Name: Whole roast masala chicken
Yield: serving
Cuisine: Ingredients
Ingredients: 1.8 kg chicken; 500 g yoghurt full-fat, plain; 6 garlic large cloves, crushed; 2 cm fresh ginger grated; 1/2 Tbs chillies powder; 1 tsp turmeric ground or fresh, grated; 100 g butter softened; 1 1/2 Tbs garam masala; 1 Tbs coriander ground; 1/2 Tbs cumin ground; 1 tsp chilli powder; 1 tsp cinnamon ground; 1 tsp cloves ground; 1 tsp black pepper freshly ground; 1/2 tsp turmeric ground; 2-3 garlic large cloves, crushed; 1 cm fresh ginger peeled, grated

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Ingredients (17)

1.8 kg

chicken

For the yogurt marinade:

500 g	yoghurt — full-fat, plain
6	garlic — large cloves, crushed
2 cm	fresh ginger — grated
1/2 Tbs	chillies — powder
1 tsp	turmeric — ground or fresh, grated

For the masala butter:

100 g	butter — softened
1 1/2 Tbs	garam masala
1 Tbs	coriander — ground
1/2 Tbs	cumin — ground
1 tsp	chilli powder
1 tsp	cinnamon — ground
1 tsp	cloves — ground
1 tsp	black pepper — freshly ground
1/2 tsp	turmeric — ground
2-3	garlic — large cloves, crushed
1 cm	fresh ginger — peeled, grated

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Method:

Mix the yoghurt with the other marinade ingredients.

Place the chicken in a large freezer bag and spoon the yoghurt over the chicken and into its cavity.

Leave for at least two hours but ideally overnight, in the fridge turning occasionally.

Mix the butter with the spices, garlic and ginger.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.

Remove the chicken and leave to sit at room temperature for about 45 minute.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and wipe off the excess.

Carefully make a pocket underneath the skin of the breast by slipping your fingers in between the skin and the flesh and loosen the skin over the legs and thighs.

Spread the masala butter underneath the skin, down over the legs, thighs and breast on both sides.

Spread the remaining butter on top of the skin and sprinkle with sea salt and place on a roasting tray.

Roast the chicken for one hour and 10 minutes, basting with the butter a few times.

Cover the chicken lightly with foil if it browns too dark.

When it is cooked, the juices between the leg and the rest of the bird should run clear, with no trace of pink.

Cover the bird with a double layer of foil and leave to rest for 15 minutes before serving with the cooking juices.

Serve with roast potatoes, plain yoghurt, fresh coriander and naan bread.

Reprinted with the permission of Heinstirred. To see more click here.

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