Marinade Chicken

[leehill]

Hi,

I would like to know how to marinade chicken similar to how they do it in indian cooking, when you order a takeaway meal like chicken tikka, the marinade is soaked right through into the chicken, however when i try this the marinade simply stays on top, I have tried making cuts in the chicken and puncturing holes but it nevers seems to turn out right, all the marinade does is rests on top and does not soak in.

Can some one tell me how they do this.

Cheers

Lee

 

[cookbookin]

Hello. Did you skin the chicken? You must do that. That's the only thing I can think of that you are doing wrong. Also, cutting it into smaller pieces should help also.

Cheers,

Michelle

 

[leehill]

Yes i was using skinless chicken fillets, i did not cut them in to small pieces tho.

I have been told that blanching the chicken to open up the pores can also help but this didnt really have much affect when I tried it.

thanks for your help

Lee

 

[PolishedTopaz]

What is in the marinade? I am not familiar with the dish you are making, but a list of ingrediants would be helpful to troubleshoot the recipe.

 

[leehill]

just a simple tikka or tandori marinade using powder mixed with yoghurt.

 

[PolishedTopaz]

This says to marinate 24 hours, and dice the chicken.
http://www.recipesindian.com/indian_recipes/indian_chicken_recipes/Chicken-Tikki-Masala.html

Looks very tasty!

 

[Yakuta]

Here are my two cents worth for the most flavorful tandoori chicken or tikika ever.

- Use the readymade pastes sparingly. The best taste (restaurant like) will come if you make your marinade from scratch at home.

Here is how I do it and as a rule it has to be done overnight.

1 cup plain yogurt
2 tsp freshly minced ginger paste
1 tbsp of freshly roasted and ground cumin seeds
1 tbsp of freshly roasted and ground corrainder seeds
juice of 2 medium limes
salt to taste
pinch of red food cloring
2 tsp of cayanne powder or red chilli powder
1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh cilantro
handful of mint leaves finely chopped

I first make the marinade by mixing all the spices and salt with the yogurt. I check salt and adjust the spices to my liking before I add the chicken to it. Now cover and let it marinate overnight.

Now scrape of the marinade from the chicken and grill it until completely done.

Another trick - While the chicken is grilling. Pour the scraped off marinade in a pan and reduce it. Once the chicken is grilled place it in a pan. Brush some of the reduced sauce on the chicken and serve with grilled onion slices and some sort of a mint chutney.

 

[LesleyCarol]

Chicken Marinade

I prick the chicken pieces with a fork before rubbing in the marinade. If you marinate boneless skinless chicken breasts DONT marinate overnight or even for more than a couple of hours as they tend to shred and fall apart. Sturdy, cut up chicken pieces with bone in will marinate well overnight. I marinate overnight for my version of chicken tandoori. Hope this is of some help.