A knockout roast packed with fresh, punchy flavour. Kindly shared by Charlie Oven customers Mark and Natalie Savage.
This green tikka roast chicken delivers all the flavour and none of the fuss. It’s herby, spiced, and beautifully tender, thanks to an overnight marinade and the steady heat of the Charlie Oven. A real crowd-pleaser—serve it with a tray of spiced veg or Bombay-style potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (ideally free-range)
- 1 bag of fresh coriander leaves
- Small handful of fresh mint leaves
- 2–3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3cm piece fresh ginger, grated
- 300ml natural yoghurt (low fat is fine)
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 1 lemon, halved (for the chicken cavity)
Whole spices (for toasting):
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- Handful of dried curry leaves
- Dried fenugreek leaves (optional)
Ground spices (for blending):
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- ½ tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp turmeric
- A pinch or two of cinnamon
- Chilli powder to taste
- Sea salt and cracked black pepper
Method
1. Toast the spices
In a dry pan over high heat, toast the cumin, mustard, and coriander seeds until they start to pop and release their aroma. Add curry leaves and fenugreek (if using), then turn off the heat. Let the spices warm through in the residual heat.
2. Grind and mix
Crush the toasted spices in a pestle and mortar. Add the ground spices, seasoning with salt and black pepper. This should smell amazing already.
3. Make the green paste
Blitz the coriander with the oil and lemon juice in a blender. Add the garlic, ginger, and spice mix. Blitz again until smooth, then stir in the mint. Taste and adjust the chilli level if needed.
4. Marinate the chicken
Stir the paste into the yoghurt. Score the chicken on the breast and legs. Sit it in a roasting dish on top of the sliced onion, and stuff the cavity with the halved lemon. Rub the marinade all over the bird, getting into the cuts. Cover and leave overnight in the fridge.
Charlie Oven Set-Up
- Fire up the Charlie and let it come to 170°C, with the fire to one side and the door closed.
- Place the chicken on the top shelf of the oven to roast slowly.
- With 20 minutes to go, crank the temperature up to 200°C and move the bird to the middle shelf to finish and take on some deeper colour.
Use a probe if you have one—Mark and Natalie cooked theirs to 74°C internal temp, removing it at 71°C to rest under foil.
To serve
Rest the chicken for 20–30 minutes, then carve. The Savage family served theirs with a Bombay-style veg stew of new potatoes, cauliflower and broccoli—highly recommended!
Huge thanks to Mark and Natalie Savage for sharing this cracking recipe.
