This is the marinade used at one of my favourite Leicester curry houses.

* Scaled down for home use *

8 chicken thighs (i use skin on)
1 tbsp salt
1 lemon, juice only

Marinate chicken in lemon juice and salt for 30 minutes

* This seals the meat, keeping it juicy and stopping other ingredients drawing out moisture *

5 tbsp natural yoghurt
1 tbsp garlic & ginger paste
1/2 onion, finely sliced
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp garam masala
2 tbsp tandoori masala
1 tsp hot chilli powder
1 tsp fennel seeds, toasted
1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 tsp dried mint leaves
1 tsp colmans mustard powder
1 tsp red food color
1/2 tsp yellow food color
small bunch fresh coriander, chopped

Marinate chicken in mixture overnight or atleast 6 hours.

Preheat oven to its highest temperature (250c) for atleast 20 minutes, then place meat on a rack over a foil covered tray.
Roast at highest temp for 20 minutes, rotating pan 180 degrees half way through cooking.

let chicken rest for 10 minutes before using.

* If using lean meat like chicken breast, marinate no longer than 6 hours, as meat will become dry *

* I was told by the chef that mustard powder is his preference, but some places use the more bitter mustard oil. *

ScottyM,

an interesting recipe. i've been trying to make the tandoori version for long time without getting close.

i've either got a red patak tasteless version (you might even say close to BIR TA norm) or essentially a red "tikka"

do you have any details on how the 2 differ at the fav curry house

Similar method I use for my red tikka style chicken - without the yogurt and massive anount of spices of course I do recall being informed that the salt would actually draw out the moisture

https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,12548.msg101834.html#msg101834

I'm the same, my recipe(s) are pretty much the same except I chuck everything in together.