Flavored with aromatic spices, this whole roast Masala Chicken (Indian-style) comes out so yummy! The skin is deliciously crisp and the meat is tender and moist. This roast is very easy and quick to prepare, too.

When I was pregnant for the first time 10 years ago with our eldest son, the main food I craved was roast chicken. I had a really bad "morning" sickness (of course, it could be anytime of the day!) for the first 4 months or so and nothing seemed to calm my stomach and made me happier than roast chicken! I don't know why that was but I guess I should just be happy my cravings were not too "exotic" or hard to find!

I hadn't made this roast Masala Chicken back then nor was I even acquainted with it but had I made this or known about this, I'd be pretty sure this would have been my main craving as this is just so tasty and hits all the right flavors I love in a chicken flavored with curry spices. When I made this, hubby immediately told me that I have to make it again and several days after, I did to make sure it was really good. The second time around we were more than convinced. :)

The secret is the above spice rub or paste or mix ---- whatever. The combination of aromatic spices such as cinnamon, cloves, coriander and turmeric just to name a few really brought out so much flavor in the chicken. And yet, it's not really spicy at all - just flavorful. I am sure you can add some heat there if you wish to but if not - it's delicious as is. It's so easy that all you need to do is mix all the spices and seasonings together, which fortunately are all available in any grocery store so there's no difficulty at all in finding them, to create a rub. Then, generously apply the spice blend all over the chicken and let it marinate for a bit (as little as 1-3 hours or more if you like) and then roast. In fact, the second time I made this I barely marinated it but it still came out yummy though letting it marinate longer, I am sure, would be even better. The result is a super-tasty chicken with garlicky, crispy skin and really moist and tender meat as you can see below. Definitely, enjoy with some Basmati rice,of course and some greens on the side, too!

Whole Roast Masala Chicken (Indian-style)

By: Manila Spoon
Published: 04/23/2016

Flavored with aromatic spices, this whole roast Masala Chicken (Indian-style) comes out so yummy! The skin is deliciously crisp and the meat is tender and moist. This roast is very easy and quick to prepare, too.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons ground Cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground Cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground Coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground Turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon ground Cloves
• 1 teaspoon powdered Garlic
• 2 teaspoons Salt
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/4 cup ground Almonds
• 5 Tablespoons plain Yogurt
• 3-4 lb roasting Chicken

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients except for the chicken. Mixture will look like a thick paste.
2. Place the chicken in a roasting pan (with rack, if preferred). Generously rub the chicken all over with the spice mixture including under its skin (breasts portions) to get in more flavor. You can also place some of the spice mix into the cavities. Cover the chicken with foil and then refrigerate for at least 3 hours to allow absorption of the spice rub.
3. Take the chicken out of the fridge then preheat the oven to 400F. Tent the chicken loosely with a foil then roast in the oven for 1 hour. The foil cover helps prevent the chicken from getting too dark. Remove the foil after an hour and then continue to roast for another 20-30 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in the inner thigh (without touching the bone) reaches 165F. If you don't have a meat thermometer, the chicken is cooked when the juices run clear when pricked on the thigh.
4. Serve immediately with some green veggies and freshly cooked rice! Enjoy!

Yield: 6 Servings
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins.

Cook time: 01 hrs. 20 mins.
Total time: 1 hrs. 30 mins.
Tags: India, Indian, Chicken, Roast, Asian, Masala