One of my favorite Northern Indian dishes is classic Tandoori Chicken, which is most familiar as the red-colored grilled chicken we see in Indian restaurants.  Tandoori Chicken gets its name from being cooked in a tandoor, a clay oven used for high-heat grilling of meats and flatbreads (like naan, which you can find fresh or frozen at TJ's).  Meats grilled in the dry and high heat of a tandoor are usually marinated, baked crisp on the outside and tender inside.  Breads are pressed against the walls of the tandoor and peeled off when baked. 

When I saw the jars of Tomato Chutney at TJ's, I read the ingredients and figured that, mixed with yogurt, it would come very close to what I would use in a tandoori chicken marinade.  The traditional marinade relies on garam masala (a flavorful and aromatic mix of  spices used commonly in Indian cooking) in combination with ingredients like garlic, onion, ginger, and lime juice or vinegar.  For my recipe, I simply mixed equal amounts of Tomato Chutney and yogurt and the combination was quite delicious.  It doesn't get much easier than that!  I'm thinking that I can make a really delicious veggie dip by mixing the Tomato Chutney with thick Greek yogurt, but that's for another day. 

Finally, we arrive upon the actual cooking method.  Most of us don't have a tandoor  at home (if you do, can I please come over for dinner?)  There are many suggested equivalents.  I used my oven, set to a high heat.  Was it exactly the same as an authentic tandoor?  No, but I was really pleased with the flavors and texture.  Everyone thought it was really delicious and tender, with an authentic taste.

Tandoori chicken is usually served with slices of onion, wedges of lime, and rice.  I cooked up a batch of Basmati rice as well as the Coconut Curried Vegetables below, which were a tasty complement to the chicken.

Tandoori Chicken

2 leg quarters and 2 split breasts (boneless chicken breasts and thighs are fine too if you prefer)
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup Tomato Chutney

1.) If your chicken pieces are skin on, pull the skin off and trim any large pieces of fat.
2.) In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt and chutney. 
3.) Add the chicken and move around to coat all pieces.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
4.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place the chicken pieces (which will be coated in marinade) in a glass baking dish.  Bake uncovered for about 35-40 minutes or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced.   If you are using boneless pieces, baking time will be closer to 25 minutes.   Baking time will vary depending on the size of your pieces.

Note: If you're a fan of the typical dayglo red color of tandoori chicken, add 1 tsp paprika to the marinade.  (Many restaurants actually use food coloring.) For a little extra heat, add 1/2 tsp cayenne or chili powder to the marinade.


Coconut Curried Vegetables

3 zucchini, sliced into 1/2 - 1-inch pieces
2 carrots, chopped or cut lengthwise into thin pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup Light Coconut Milk (1/2 the can)
1 tsp curry powder
1 clove garlic, crushed or 1 cube Frozen Crushed Garlic
1/2 tsp salt

1.) In a deep skillet or wide saucepan, combine the coconut milk, curry powder, garlic, and salt. 
2.) Bring sauce to a simmer and add vegetables.  Simmer for about 10-15 minutes until vegetables are tender.