This spicy Indian style whole masala roast chicken is an Indian spin on roast chicken. It's tender and juicy as you cut into it, and BURSTING with robust Indian flavours. This is the perfect crowd-pleasing recipe for family get-togethers that will leave yours and your guestsโ tongue and heart singing!
Thereโs something so satisfying about making and serving a whole roast chicken And what makes it even more interesting is making it roasting the chicken with Indian masalas. Imagine: the aroma of rich Indian spices wafting through the air as you cut into crispy chicken skin coated with masala. Yes please!ย
A whole roast chicken might sound difficult to make, but if you follow the instructions, this dish comes together fairly easily and with ingredients you already have at home. The end result is a perfectly cooked roast chicken thatโs tender, juicy, and spicy!
Reasons Why This Recipe Is A Winner
- The recipe uses pantry ingredients - no need to shop for anything exotic!
- It serves a large group of people - perfect for dinner parties.
- The chicken can be marinated a day ahead - for a fuss-free kitchen on the day of serving.ย
- The technique used in this recipe gives us really crispy chicken skin and super juicy meat thatโs the mark of a good roast chicken.
- The chicken is flavoured through and through so you wonโt be left with bland chicken after a few bites.
- It is a unique roast preparation that will definitely impress.
Quick Walk Through: Masala Roast Chicken
Ingredients for Indian Masala Roast Chicken
Here's everything you need for this recipe - it's a really short list of ingredients:
- Whole Chicken: Make sure to get good quality chicken with the skin on for this recipe. While roasting a chicken whole, the skin ensures that the chicken remains juicy and doesnโt dry out.ย
- Kashmiri Red Chili: We use Kashmiri Red Chili in this recipe as it brings out a mild heat that will not overpower the other flavours. It also has a deep red color which we love for an Indian style roast chicken!
- Ginger and Garlic: Freshly prepared ginger and garlic paste is key for bringing out the best flavour.ย
- Butter: An essential ingredient for the marinade - donโt skip or skimp on this one! Using butter will ensure the chicken is moist and flavourful.
- Honey: Adding a little honey balances the spice from the red chili that we use in this recipe.
- Vinegar: Acts like a tenderizer for the chicken, which also helps the chicken parts hold the masala coating well. The result is a succulent and flavour-rich roast chicken!
How to make Indian Roast Chicken
1.Make the marinade for the roast chicken by mixing together melted butter, honey, ginger garlic paste, salt, pepper, chilli powder, jeera powder and vinegar
2.Loosen the skin of the chicken by inserting a spoon under it and then marinate the entire chicken with the marinade. Cover with cling film or a plate and refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 house
3.When ready to roast the chicken, take it out of the refrigerator at least an hour prior to bring it to room temperature. Place onions, potatoes and garlic in a roasting pan and toss them in salt, pepper and olive oil
4.Tie the chicken legs with twine and place the marinated chicken on top of the onions and potatoes. Insert a lime in the chicken cavity
5.Halfway through the roasting process, take the chicken out and brush it with the remaining marinade. Place it back in the oven and bake till the internal temperature of the chicken registers 75 C/ 167F
6.Take the chicken out of the oven once its cooked and rest for 10 minutes
7.Brush it with melted butter before serving
8.Carve it with a sharp knife before serving
Top Tips To Make The Best Indian Roast Chicken
- Chicken skin: Loosen the skin of the chicken before marinating it. The skin on the chicken traps all the juices of our buttery and spicy marinade and allows the meat to absorb the flavours really well. It makes the chicken really tender while also helping us get that nice crispy skin on top.
- Marination: With my technique of loosening the skin, you not only put the marinade all over the chicken, but also under the skin and inside the cavity! This makes sure that each bite of the chicken is just as juicy and flavourful. We recommend marinating the chicken overnight in the refrigerator for max flavour!
- Trussing the chicken: Trussing is the process in which you tie up the wings and legs of a chicken before roasting it. For this recipe, Iโve just simply tied the legs of the chicken to make it more presentable. For the wings, I recommend tucking them behind the neck of the chicken to prevent the wing tips from burning as the chicken roasts.
- Roasting pan: I recommend using a good quality baking pan or casserole for this recipe, that is large enough so that the chicken is able to fit snugly along with the vegetables we are adding. Elevate the chicken (breast side up) by placing it on top of the vegetables - this way the meat juices will easily drip down into the pan which we will use to baste the chicken for more flavour and moisture.
- Roasting preparation: If your chicken was refrigerated, take it out of the fridge 60 minutes before you roast it to allow it to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius - this will ensure that the meat cooks evenly. The general rule for roast chicken cook time is 25 minutes for every 500g of chicken.
- Basting: Make sure to baste the chicken halfway through the cooking. This keeps the chicken juicy and most and also injects flavour.
- Final steps: You can place another tray rack above the chicken if the skin is browning up too quickly towards the end of the cook time. You will know that the chicken is fully cooked when it reaches the internal temperature of 75 C.
- Serving: When serving the chicken, do not cut into it immediately! Let it rest for at least 10 minutes. Letting the chicken rest gives time for the moisture within the meat to be distributed, resulting in a tender and juicy roast chicken. Skipping this step will give us dry meat which is a big no no!
Carving Roast Chicken
First time making a whole roast chicken? Donโt let the carving step intimidate you - just follow these instructions! Cut off and remove the twine completely. Use a fork and a sharp meat knife and cut between the joints of the leg and the body. If you have cooked the chicken according to the recipe, it should cut through without any hassle. Next, keeping your hand for support, horizontally slice off each breast of the chicken. The wings can be taken off next. And finally, you can shred any extra meat that is left.
For more tips on carving and a visual representation of the process, you can refer to my Herb Garlic Roast Chicken post.
Some More Tips To Keep In Mind
- Get good quality chicken, and make sure to keep the skin on. While roasting a chicken whole, the skin ensures that the chicken remains juicy and doesn't dry out.
- Ingredients such as ginger and garlic should be freshly prepared so that you get the best flavor.
- Know your oven because oven temperatures vary a little bit. So you may need to adjust the time slightly to make sure the chicken cooks just right.
- This recipe requires a fair amount of butter and please don't skimp on it. Butter is always better.
Once you make your first roast chicken, thereโs no going back! You will love serving this for any occasion, and this Indian-style recipe allows for a versatile table spread as well. I love serving this one with a side of mashed potatoes, and my vegetarian gravy with mushrooms for a delightful, wholesome meal.
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Watch the Recipe Video
Indian Style Whole Masala Roast Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Chicken skin-on, approx 1.2 kgs (See Note 1)
- 2 ยฝ tablespoons Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
- 1 ยฝ tablespoons Ginger Paste
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Paste
- ยฝ tablespoon Pepper Powder
- 1 teaspoon Jeera Powder Cumin
- 2 tablespoons Honey
- 1 ยฝ tablespoons Vinegar
- 50 g Butter Melted
- Salt to taste
- 3 - 4 Potatoes quartered
- 3 Onions quartered
- 3 Pods Garlic whole, halved
- 1 Lemon sliced
Instructions
- Wash the chicken and pat dry.
- Mix together chili powder, ginger, garlic paste, pepper, jeera, honey, vinegar, butter and salt into a smooth paste.
- Apply the chili paste all over the chicken, into the crevices and under the skin wherever there are gaps. If you have extra marinade remaining, you can use it to brush the chicken while it cooks.
- Cover and marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours or overnight. I highly recommend marinating it overnight in the refrigerator.
- If you leave it in the fridge, remove it 45 minutes before cooking to let it come to room temperature.
- Use an oven proof baking dish and add potatoes, onions, garlic and lemon slices to the bottom. Tie the chicken legs together with a kitchen string (as shown in the picture) and transfer it on top of the veggies.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 200C/392F for 65 minutes. Keep brushing the chicken with the fats and gravy from the pan every 30 minutes or so. Give it one final brush in the last 5 minutes.
- Once cooked, let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Serve with all the veggies at the bottom of the pan. Don't forget to squeeze out the garlic and lemon on top of the chicken for an extra kick!
Video
Notes
- The chicken I used was approximately 1.2 kgs. This took 65 minutes at 200C. The general rule for cook time is 25 minutes for every 500g of chicken.
- Use chicken with skin on as the skin gives it that crispy roast texture.ย
- Knowing when the chicken is cooked:ย The internal temperature of cooked chicken should read 165F/75C. The most handy way to tell would be using a meat thermometer. If you do not own one, you can cut and check the juices. If the meat is white in colour and the juices run clear that means the chicken is cooked. The meat or the juices should not have a red/pinkish hue.ย
- Getting rid of juices Tip 1: A trick to getting rid of the juices if you absolutely prefer it that way is to remove the chicken once its cooked and place the sheet pan with veggies back into the oven on the top rack. Turn the broiler or the top element on and let the veggies broil for 3-4 minutes. This will get them nice and crispy and evaporate all the juices in the sheet pan.
- Getting rid of juices Tip 2:ย Another way to get rid of the juices is to sear the thighs on both sides in a pan first before placing them in the oven. This can help lock in the juices so that you have less liquid when it comes out of the oven.
- Chicken skin: Loosen the skin of the chicken before marinating it. The skin on the chicken traps all the juices of our buttery and spicy marinade and allows the meat to absorb the flavours really well. It makes the chicken really tender while also helping us get that nice crispy skin on top.ย
- Marination: With my technique of loosening the skin, you not only put the marinade all over the chicken, but also under the skin and inside the cavity! This makes sure that each bite of the chicken is just as juicy and flavourful. We recommend marinating the chicken overnight in the refrigerator for max flavour!
- Trussing the chicken: Trussing is the process in which you tie up the wings and legs of a chicken before roasting it. For this recipe, Iโve just simply tied the legs of the chicken to make it more presentable. For the wings, I recommend tucking them behind the neck of the chicken to prevent the wing tips from burning as the chicken roasts.
- Roasting pan: I recommend using a good quality baking pan or casserole for this recipe, that is large enough so that the chicken is able to fit snugly along with the vegetables we are adding. Elevate the chicken (breast side up) by placing it on top of the vegetables - this way the meat juices will easily drip down into the pan which we will use to baste the chicken for more flavour and moisture.ย
- Roasting preparation: If your chicken was refrigerated, take it out of the fridge 60 minutes before you roast it to allow it to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius - this will ensure that the meat cooks evenly.ย
- Basting: Make sure to baste the chicken halfway through the cooking. This keeps the chicken juicy and most and also injects flavour.
- Final steps: You can place another tray rack above the chicken if the skin is browning up too quickly towards the end of the cook time. You will know that the chicken is fully cooked when it reaches the internal temperature of 75 C.ย
- Serving: When serving the chicken, do not cut into it immediately! Let it rest for at least 10 minutes. Letting the chicken rest gives time for the moisture within the meat to be distributed, resulting in a tender and juicy roast chicken. Skipping this step will give us dry meat which is a big no no!
- Get good quality chicken, and make sure to keep the skin on. While roasting a chicken whole, the skin ensures that the chicken remains juicy and doesn't dry out.
- Ingredients such as ginger and garlic should be freshly prepared so that you get the best flavor.
- Know your oven because oven temperatures vary a little bit. So you may need to adjust the time slightly to make sure the chicken cooks just right.
- This recipe requires a fair amount of butter and please don't skimp on it. Butter is always better.
Alicia says
Hi Racha, I just prepared the Masala roast chicken. It turned out juicy but after a while it started turning black, so I turned the temperature to 200 instead of 230 it turned out good but still black on the top. I should have covered it with foil. I will definitely try it again as my family loved it and it was nice and tender. Thank you I would appreciate if you could send me for leg of lamb roast.
Rohan Khot says
I tried out this recipe for Christmas. It was super hit. Mouth watering. Appreciated by all. Thank you!
Richa says
Thank you so much Rohan!!
Shikha says
Hi Richa..
Can we use a turkey roaster/ chicken roaster For the recipe?
Thanks
Richa says
Sure thing!
Dipen says
Beautiful flavours after marinating overnight but 220 degrees Celsius for 1.5 hours is definitely too high. I turned it down to 180 after the first 20-25 minutes and shortened the cooking time by about 10 mins. It was a bit more charred than I would've liked but the flavour was really nice. My chicken was atleast 1.5 kg. Next time I'll try 180 for about 75-80 mins.
Richa says
Hey Dipen! Thanks for sharing your feedback. Every oven works differently and the cooking time also depends on the size of the chicken. It's important to keep an eye on the chicken while it cooks to adjust temperatures slightly.
Lavanya says
I cooked this chicken, it came out wonderful, tasty and thanks for the recipe
Richa says
Thanks for your feedback Lavanya!
sirisha chava says
Hi, Did you use Broil at all or just regular bake.
Richa says
Bake and then a broil in the end
Tejina says
Hi..the recipe is looking great..waiting to try this on..Will we use in grill mode to cook the chicken
Richa says
Sounds perfect!
Santhini says
Hi, just wanted to check the following two things:
1. Is pepper powder, black pepper powder?
2. What vinegar did you use?
Thank you
Richa says
Hey Santhini, yes pepper powder is the same as black pepper powder. I used regular synthetic vinegar.
Rupert says
I was looking for a roast chicken recipe with a twist as I usually just do a simple roast with herbs, lemon and garlic and felt like a change. I'm so happy I came across your recipe - the family are still talking about it! The juiciest, most tender chicken we have had for ages. Amazing!
A couple of points:
I only used 1 tablespoon of Kashmiri chili powder and it was perfect for our Western palates.
I loosened the skin over the breast and smeared marinade under.
I very loosely covered it with foil after 40 mins and turned it down as it was getting a touch too dark.
I added a glass of white wine on top of the veggies just to give a little more sauce.
All in all an absolute winner of a dish. The only bad thing about it is there were no leftovers for the following day - everyone had seconds (and some had thirds!)
Richa says
Hey Rupert! Loved your feedback on this masala roast chicken. Thanks for sharing your cooking tips too, because these really help other readers who want to make the recipe.
Ameet Sardesai says
The recipe is perfect and the result was awesome.. The best Roast chicken tasted by me especially with Asian twist.. Woww great..
Ameet
Richa says
Thanks so much Ameet!
Kanika says
Lovely! I cooked a Tangy Chicken Roast long long ago and looking at this recipes has made me put on the thinking cap for experimenting with masalas for my next roast.
Do drop by our blog! https://kitchenpostcards.wordpress.com/2013/06/15/tangy-chicken-potato-roast/
Iilob says
What exactly is a pod of garlic? I only know what a bulb & clove is.
Richa says
We call a bulb a pod here in India, so basically what I mean is a bulb of garlic
Shruti says
Hi Richa,
Made this recipe for Thanksgiving 2017, it was a great hit. All my family & friends loved it.
The chicken was juicy and tasty, and the gravy at the bottom of the pan turned out great.
My only concern was, the chicken started charing significantly in first 30 mins, so I dialed down the oven to 400F and rotated the chicken for next 20 mins, again rotating it back for the remaining 40 mins.
Thanks a ton for the recipe.
Richa says
Thanks for the feedback Shruti. I'll test this out again with a different oven ๐
Mini Samuel says
What does whole halved garlic pods mean? Do you leave the skin on and cut the pod in half and just throw it into the pot? or does the skin come off from the garlic?
Richa says
Hey Mini! I just cut the pod in half and leave the skin on.
Mini Samuel says
Thank you soooo much for your quick reply.. Making this for Thanksgiving tonight for the family since no one wants Turkey -I did a trial run on it last week and it turned out good but I only put 3 cloves in it (I misread it- hahaa)
Max says
Can you tell me whats the volume of your casserole you used? I want to purchase on as i think it will be very useful for my kitchen. is it this one?
https://fujihoroindia.com/products/yellow-casserole-2-3-ltrs
Richa says
Yes, thats the one I have. And I love it and use it all the time. You won't regret the buy Max ๐