Tandoori Chicken
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Juicy on the inside, crisp on the outside, and seasoned to perfection, tandoori chicken is delicious and easy way to spice up your family dinners.
Tandoori chicken is a traditional Indian dish of chicken marinated in yogurt, citrus, and spices, and then roasted in a tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven. The chicken gets its signature reddish hue from the combination of spices, the flavor of which is further enhanced by toasting them in a pan prior to incorporating into the marinade. Tandoori chicken is a simple dish to prepare, and you can replicate the tandoor environment at home by roasting in a high-heat oven. In this recipe, adapted from Food & Wine, the chicken is deliciously seasoned with super-crispy skin.
Instead of making a traditional green chutney, I serve store-bought mango chutney alongside – it adds a gingery sweetness that complements the spices. Serve tandoori chicken with naan, basmati rice pilaf with dried fruits and almonds (or simple basmati rice), and a refreshing cucumber mint salad. Kids love this one, too!
Table of Contents
“This is the best tandoori chicken recipe you will find. It is definitely restaurant quality, or better.”
What You’ll Need To Make Tandoori Chicken
- Paprika, Garam Masala, Cumin, Coriander, Turmeric, Cayenne Pepper: This blend of spices creates the signature flavor of tandoori chicken, providing warmth, depth, heat and a vibrant color.
- Fresh Ginger and Garlic: Both are key aromatics in the dish, adding a punch of flavor.
- Greek Yogurt: Acts as the base for the marinade, tenderizing the chicken thanks to its acidity. It also helps the spices adhere to the meat and contributes to the dish’s creamy texture.
- Lime Zest and Juice: Adds a citrusy brightness to the marinade.
- Chicken Drumsticks: Serve as the protein in this dish, chosen for their juiciness and ease of eating. Bone-in chicken thighs would also work, and the cook time would be about the same.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by combining the spices in a small skillet.
Toast for a few minutes until the spices are fragrant. This step really enhances the flavor.
Next, zest the lime and chop your fresh ginger and garlic (the ginger and garlic will get blended in a food processor, but they won’t fully pulverize unless you give them a rough chop first).
Combine the toasted spices, ginger, garlic, yogurt, lime juice, lime zest, oil and salt in a mini food processor or blender.
Pulse until smooth.
Then, using a sharp knife, make slashes in the drumsticks. This increases the surface area of the chicken, so the marinade can penetrate the meat.
Toss the drumsticks with the marinade, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Line a baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil and place a greased oven-proof rack over top. Arrange the marinated drumsticks on the rack, leaving a bit of space in between them.
Cook for 45 minutes, turning once, until the chicken is cooked and the skin is quite crisp.
Finally, flash the chicken under the broiler for about 5 minutes, until the skin is super-crisp and a bit charred.
Serve with mango chutney and lime wedges on the side.
Frequently Asked Questions
The chicken is best marinated for a few hours or overnight, but if you’re in a time crunch, you can simply coat the chicken with the marinade and cook it immediately; it will still be packed with flavor.
That’s correct, traditional tandoori chicken is typically made with ground Kashmiri chili pepper, a spice found only in Indian grocery stores and some supermarkets. Paprika makes an excellent substitute and is readily available, so I use that instead.
Yes, besides drumsticks, bone-in chicken thighs are an excellent choice due to their juiciness and flavor, which stand up well to the high heat required for cooking. Thighs also tend to remain tender and moist, making them a preferred option over chicken breasts, which may not fare as well under the intense heat and could become dry.
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Tandoori Chicken
Juicy on the inside, crisp on the outside, and seasoned to perfection, tandoori chicken is delicious and easy way to spice up your family dinners.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon garam masala (substitute curry powder if you can't find it)
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (use ¼ teaspoon for less heat)
- 3 tablespoons peeled and roughly chopped fresh ginger (see note)
- 7 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
- ¼ cup whole milk Greek yogurt
- Zest and juice from one lime (about 1 teaspoon zest and 2 tablespoons juice)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2½ teaspoons salt
- 12 chicken drumsticks (about 4 pounds)
- 1 (9 ounce) jar mango chutney, for serving (optional)
- A few sprigs cilantro, for garnishing the platter (optional)
- Lime wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a small pan over medium-low heat, combine the paprika, garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes, until spices are fragrant.
- Add the spices to a blender or mini food processor, along with the ginger, garlic, Greek yogurt, lime zest and juice, oil and salt; process until smooth.
- Using a very sharp knife, make 2 or 3 slashes in each drumstick (be careful; they are slippery). Place the drumsticks in a large bowl and toss with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil (for easy clean-up) and set an oven-proof rack over top. Spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray or grease with vegetable oil.
- Arrange the chicken on the rack, leaving a bit of space between the pieces. Spoon any marinade left in the bowl evenly over the drumsticks. Roast for 45 minutes, turning once midway through, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through (be sure to turn on your exhaust fan as the oven will get a little smoky). Turn on the broiler and broil the chicken about 6 inches from the heat for 3-5 minutes, until lightly charred and crisp all over. Transfer the chicken to a platter and garnish with cilantro sprigs and lime wedges, and serve with mango chutney on the side.
- Note: Check out easy guidance on how to peel, grate, and chop fresh ginger here.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 3 drumsticks (nutritional data does not include chutney)
- Calories: 807
- Fat: 53g
- Saturated fat: 11g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Sugar: 1g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 73g
- Sodium: 1884mg
- Cholesterol: 369mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This chicken is absolutely delicious!!!
Served it with naan bought from a local restaurant and the basmati rice pilaf from this site. I didn’t think I’d care too much for the almonds in the rice but to my surprise they added a very nice bit of crunchy texture to the dish. Also, I really appreciate the pictures that accompany all of the recipes here. Well Done!!!
This recipe is simple and incredible! Made it twice in one week. Used thighs and drumsticks. Served it with the basmati rice pilaf as recommended! My family loves And appreciates all of your wonderful recipes. My 1 year old son is crazy about your potato leek soup and is part of the reason why the tandoori chicken with rice was made twice!
Hello, I loved that she has used real Indian spices. And whoever eat chicken in India, likes this dish the most. But we don’t cook chicken with its skin. Use Garam Masala if you like spicy, that we offenly use for some dishes.
Some suggestions for Chutney : Instead of using Mango Chutney,
1. Chutney made from Corriander made from Carriander,Cayene Paper, salt,Lime(Spicy and tangy)
or
2.Schezwan Chutney
These both chutney fits and tastes real good with “Tandoori Chicken”
Loved the recipe!!!! I was uncertain about what to expect, seeing how I’ve never eaten anything Indian……if this is classified as an Indian dish. I followed the recipe as stated, the one thing i changed was, i made a homemade jalapeño mango chutney. I have to say, this meal was fantastic. My wife really enjoyed as well! One to go in the recipe box for sure!
Hello, I am not any professional Cook but I can give you some suggestions for this dish. I am an Indian so I hav eaten this kind of dish hundred of times. I liked this recipe but I didn’t like that it is baked with chicken skin. In India no one eat Chicken with its skin. I would say if you make Schezwan chutney or Corriander Chutney(both should be a bit spicy and Corriander chutney should be a bit sour too) and serve, it will taste real good.
Have a good day.
Absolutely fabulous, and good home-cook tandoor recipes are hard to find. I find most Indian restaurants’ tandoor is too dry. The recipe still requires a pretty robust spice cabinet (nothing I didn’t have on hand), but thanks for not using some of the most esoteric Indian spices, which are hard to find unless you live near an Indian grocery! I would say to readers to use smaller thighs or legs so there is more surface area for the marinade. I prefer skin-on thighs, but I tried this with (egads!) large skinless chicken breasts cut into 3 inch hunks, poked them with a fork and marinated in a zip seal bag for 24 hours. Cooked at 450 degrees but cut cook time down to 20 minutes followed by broiling both sides. Appropriately dry and lightly crispy on the outside, moist on the inside, and the marinade really permeated the meat. Can’t wait to repeat with thighs. My wife doesn’t like skin, and I think this would work well with skinless thighs.
This was very tasty and not difficult to prepare. Between my husband, my 9y/o, 6y/o and 4y/o sons, all 12 legs were gone within 30 min. I have 2 questions. I like to season meats overnight to make it flavorful, so chose to marinate for 24hr. By doing this, is slicing the chicken necessary? Also, would you recommend a cream-based or yogurt-based dipping sauce instead of mango chutney?
Hi Renee, So glad your family enjoyed the recipe. You could definitely skip slicing the chicken if marinating 24 hours. You might like a raita with it. This is a good one.
Fantastic recipe! Made this for dinner tonight and served with chapatis and salad and the overwhelming review from my four daughters and wife was ‘please make this again!’ Drumsticks are cheap and this took very little effort.
This chicken recipe looks amazing, going to try it tomorrow night.
I have to say I have never found a cooking blog or site where every recipe is fabulous. You’re truly a talent.
This chicken is absolutely amazing!
Made these last night, and they were fantastic. One of the best chicken recipes I’ve made, to be honest. The only modifications to the recipe I made included using chicken quarters (which are always moist and provide plenty of meat). I didn’t have any fresh ginger (which would have been optimal), but I did have dried ginger on hand, so I added a bit of that to the spices. As I was also roasting vegetables, I cooked the chicken at 400 degrees for an hour (45 minutes uncovered, then 15 minutes with foil lightly draped on top). Chicken was perfect and we loved it! Will be making again soon. Could eat this weekly.