Spicy, Oven-Baked Chicken

by Lucy Bee
(La Bouillie, France)

This is a deliciously crispy but juicy and spicy chicken recipe. And reasonably healthy too! Remember that it needs to be prepared 24 hours or so in advance of cooking.

• 4 skinned chicken legs or large thigh joints (my prefered choice)


• Lemon wedges


• A bunch of fresh coriander

For the marinade

• 1/2 a large onion


• 5 plump cloves of garlic


• a knob (around 6cm) of fresh ginger, peeled


• 2 green or red de-seeded chillies


• 1/2 tsp ground cumin


• juice and zest of 1 lime (although a lemon would make a fine alternative)


• 3 tbsp tomato purée


• 250g low-or-full fat plain yoghurt


• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Roughly chop the onion, ginger and chillies and purée in a food processor. Mix in the remaining marinade ingredients.

Make several slashes in the chicken pieces and place in a bowl. Mix the chicken with the marinade, rubbing the marinade well into the cuts in the meat. Cover and chill for up to 24 hours.

Pre-heat the oven to its' highest setting and put a non-stick roasting dish in to heat. When the oven is hot, place the marinaded chicken pieces in the dish and cook for about 30 minutes.

Shake the pan half-way through but don't whatever you do turn the chicken over. You'll know it's ready when the juices run clear.

Serve with the lemon wedges and roughly chopped coriander.

It will be even nicer with some Chapattis or Naan bread, and a green, cucumber or tomato salad