnight is much better.

   The long marinade is the difference between mediocre and great tandoori chicken.

4. 4

   Cook hot

   Preheat the oven to 240°C / 465°F (max if using grill). Arrange the chicken on a wire rack over a tray. Roast 22–25 minutes, basting with melted butter halfway through, until the surface is charred and blistered in spots and the juices run clear (74°C internally).

5. 5

   Char it more

   For the signature charred edges, finish under the broiler (grill) on high for 2–3 minutes — watch carefully so it doesn't burn.

6. 6

   Serve restaurant-style

   Pile the chicken onto a warm platter. Scatter with sliced red onion and fresh coriander. Serve with lemon wedges, mint chutney, naan and a cooling cucumber raita.

Variations

• •

  Chicken Tikka: cut the chicken into boneless cubes, thread on skewers, grill the same way — popular as a starter.

• •

  Tandoori Wings: use the same marinade on chicken wings — perfect for parties.

Storage

Marinated raw chicken keeps 24 hours. Cooked: 3 days refrigerated.

Frequently Asked Questions