Campfire Masala Roast Chicken
This version of Campfire Masala Roast Chicken involves wrapping the marinated chicken in banana leaves and aluminum foil, creating a delicious, smoky dish with a moist and flavorful interior. The banana leaves add a subtle earthy aroma,
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (about 3½ pounds)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 7 - 8 curry leaves, dried or fresh
- 3 dried or fresh chili
- 4 - 5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1- inch ginger, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- Heavy-duty aluminum foil
- Banana leaves (option)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Rinse chicken inside and out with cold running water, drain, and pat dry with paper towels.
- Over medium heat dry roast chili, curry leaves, cumin, and coriander seeds for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Grind the spices in a spice grinder or mortar, and pestle, coarsely.
- In a medium bowl combine minced garlic, ginger, garam masala, olive oil, and salt with ground spices. Mix well into a paste.
- Rub the mixture on the chicken covering the cavity and nooks and crannies.
- Wrap the chicken in banana leaves or foil-wrapped and marinate the chicken for 3 to 5 hours or overnight for the best flavor.
- Roast the chicken, at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches about 180 degrees F, inserted a thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken like the thigh or breast.
- Rest the chicken for 30 minutes before serving.
Cooking chicken on a campfire
- Start your campfire up 15-20 before you start cooking, it is important to make sure it is nice and hot with lots of coals.
- Place your chicken directly onto the hot coals.
- It will take 3 -5 hours to cook the chicken on the open fire, depending on how hot your fire is.
- Wrap the chicken with both banana leaves and 3-4 times with foil.
- Just using banana leaves on an open fire will burn.