Tandoori chicken traybake with aubergines, tomatoes and onions

Name: Tandoori chicken traybake with aubergines, tomatoes and onions
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 200g/7oz full-fat Greek-style yoghurt; 2 tbsp neutral oil; 5cm/2in piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated; 2 garlic cloves, finely grated; 1 lemon, zest and juice; 3 tsp garam masala; 1 heaped tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp red chilli powder (optional); 1 tsp sea salt flakes; 15 fresh curry leaves (optional); 1kg/2lb 4oz chicken thighs, skin-on and bone-in; 2 medium aubergines, cut into 2.5cm/1in half moons; 400g/14oz large tomatoes, quartered; 2 medium red onions, quartered; 2 tbsp neutral oil; 1 tsp freshly ground coriander; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp sea salt flakes; 100g/3½oz full-fat Greek-style yoghurt; 10g/⅓oz fresh coriander leaves; 5g/⅛oz fresh mint leaves; 1cm/½in piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated; sea salt flakes, to taste; hot rice or flatbreads; fresh coriander, chopped; lime wedges to serve

Prepare: 30 mins to 1 hour
Cook: 30 mins to 1 hour
Serve: Serves 4
Dietary: Egg-free Nut-free

I make variations of homemade tandoori chicken all the time – yoghurt, garlic, ginger, lemon juice and smoked paprika in the marinade are a constant, the other spices vary – and I was delighted to find that store-bought garam masala adds a lovely smoked depth to the chicken.

By Rukmini Iyer

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Ingredients

For the marinade

200g/7oz full-fat Greek-style yoghurt
2 tbsp neutral oil
5cm/2in piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 lemon, zest and juice
3 tsp garam masala
1 heaped tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp red chilli powder (optional)
1 tsp sea salt flakes
15 fresh curry leaves (optional)

For the chicken traybake

1kg/2lb 4oz chicken thighs, skin-on and bone-in
2 medium aubergines, cut into 2.5cm/1in half moons
400g/14oz large tomatoes, quartered
2 medium red onions, quartered
2 tbsp neutral oil
1 tsp freshly ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sea salt flakes

For the coriander dressing

100g/3½oz full-fat Greek-style yoghurt
10g/⅓oz fresh coriander leaves
5g/⅛oz fresh mint leaves
1cm/½in piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated
sea salt flakes, to taste

To serve

hot rice or flatbreads
fresh coriander, chopped
lime wedges to serve

Recipe tips

Method

To make the marinade, mix all the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl.
To make the chicken traybake, slash the chicken thighs a few times with a sharp knife, then add them to the bowl with the marinade and gently turn them to coat. (I use disposable gloves for this.) Let the chicken marinate for 20 minutes while you prep the other ingredients, or overnight in the fridge if you’re eating the next day.
Preheat the oven to 210C/190C Fan/Gas 6½. Tip the aubergine, tomatoes and red onion into a large roasting tin with the oil, freshly ground coriander, cumin and sea salt flakes, and mix well to coat. Top with the marinated chicken, including the remaining yoghurt marinade, then transfer to the oven to roast for 45 minutes.
While the chicken is in the oven, make the coriander dressing. Add the yoghurt, coriander, mint and ginger to a blender or food processor and blend. Taste and adjust the salt as needed.
Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes, then serve with the coriander dressing, chopped coriander, lime wedges and rice or hot flatbreads.