CURRIED YOGHURT CHICKEN (RECIPE CONTRIBUITION)

‘A new twist on Sunday favourites…’

Finding a way to spruce up a chicken roast can be tricky as once we find what we’re comfortable with, we tend to stick to tried-and-tested methods. But this easy marinade requires nothing more than combining a few ingredients in a jug and pouring to bring new life to an old bird! The scent is absolutely transporting with Indian spices that really pack a punch, but the soothing yoghurt brings a comforting balance of flavours.

I submitted this recipe for a restaurant newsletter recently (hence the ingredients list that I don’t usually feature!) but I’ve also handed this out to friends who have tried it and I have had some really good feedback. I’ve had a friend tell me she used the marinade on individual cuts of chicken as opposed to a whole one and she loved it and even took a few drumstick into work the next day.

And don’t be alarmed at the idea of swapping a usual roast chicken for this curried one for a Sunday. As you’ll see from the images, I cook this chicken with nothing more than a few roast potatoes and a simple green salad. Very permissive. Just be cautious if you do use this for a Sunday lunch, you may want to make an onion gravy (frying onions, a little flour, some stock) as opposed to using the pan juices because the juices from this chicken will be yoghurt-y and curried. Sounds good to me, but I know how scathing some people can be when tampering with an English roast – and roast potatoes and gravy are non negotiable.

INGREDIENTS:
1.4kg Chicken
100g Natural Yoghurt
1 tbs Curry Powder
1 tbs Cumin
1 tbs Ground Coriander
¼ tsp Cinnamon
1 Lemon (zest and juice)
3 Garlic Cloves (finely grated)
Thumb sized piece of fresh Ginger (finely grated)
1 Chili (finely chopped)

1. Place a baking sheet in a roasting dish.

2. Combine all marinade ingredients for the chicken in a jug and place the whole chicken on the baking sheet.

3. Pour the marinade over the chicken, using your hands to ensure the chicken is fully coated.

4. Cover the tray with foil and put to one side to allow the flavours to amalgamate. I recommend a minimum of an hour and in this time, I recommend preheating the oven to 200C.

5. When you’re ready, sprinkle some sea salt on the breasts of the chicken and place in the oven. After 15 minutes, turn the oven down to 170C as this 15 minutes of high-temperature cooking will ensure a crispy skin but the remaining hour on 170C will ensure the chicken is cooked right through, retaining both a crispy skin yet tender meat.

6. Once the hour is up, remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes with a strip of foil over it to keep warm.

7. Serve with roast potatoes (cut into cubes, oiled and salted and thrown into the oven with some peeled garlic cloves for the last 35 minutes of the chicken’s cooking and resting time) and a side salad dressed simple with some cider vinegar.

Photo Credits: Lowri Bethan Photography (https://www.facebook.com/LowriBethanPhotography/?fref=ts)