Not every chef does it. Some chefs do it but don't necessarily tell you that's what they're doing. And some chefs will tell you there's no other way to make tandoori chicken: Double marinate it for the juiciest and most flavorful version of the dish.
Placing the chicken in a quick bath with an acid base, and then steeping it in a traditional blend of yogurt and spices, creates a moist and delicious result with layers of flavor. Tandoori chicken is traditionally cooked in a clay tandoor oven at temperatures as high as 800 degrees Fahrenheit. That high heat can push the juices out of the chicken, leaving it tough and dry.
Even if, like most home cooks, you're not using a tandoor oven for chicken but are instead grilling it over a flame or roasting it in a conventional or convection oven, you're using high levels of heat. The two-step marination process, even though it takes time and some planning, will help the chicken maintain its juices. What's the difference between the first and second marinade? The first marinade uses a citric acid base, usually lemon or lime juice, with a blend of spices.
Most recipes suggest cutting shallow slits into the chicken before applying the marinade so it gets below the surface. Once applied, the acid starts to break down the connective tissue, called collagen, inside the meat. The acid also causes the muscle proteins to swell, allowing more moisture inside.
Because citric acid is strong and can break down the muscle tissue to the point where th.
