Go Back Email Link
MasalaRoastChickenD

Whole Roast Masala Chicken

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 1.8 kg chicken
  • For the yogurt marinade:
  • 500 g plain full fat yoghurt
  • 6 fat cloves garlic crushed
  • 2 cm piece ginger peeled and finely grated
  • ½ tbsp chilli powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric or 2cm fresh peeled and finely grated
  • For the masala butter:
  • 100 g softened butter
  • 1 ½ tbsp garam masala mix OR make your own :
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander
  • ½ tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp hot chilli powder or to taste
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp ground turmeric
  • 2-3 fat cloves garlic crushed
  • 1 cm piece ginger peeled and grated

Instructions
 

  • 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