Prick the flesh of the chicken all over with a fork. Then, using a sharp knife, cut slashes in the flesh to allow the marinade to penetrate. Place the chicken in a nonreactive large, shallow dish.
In a non-reactive bowl, combine the yogurt, lemon juice or vinegar, garlic, ginger, cumin, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, paprika, tumeric, cardamom, cloves, black pepper and salt. Mix well then pour the mixture over the chicken and rub it into the flesh, turning the chicken several times. Place chicken and marinade in a plastic bag and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking. Remove the chicken from the marinade, pressing lightly to extract excess marinade, and brush with oil.
Preheat the oven to 450° F. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan, brush with oil, and cook, turning once, 25 to 30 minutes until the juices run clear when a piece is pierced near the bone with a knife. Serve with sprigs of cilantro and slices of cucumber, red onion, tomato, on a bed of chopped lettuce or rice pilaf. Great for grilling too!