Tandoori chicken doesn't need an introduction. It is a popular north indian dish of marinated chicken grilled to smoky perfection in a tandoor (a cylindrical clay oven). Serve with sliced onions, lemon wedges and green chutney.

In this post, I am sharing a from scratch tandoori chicken recipe which comes out succulent, moist and outrageously delightful. You will be stunned by how easy tandoori chicken is to make at home in an air fryer or oven (instructions for both included).

However, if you are in a hurry and want to use a store bought tandoori powder, I got you. Including the instructions in recipe card for the same.

Tandoori Chicken served in a grey plate with onions and green chutney.

Tandoori chicken is known for its flavor, vibrant reddish hue color, and unique smokiness. To make tandoori chicken, chicken pieces are marinated in a blend of yogurt, ginger garlic and spices, like coriander, cumin, turmeric, garam masala and kashmiri red chilli powder. This marinade gives tandoori chicken its characteristic red hue and rich flavor profile.

Once the chicken has marinated, it is traditionally cooked in a tandoor, which is a cylindrical clay oven. The intense heat of the tandoor lends the outside of chicken charred exterior while the inside is juicy & tender. Long marination in a yogurt based marinade not only imparts a rich flavor but also helps to tenderize the chicken.

Tandoori chicken is commonly served with accompaniments such as naan, rice, or a side of green chutney and picked onions.

Tanddori chicken placed on a baking rack.

This recipe took me quite a few attempts to get together. In India, tandoori is more charred in appearance than the orange or red hued you see out here at restaurants. Infact, if you use good quality turmeric and kashmiri chilli powder, ideally the reddish-orange color should come naturally from spices during high heat roasting.

In Indian cuisine, it is not common to eat chicken skin, so whenever making tandoori, use skinless chicken.

Close up side view of a charred chicken drumstick made tandoori style.

Closeup of tandoori chicken in a grey plate.

How To Make Tandoori Chicken (Step By Step Pictures)

Skin the chicken and using paper towels, pat it dry. Using a sharp knife, make few gashes in the chicken. Place chicken in a large bowl. Add lemon juice, salt and kashmiri chili powder. Thoroughly rub it all over the chicken. Set in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Make Tandoori Marinade

In a medium bowl, add the ground spices along with yogurt, ginger, garlic, mustard oil, and salt.
Combine everything very well till a smooth paste is formed. Refrigerate this paste for 30 minutes for flavors to meld together. Your tandoori marinade is ready.
Add 1 cup of tandoori marinade to the chicken. Use your hands to coat the chicken with marinade.
Cover the bowl with a cling film and let marinate refrigerated for 12-18 hours (at least). This time of marination is really important. You could marinate up to 2-3 days in advance. The longer you marinate, the better the flavors.

Tandoori Chicken in Oven

Pull out the chicken from the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to cooking.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment (this makes cleaning easy) and set a rack over it. Preheat oven to highest temperature (600F in my case).
Place the chicken pieces over the rack and roast for 20 -25 minutes or until done, basting liberally with oil. Liberally use oil for basting, this is very important for moist chicken. You will need to open up the oven door and brush the chicken 3-5 times, keep on turning it to cook on all sides. Alternatively you could grill the chicken outdoors, basting it at intervals.

Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken

Preheat your air fryer to 365F for 2-5 minutes.
Line the basket with a liner and place a few chicken pieces in a single layer. Liberally spray or drizzle with oil.
Air fry for 10-12 minutes.
Open the basket and using tongs, flip to other side. Spray some oil and again air fry for 8-10 minutes. By the end you will notice that the chicken starts loosening from the bone- an indication that its done. Keep in mind that each equipment is different and so is quality of chicken. Use experience with your air fryer or oven and chicken that you purchase and adjust timings accordingly.
Serve immediately with chaat masala, onion slices, lemon wedges, fresh chopped cilantro etc.

Step photos of showing how to make the marinade for tandoori chicken.

Mixing the chicken drumsticks with the marinade.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Tandoori Chicken (Air fryer & Oven)

Tandoori chicken is a popular north indian dish of chicken marinated in yogurt & spices and then grilled in a tandoor.

Prep Time12 20

Cook Time20

Total Time12 40

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Gluten Free, Hindu

Servings:

Author: Tanvi Srivastava

Ingredients

2 lb chicken drumsticks or thighs bone - in, skinless (10-12 drumsticks)
Oil for brusting or spraying

First marinade

3 tablespoon lemon juice fresh
½ teaspoon salt
1.5 teaspoon kashmiri chili powder (mild) or paprika

Second marinade

5 tablespoon yogurt/hung curd full fat
1 inch fresh ginger
6 garlic
1 tablespoon mustard oil substitute with melted ghee
2 teaspoon salt adjust to taste

Spices (Substitute the below spices with 1-2 tablespoon of your favorite store bought tandoori spice blend)

¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
½ teaspoon green cardamom powder
2 tablespoon cashew powder or almond flour, optional
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 tablespoon chaat masala
2 teaspoon kashmiri chili powder (mild) lends the color,not the heat
1 teaspoon kasoori methi
pinch nutmeg powder

Instructions

Marinate The Chicken

Skin the chicken and using paper towels, pat it dry. Using a sharp knife, make few gashes in the chicken. Place chicken in a large bowl. Add lemon juice, salt and kashmiri chili powder. Thoroughly rub it all over the chicken. Set in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Place black peppercorns, cardamom seeds, cloves and cinnamon in a small spice grinder. Add the broken cashews. Blend everything into a powder.
In a medium bowl, add the ground spices along with yogurt, ginger, garlic, rest of the listed spices, mustard oil, saffron (if using)and salt.
Combine everything very well till a smooth paste is formed. Refrigerate this paste for 30 minutes for flavors to meld together. Your tandoori marinade is ready.
Add 1 cup of tandoori marinade to the chicken. Use your hands to coat the chicken with marinade.
Cover the bowl with a cling film and let marinate refrigerated for 12-18 hours (at least). This time of marination is really important. You could marinate up to 2-3 days in advance. The longer you marinate, the better the flavors.

Tandoori Chicken in Oven

Pull out the chicken from the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to cooking.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment (this makes cleaning easy) and set a rack over it. Preheat oven to highest temperature (600F in my case).
Place the chicken pieces over the rack and roast for 20 -25 minutes or until done, basting liberally with oil. Liberally use oil for basting, this is very important for moist chicken. You will need to open up the oven door and brush the chicken 3-5 times, keep on turning it to cook on all sides. Alternatively you could grill the chicken outdoors, basting it at intervals.
Serve immediately with chaat masala, onion slices, lemon wedges, fresh chopped cilantro etc.

Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken

Preheat your air fryer to 365F for 2-5 minutes.
Line the basket with a liner and place a few chicken pieces in a single layer. Liberally spray or drizzle with oil.
Air fry for 10-12 minutes.
Open the air fryer basket and using tongs, flip to other side. Spray some oil and again air fry for 5-8 minutes. Please keep in mind that each equipment is different and so is quality of chicken. Use experience with your air fryer or oven and chicken that you purchase and adjust timings accordingly.

Notes

1. Indian cinnamon is quite sharp as compared to the sweet cinnamon used in the desserts, that's why I have noted a small quantity, adjust as per taste but do not go overboard.
2. Black Cardamom has no substitute in this recipe. It has a woody, strong flavor and aroma much different that the sweet smelling green cardamom. If you do not have it simply skip it.
3. Chaat Masala is a tangy blend of spices which is used in indian chaat.In this recipe it makes the marinade thick as well as lends it distinct hints of tanginess and smokiness,if you do not have it, use some lemon juice in its place.
4. You could use whole boneless thighs if you prefer.

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Comments

5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

Tandoori Chicken (Air fryer & Oven)