Tandoori Style Chicken with Cucumber Raita and Rice

I am a big fan of Indian cuisine and tried this recipe at home in the oven. I used bigger bone in chicken breasts but you can use drumsticks and thighs if you like. Marinade it for as little as a few hours or overnight for a tangy flavor. It adds the tang you would get with buttermilk.

Oven Tandoori Chicken

a split chicken or 3 bone in chicken breasts
1 1/2 plain yogurt
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp salt
2 TBSP lemon juice
a pinch of pepper

In a large bowl or large Zip loc bag combine the ingredients in the marinade. Add chicken and coat to cover. Then if using a bowl cover with plastic wrap and stick in the fridge for 4 hours to overnight. Pre heat oven to 500 degrees. On a cookie sheet place tin foil and then a cookie cooking rack. This will allow the air to circulate around your chicken and it won't sit in the grease. Bake chicken pieces for 30 minutes and flip them over. Bake for an additional 25 minutes or until juices run clear. On the chicken breasts I had to give them an extra 20 minutes. The outside of your chicken will have crispy parts but I think that adds to the flavor. Serve with white long grain rice or basmati rice.

Cucumber Raita

2 seedless cucumbers or English cucumbers cut into planks and then 3's
8-10 leaves fresh mint
1 TBSP lemon juice
salt and pepper
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 cup plain yogurt

Add the plain yogurt to a medium sized bowl. Roll up the mint and cut into fine pieces. Add the mint, lemon juice, mustard seeds, and salt and pepper to the bowl. Mix and cover for a hour. Add salt and pepper to taste.