Spicy Chicken Roast, Indian-style



This is another kitchen experiment of mine that came out quite well. I was planning to cook something special for Ma’s birthday and before I could come up with a menu, Deta went ahead and bought some whole chicken legs. Now, I love to cook whole legs, they are delicious and remain juicy and moist instead of drying up. In the past, I had made crumb fried chicken and my own version of KFC chicken using whole legs. I didn’t want to put up the same fare again.

And so, I concocted this easy recipe, Indian at heart and yet inspired by the techniques shown in Masterchef Australia, a program which I follow dedicatedly (much to the husband’s chagrin). We were a big group at dinner that day and I was really glad to see my dish being appreciated by all. Thank God, there was no disaster that day and everything ended on a happy note.

Here is my recipe.

Spicy Chicken Roast, Indian-style

Ingredients:

4 whole legs of chicken, washed and patted dry
1 stick of butter
1 teaspoon refined oil 

For the marinade, grind together 
1 small onion
5-6 cloves of garlic
1 inch knob of ginger
2 green chillies

Add to the marinade
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon each of turmeric, cumin and coriander powder
½ teaspoon Kitchen King Masala (optional)
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
Salt to taste 

Method:

Mix the chicken legs well in the marinade and let them rest for around 2 hours. I did not have too much time on hand and hence kept it just for an hour. 

Next, heat a little butter on a pan and sear the chicken legs on both sides so that they caramelize beautifully. I kept the chicken on the pan for around 3 minutes per side to get that lovely golden colour.

Once all the chicken legs are seared, put the rest of the marinade on the pan and fry in butter for 2-3 minutes so that the raw smell disappears. 

Line a roasting tray with silver foil, glaze it with a little refined oil and arrange the chicken legs on it gently. Now, scoop up the fried marinade and smear it over the chicken legs. 

Place the tray in the middle slot of the pre-heated oven and roast the chicken at 200 degrees for half an hour or till the chicken is cooked. Your Indian style chicken roast is ready to be savoured!



I realized that the marinade had done wonders to the chicken as it crisped up and lent a smoky, buttery flavor. The legs were absolutely juicy and tender and we devoured them in no time.



How about trying this out and letting me know if it worked for you, too?

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