You could use any chicken parts you like for this recipe—dark meat, light meat, or a combination. The bones should stay in but the skin should be pulled off. This chicken needs to be marinated for at least 4 hours. Serve with Plain Basmati Rice, My Everyday Moong Dal, Spinach with Garlic and Cumin, a yogurt relish, and a salad to get the feel of a simple family meal in North India.

　　

Ingredients

serves 2¿4

　　1 teaspoon ground coriander

　　1 teaspoon ground cumin

　　2 teaspoons bright red paprika

　　1/4–1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

　　1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

　　2 cloves garlic, crushed in a garlic press

　　1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger

　　3 tablespoons whole-milk yogurt

　　2 teaspoons lemon juice

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　1 1/2 pounds chicken parts, skinned

　　

Step 1

Combine the coriander, cumin, paprika, cayenne, turmeric, garlic, ginger, yogurt, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix to make a paste.

　　

Step 2

Spread a 24-inch piece of foil in front of you. Cut deep slits on the fleshy sides of the meat pieces, staying away from the edges. Lay the pieces side by side in a single row in the center of the foil. Rub the spice paste all over the chicken, going deep into the slits. Fold the top of the foil over the chicken, then the bottom, and, finally, the two sides. Refrigerate the packet at least 4 hours or overnight.

　　

Step 3

Preheat over to 400°F.

　　

Step 4

Place the chicken packet on a baking tray and bake for 30 minutes. Open the packet carefully and turn the chicken pieces over, basting with the juices. Close packet again and bake another 15 minutes.

　　Excerpted from At Home with Madhur Jaffrey: Simple, Delectable Dishes from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka by Madhur Jaffrey. Copyright © 2010 by Random House. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.Buy the full book from Amazon.