Cardamom-Lemon Chicken puts a new spin on the ever-popular Tandoori Chicken with an exquisitely sweet and tangy blend of aromatic seasonings.
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: Amchoor, Cardamom, Chicken, Lemon
Author: John Thompson
Ingredients
1 ½lbs.Chicken pieces;
¾tbsp.Salt;
1tbsp.minced Lemon Zest;
1tsp.Sugar;
3tbsp.Lemon Juice;
1 ½tbsp.Turmeric;
1– 1 ½ tsp. Cardamom Powder;
¼tsp.Cayenne Pepperor more to taste, if you like;
1tsp.Amchoor Powder;
1tsp.Cumin seeds;
2tbsp.Butter or Ghee;
Instructions
Cut several slashes in the skin and flesh of the chicken pieces and rub them all over with the lemon juice.
Combine the lemon zest, sugar and salt and rub the mixture into the chicken, making sure you get plenty into the slashes and under the skin. Set the chicken aside for a good 30 minutes or so.
Now rub the pieces well with mixture of the turmeric, cardamom, cayenne and amchoor , and, again, work some under the skin and into the slashes. Cover and refrigerate the chicken for several hours, or overnight, to allow the flavor to penetrate.
Pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Toast the cumin seeds in a dry pan until they give off their fragrance. Add the butter and, when it is melted remove from the heat and set aside for the moment.
Bake the chicken on a wire rack for about 30 -40 minutes, turning once during cooking, and baste several times with the butter, making sure that some of the cumin seeds adhere.
If desired, finish the chicken under the broiler to give it a slight char here and there in the Tandoori style.
Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes or so and then serve.