A cup of Greek yogurt is the marinade and the cooking medium at once. Coated thoroughly, it clings to the thighs through three and a half hours and carries the garam masala, paprika, cumin and turmeric with it.
Then the chicken comes out. Three to five minutes under a broiler is what turns a pale spiced coating into the browned red surface the dish is recognised by, and there is no way to produce it inside a covered cooker.
Why This Recipe Works
- Yogurt's acidity tenderises the thighs while its solids hold the spice mix against the meat rather than letting it wash into the liquid.
- Carrots go on the bottom because they need the full cook; the softer vegetables cannot.
- Adding the pepper and zucchini with forty-five minutes left keeps them in chunks rather than collapsing.
- The broil step drives off surface moisture and browns the yogurt coating, which is where the colour comes from.
Ingredient Notes
- Plain Greek yogurt
- One cup. Thick enough to coat and stay put; a thin yogurt would slide off and thin the cooking liquid.
- The spice mix
- Two teaspoons each of garam masala and sweet paprika, a teaspoon of cumin and half a teaspoon of turmeric. The paprika and turmeric are doing the colour as well as the flavour.
- Zucchini
- Two small, in thick half-moons, added only for the last forty-five minutes.
How to Make It
Coat the chicken
Mix the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, garam masala, paprika, cumin, turmeric and salt. Coat the chicken thoroughly.
Carrots down, chicken over
Place the carrots in the bottom of the slow cooker and arrange the chicken over them. Cover and cook on Low for about 3 1/2 hours.
Softer vegetables late
Add the red pepper and zucchini for the final 45 minutes so they retain shape. The chicken must reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Broil to colour
Transfer the chicken to a foil-lined sheet pan and broil 3 to 5 minutes to deepen the red-spiced browning.
Serve
Serve with the vegetables and cilantro.
Getting the Colour
Tandoori colour normally comes from an extremely hot oven. This recipe reaches it in four moves, and only the last one involves direct heat.
CoatNo bare patches of chicken visible.
A cup of Greek yogurt with lemon juice, garlic, ginger, garam masala, paprika, cumin, turmeric and salt, worked over the thighs until every surface is covered. The yogurt is what holds the spice in place.
Braise
Carrots on the bottom, chicken arranged over them, covered, about 3 1/2 hours on LOW. The coating sets against the meat and the spices bloom into it.
Add and holdThe chicken must reach 165F before it leaves the cooker.
Red pepper and zucchini go in for the final 45 minutes, long enough to cook through in chunks.
Broil3 to 5 minutes - watch it, the spices darken fast.
Chicken onto a foil-lined sheet pan and under a broiler for 3 to 5 minutes. Surface moisture goes, the yogurt coating browns, and the red-spiced colour appears.
Success Tips
- Coat the thighs thoroughly rather than spooning marinade over them — bare patches will not colour under the broiler.
- Line the sheet pan with foil. Yogurt marinade under a broiler is difficult to scrub off.
- Watch the broil. Three to five minutes is a short window and the spices will darken quickly.
Serving Ideas
Six servings: broiled thighs with the carrot, pepper and zucchini chunks, finished with chopped cilantro. No potato and no cream sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I skip the broiling step?
No. The browning is part of the dish, and a slow cooker cannot produce it.
Why do the carrots go in first?
Carrots need the full three and a half hours; the pepper and zucchini would fall apart in that time, so they go in for the last forty-five minutes.
Can I add potato?
No. There is no potato and no cream sauce in this recipe.
