Ingredients
- •8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- •For tandoori marinade:
- •1 cup full-fat plain yogurt
- •3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- •4 cloves garlic, finely grated
- •2-inch piece fresh ginger, finely grated
- •2 tbsp neutral oil
- •1 tbsp kashmiri chili powder (or 2 tsp paprika + 1 tsp cayenne)
- •1 tbsp garam masala
- •1 tsp ground cumin
- •1 tsp ground coriander
- •1 tsp ground turmeric
- •1 tsp kosher salt
- •½ tsp black pepper
- •For mint raita:
- •1 cup plain yogurt
- •½ English cucumber, grated and squeezed dry
- •¼ cup fresh mint, finely chopped
- •1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- •½ tsp ground cumin
- •Pinch of kosher salt
- •For serving:
- •Warm naan or basmati rice
- •Lemon wedges
- •Red onion slices
- •Fresh cilantro
Instructions
Score chicken thighs with 3–4 shallow cuts on each side to allow marinade to penetrate.
Whisk together all tandoori marinade ingredients in a large bowl until smooth.
Add chicken thighs and coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 h (overnight is best).
Place marinated thighs in vacuum-seal bags in a single layer, scraping in the excess marinade.
Seal using vacuum sealer or water displacement method.
Preheat sous vide bath to 162°F (72°C).
Submerge and cook for 6 h.
While chicken cooks, make the mint raita. Combine yogurt, squeezed cucumber, mint, lemon juice, cumin, and salt. Refrigerate until serving.
When the cook is done, remove chicken from bags and scrape off excess marinade.
Pat completely dry with paper towels — this is critical for the char.
Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat until smoking, or preheat the broiler to high.
Sear chicken skin-side down for 2–3 min until deeply charred with blackened spots.
Flip and sear the flesh side for 1–2 min.
Transfer to a platter and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top.
Serve with mint raita, warm naan or basmati rice, red onion slices, and cilantro.
Notes
- •Kashmiri chili powder gives the signature red color without excessive heat — paprika + cayenne substitutes well
- •The yogurt marinade tenderizes AND insulates during the sear, but you must pat dry for char
- •Scoring the thighs is what lets the spices penetrate past the surface
- •Overnight marinade makes a noticeable difference in depth of flavor