Spicy Baked Chicken

Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking, by Madhur Jaffrey, Barron's, Woodbury, NY, 1983.

This dish is incredibly simple, and really spicy. It wins.

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon ground cumin seeds
1 Tablespoon paprika
1.5 Teaspoons cayenne
1 Tablespoon ground turmeric
1.5 Teaspoons ground black pepper
2.5 - 3 Teaspoons salt
3 Cloves garlic, mashed rather severely
6 Tablespoons lemon juice
3.5 pounds chicken pieces, skinned
3 Tablespoons oil

Directions

Mix all the above ingredients except the chicken and the oil. Cut deep gashes in the chicken. Rub the mixture over the chicken pieces, pushing the paste into the gaps and in any other flaps or openings that you can find. Spread the chicken pieces in a shallow baking tray and set aside in a cool place for 3 hours (or longer -- if so, cover it with plastic wrap or put into a ziploc).

Preheat the oven to very how -- 400F (200C). Brush the tops of the chicken pieces with the oil. Put the chicken in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces over (use a spatula so the skin doesn't stick to the tray) and bake another 25 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Baste the chicken pieces with the drippings. If a lot of liquid accumulates in your baking tray, remove the extra fat with a spoon. Then pour the remaining liquid into a small pot. Boil down until the sauce is somewhat reduced. Pour the reduced sauce over the chicken and serve.

Comments

Letting the chicken sit overnight is better, but if you don't let it sit at all, it will be all right as well.
I've never had more than 5 or 6 drippings come out of the chicken. Maybe I have just gotten bum chicken. In any case, I've never had a ``reduced sauce'' to pour over the chicken. It does not seem necessary.
This also works well if you grill the chicken.

Jim Plank

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