Tandoori Chicken Baguette

Cook Time 30 minutes plus marinating time

Serves 2–4

Ingredients

The Chicken

750g boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Butter or oil, for basting

The Tandoori Marinade

½ cup hung curd (thick, strained Greek yogurt)

1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

2 tbsp tandoori masala

1 tsp tamarind paste

1½ tbsp mustard oil

Salt to taste

The Assembly

2 fresh crusty baguettes

Mint and coriander chutney

Thinly sliced red onions

Fresh coriander leaves

Lime wedges

To Serve

Laccha Pyaz: Onion ring salad tossed with lemon juice, chaat masala, and Kashmiri chilli powder.

Method

In a large bowl, whisk together the hung curd, ginger-garlic paste, masala, tamarind, mustard oil, and salt. Coat the chicken thighs thoroughly in the thick marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours, preferably overnight.

Preheat the oven to 220°C.

Place the marinated chicken on a wire rack set over a baking tray. Roast for 12–15 minutes, baste with melted butter or oil, turn the pieces over, and roast for another 10-12 minutes. Finally, switch the oven to the grill setting for 3–4 minutes to achieve the authentic charred, smoky spots. Alternatively, grill on a griddle pan or a BBQ.

Once cooked, let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then shred or slice it into bite-sized strips and top with lime.

Slice the baguette lengthwise and lightly toast it. Spread a generous layer of vibrant green mint-and-coriander chutney on both sides of the bread. Layer the smoky tandoori chicken strips. Top with thinly sliced red onions tossed in a squeeze of lime juice, and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.