TANDOORI CHICKEN RECIPE - HOW TO MAKE PERFECT TANDOORI CHICKEN AT HOME

Lets see today how to make the best oven baked Tandoori chicken at home. Tandoori Chicken or Tandoori Murgh is a spicy, juicy, soft with all flavours of spices infused. Tandoori chicken has its origin in India but, widely popular in South Asia, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Middle east and the western world. It is traditionally prepared in a clay oven called tandoor, and so this dish named as Tandoori chicken. Here the chicken is marinated in yogurt and tandoori masala (special spice powder for preparing this dish which is available in market too) and cooked at high temperatures in a tandoor.  For a smoky flavor, it is also heated by charcoal or wood. As the unavailability of such tandoor at home, we can also prepare this delicious dish in oven or grill or even on stove top, with some minor changes. 
Tandoori chicken is used as a base in many chicken curries, specially in middle eastern restaurants, they used this chicken in butter chicken. The fame tandoori chicken led to many derivatives such as chicken tikka (Indian dish popularised in Britain) commonly found in menus in Indian restaurants all over the world.
Try out this perfect no fail recipe showing how to make tandoori chicken at home in an oven with step by step pics.  Recipe courtesy ..VAHCHEF.

INGREDIENTS

Chicken                     - 6 big pieces (normally used legs with thigh part or simply legs for making tandoori chicken)
Lemon juice               - 1 tbsp
Coriander powder      - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder        - 1 tsp
Red chili powder         - 1 tsp
Pepper powder             - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder  - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste        - 1 tsp
Cumin seed powder       - 1 tsp
Kasuri methi crushed     - 1 tsp
Yogurt                             - 6 tbsp (1 tbsp for each piece)
Oil                                   - 2 tbsp
Salt
Red food color                 - few drops (optional),( my coloring tip -- grated pureed beetroot cooked with little water for few minutes and then added few drops  in my marinade )really it turns out great and healthy too.

PREPARATION

• Clean the chicken pieces well and pat dry. Make slits on each pieces.
• Apply salt, lemon juice and chilly powder all over the chicken and inside each slits. And keep in freezer for 10 - 15 minutes or can set aside also.
• Meanwhile make a thick smooth paste with all other ingredients (can blend in a grinder) except oil and marinate the chicken pieces with this marinade. Make sure to apply in between all slits. Finally apply oil and mix well. Let it refrigerated for 2 hours or at least half an hour.
• Preheat oven to 200 degree C (it depends on the oven used). Place the chicken pieces on the grill (apply some oil on the grill) and keep a baking tray below the grill so that the gravy or the water from chicken will be stored in that tray only.
• Cook for 20 minutes or until the chicken becomes tender and golden. Now flip the chicken and spread some oil on the top. Again cook for another 20 minutes or until it get cooked well.
• Remove from oven and serve as such or for a smoky flavor u can heat up a pan with 1 tsp oil or butter and toss this baked chicken on a high flame both the sides. This makes the chicken looks yummy and perfect same like restaurant style.
• Serve along with lime wedges or slices and garlic paste.