Tandoori chicken, marinaded for a few hours and just grilled, is a simple and very tasty lean protein option that can provide leftovers for packed lunches the next day.

Pair with Indian Spiced Baby Potatoes and your choice of Slaw for a great flavour combo.

Ingredients

• 6 large pieces chicken on the bone (thighs work well) As a treat, ask your butcher to supply breast on the bone – it’s the juiciest and tastiest way to eat chicken breast; In the UK it’s not cheap though as you pay by weight)
• 150ml Greek yoghurt
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 5cm piece of ginger, minced or 1 heaped teaspoon ginger from a tube
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1 heaped tablespoon smoky paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes or powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Method

Remove chicken from it’s packaging, and pat dry. Stab the pieces with a sharp knife so that the marinade can perforate the meat and take on the flavour well.

Mix all marinade ingredients, and massage into the chicken ensuring to get into all of the grooves and corners.

Cover and leave the chicken to marinate for as long as possible; at least 4 hours.

When ready to cook, bring chicken to room temperature and grill on a braai (BBQ) for a charred flavour until no longer pink on the bone and juices run clear. You can also bake this in the oven, which is pre-heated to 180 degrees celcius and cook for up to 30 min.

Indian Spiced Potatoes

Ingredients

• 800g baby potatoes (for 4-6 people)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 tablespoon light olive oil

Method

Pre-heat your oven to 175 degrees celcius, fan assisted oven.

Wash the potatoes, place in a pan of water and bring to the boil. Par-boil these for about 5 minutes. You do not intend to cook them through fully here, you are only pre-cooking them for extra fluffiness later.

While the potatoes are boiling, in a non-stick frying pan dry fry the cumin, coriander, mustard and fennel seeds. Keep an eye that the seeds don’t burn, you are only warming them to release their oils and aromas.

Transfer the seeds to a pestle and mortar, and grind to a powder. Add to this powder the salt, turmeric and garam masala.

Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice each in half. (Cutting them is key for crispiness)

In a baking tray or large surfaced oven-proof dish, lay out your potatoes. Add the olive oil and spice powder mix, and swirl it all about to mix well without breaking up the potatoes.

Transfer spiced potatoes to the oven and bake for 45 min. Check on the potatoes every 10-15min and flip them over to ensure they don’t stick.