Tandoori chicken is bone-in chicken marinated in spiced yogurt and cooked at very high heat until charred at the edges and juicy inside. You do not need a clay oven: a hot home oven with a final broil gets close. This recipe serves 4.
Prep: 20 minutes + 4 to 24 hours marinating | Cook: 35 minutes | Serves: 4
Ingredients
First marinade
- 8 chicken drumsticks or thighs (about 1 kg / 2 lb), skin removed, deeply scored
- 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
Second marinade
- 1 cup thick plain yogurt (strained or Greek-style)
- 1.5 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp turmeric and 1 tbsp kasuri methi
- 2 tbsp oil and salt to taste
Method
- Coat the chicken in the first marinade and rest for 20 minutes.
- Mix the second marinade, coat the chicken well and refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- Heat the oven to 230 C (450 F) with a rack over a tray.
- Place the chicken on the rack and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once.
- Broil for 3 to 5 minutes to char the edges. Check that the thickest piece reaches 74 C (165 F).
- Rest 5 minutes. Serve with lemon, sliced onion and mint chutney.
Tips
- Thick yogurt clings better and keeps the chicken moist. Watery yogurt slides off.
- Scoring the meat lets the marinade reach deeper.
- No oven broiler? Finish on a very hot grill for char.
Variations
- Chicken tikka: use boneless chunks and cook 12 to 15 minutes.
- Spicier: double the chili powder or add a pinch of cayenne.
Order it
Tandoori Chicken is on the menu at Aldergrove Indian Bistro, cooked in a clay oven. Add tandoori platters to your event menu with our catering options.
FAQ
Why is homemade tandoori chicken not as red? Restaurants often use more colour. Kashmiri chili gives colour without extreme heat.
Can I use chicken breast? Yes, but shorten the cooking time to avoid dryness.