First, make some cuts into the skinless chicken drumsticks. The cuts are needed so that the marination flavors penetrate the chicken up to the bone.
In a bowl combine the lime juice, salt, turmeric and chili powder to a smooth paste. Marinate the chicken drumsticks thoroughly with this first marination and let it stand for at least 1 hour (the longer the better!)
In a bowl add the finely chopped Garlic and Butter and melt the content. Keep that aside. The butter will get infused with the flavor of the garlic in time, we will need it to slather the chicken with it before and while baking the meat.
Then keep your 2nd marination ready, the tandoori sauce (quick recipe here because you will need to refrigerate excess sauce). Add about 3 dollops tablespoons to the chicken and massage + cover the chicken drumsticks well with the yogurt marination.
Leave the chicken to marinate for at least 4 hours. The longer the more the meat will take in all the aromatic flavors.
Before baking the chicken preheat the oven to 430 Fahrenheit/ 220 Celsius.
Place your chicken drumsticks covered with the amazing flavorful marination into a baking dish and cover them with the garlic infused melted butter. I like to add some of the garlic pieces on the chicken too.
Place the chicken into the oven and bake at 220 C/ 430 F. The total baking time is about 25-30 mins or until it's getting darker (picture as reference). However, after baking 15 mins. take out the chicken and cover with some more melted garlic butter and finish the baking process. Reserve 1-2 Tablespoon of garlic butter to pour over the chicken once it's finished baked. The garlic butter keeps the chicken moist and juicy.
Serve hot with nan and a small onion capsicum cabbage beetroot salad. garnish with fresh coriander or cilantro.
Video
Notes
The Tandoori paste is mixed together and I have created a separate recipe for the tandoori paste here because it can be used to marinate vegetable, soya, fish and seafood too.
To make it fire red you have the option of adding a drop of food coloring, I didn't add any coloring to this tandoori chicken recipe.