Indian spiced roast chicken

Name: Indian spiced roast chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 20 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: Serves 4-6
Cuisine: Indian recipes
Ingredients: Juice 1 lime; 2 tbsp ghee, melted; 1.2kg whole chicken; 4 banana (echalion) shallots, halved lengthways; 1 garlic bulb, halved widthways; 100ml freshly boiled water; For the spice blend; 1 tsp fennel seeds; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 heaped tsp amchoor (dried mango powder); 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp chilli flakes; 1½ tsp fine salt

Portion size: Serves 4-6
Prep time 15 min, plus marinating. Cook time 1 hour 20 min, plus 10 min resting
Difficulty: easy

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

Romy Gill

Chef and food writer

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Romy Gill’s Indian-spiced roast chicken is perfect for a special Sunday lunch. The chicken is rubbed with spices for a quick marinade that turns a regular bird into a showstopping one. Warming and gentle, the spice blend is balanced with the acidity of lime juice and the richness of ghee, which helps turn the skin a beautiful bronze.

Why it’s so good: “This is my take on a classic Sunday roast, marinating the chicken to infuse it with the layered flavours of Indian cooking, before roasting it slowly in rich, melted ghee,” says Romy. “I serve it with a creamy celeriac purée, topped with crispy kale, alongside ghee-roasted carrots and potatoes – it’s a vibrant, truly comforting feast.”
The spice blend: Warming and gentle, the masala spice mix is balanced with the acidity of lime juice and the richness of ghee, which helps turn the skin a beautiful bronze.
Make ahead: The spice blend will keep in an airtight container for a month. It’s a great all-rounder, so it’s worth making larger batches for future dishes (and chickens).

Take a look through our Indian side dishes collection for perfect vegetable sides, flatbreads and fresh chutneys.

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Ingredients

Juice 1 lime
2 tbsp ghee, melted
1.2kg whole chicken
4 banana (echalion) shallots, halved lengthways
1 garlic bulb, halved widthways
100ml freshly boiled water

For the spice blend

1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp garlic powder
1 heaped tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp chilli flakes
1½ tsp fine salt

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Method

Make the spice blend by putting all the ingredients in a spice blender and whizzing to a powder, or use a pestle and mortar to crush the fennel and cumin seeds before mixing in the remaining ingredients.
Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Mix the spice blend with the lime juice and melted ghee to form a marinade. Rub this all over the chicken and set it aside for 10 minutes in a roasting tray at room temperature.
Scatter the halved shallots around the chicken. Put 1 half of the garlic bulb inside the chicken and put the second half in the tray. Coat the shallots and garlic in any remaining marinade (or use a touch more ghee), then cover the tray tightly with foil. Roast for 1 hour.
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Open up the foil, pour 100ml hot water into the tray, then put the foil back. Increase the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6 and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and roast for an additional 5-6 minutes to help crisp the skin. Leave to rest for 10 minutes before carving.