Indian · Authentic-ish Indian
Tandoori Chicken
352 kcal a serving, against 562 for the traditional version. That is 210 kcal off, or 37%, with 61.3g of protein. Serves 4. 150 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Skin-on chicken joints slashed to the bone, submerged in full-fat dairy and spices, then lowered into a blistering clay oven. The meat is repeatedly brushed with melted ghee as it cooks to build a blackened, heavily rich crust.
What changed, and what each change costs
800g of skin-on chicken thigh and 30g of ghee for 1000g of skinless chicken breast
Removing the fatty skin and entirely dropping the clarified butter strips out a massive volume of cooking fat. Swapping to chicken breast guarantees you get the absolute maximum amount of lean meat on the plate.
What it costs you. Breast meat is incredibly unforgiving under direct heat. You've got to watch it like a hawk. If you leave it under your grill for 3 minutes too long, it turns to absolute sawdust. You lose the rich, buttery finish that ghee provides.
150g of full-fat yoghurt for 150g of fat-free Greek yoghurt
Fat-free Greek yoghurt is naturally much thicker than standard full-fat versions. This thickness is crucial because it clings stubbornly to the chicken breast, protecting the lean meat from the grill and forming a dense crust without slipping off.
What it costs you. Fat carries flavour. By removing the dairy fat, the spices don't bloom in exactly the same way on your tongue. The crust is slightly more astringent and lacks that rounded, heavy mouthfeel.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 562 | 352 |
| Protein | 35.6g | 61.3g |
| Fat | 42.9g | 7.6g |
| Saturated fat | 14.5g | 1.6g |
| Carbohydrate | 8.1g | 7.3g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 6.3g | 17.4g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Indian prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. milk.
The method is in the book
This is a violently red, heavily spiced plate of grilled poultry that works brilliantly as a main course. Call it a fiercely savoury pile of meat that prioritises pure fuel rather than a butter-soaked restaurant starter and you'll be about right. You trade the rich, fatty mouthfeel of ghee for a much sharper, more direct hit of lemon and charred spice. Don't overcook the breast meat, and you'll have a fantastic dinner.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Indian, along with 54 more. Buy the paperback