For extra-juicy—and flavorful—fried chicken, chef Rupam Bhagat of Dum in San Francisco marinates his meat using the traditional two-step tandoori process: He first lets the chicken sit in a blend of aromatic spices for 12 hours and then folds in yogurt that helps tenderize the meat and caramelize the crust when it’s fried. Slideshow: More Fried Chicken Recipes
Ingredients
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- One 3-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons ground coriander
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons cayenne
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for frying
- Kosher salt
- Pepper
- 6 small chicken thighs
- 6 small chicken drumsticks
- 1 1/2 cups full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 1/2 cups chickpea flour
- Chaat masala, for sprinkling
- Small cilantro sprigs and lime wedges, for garnish
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Directions
- Step 1: In a food processor, puree the garlic with the ginger, lemon juice, coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, the 2 tablespoons of oil, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper until smooth. Scrape the marinade into a large bowl, add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.
- Step 2: Stir the yogurt into the marinade, re-cover the bowl and refrigerate for 12 more hours.
- Step 3: Preheat the oven to 250° and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a shallow bowl, mix the chickpea flour with 1 teaspoon of salt. Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Dredge the chicken in the flour, then transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
- Step 4: In a large, heavy saucepan, heat 1 1/2 inches of oil to 325°. Set a rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Working in batches, fry the chicken until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of each piece registers 160°, about 10 minutes. Transfer to the rack, season with salt and keep warm in the oven while you fry the remaining chicken.
- Step 5: Sprinkle the chicken with chaat masala and transfer to a platter. Garnish with cilantro leaves and lime wedges; serve.