How to Cook Tandoori Chicken

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: October 11, 2022 Tested

If you always grab pieces of bright red tandoori chicken at the Indian buffet, learn how to make it at home! Tandoori chicken is seasoned with a spice mix before marinating in spiced yogurt. This makes it easy to prep ahead of time and creates really flavorful chicken. When you're ready to cook tandoori chicken, decide if you want to toss it on the grill, roast it in the oven, or make it on the stove. Serve it with naan, rice, and raita to complete the meal!

Ingredients

1 whole chicken or 6 to 8 pieces of bone-in chicken

For the spice mix:

1 teaspoon (2 g) of Kashmiri chili powder or paprika
1 tablespoon (15 ml) of fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon (5.5 g) of table salt

For the marinade:

1 cup (245 g) of plain yogurt, strained
1 teaspoon (2 g) of Kashmiri chili powder or paprika
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) of table salt
2 tablespoons (12 g) of fresh ginger paste
2 tablespoons (17 g) of fresh garlic paste
2 tablespoons (30 ml) of lemon juice
1 teaspoon (2 g) of garam masala
2 tablespoons (30 ml) of refined mustard oil
Chaat masala for garnish
2 lemons for serving

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Seasoning the Chicken

1
into parts and make diagonal slashes on each piece. Get out a whole chicken or a package of chicken pieces. If you're using the whole chicken, use a sharp knife to carefully cut it into legs, thighs, and breasts. Then, use a small paring knife to cut 2 to 3 diagonal slashes into each piece.^{[1]
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- Make the slashes at least ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) deep so the seasoning can penetrate the meat.
Variation: If you don't want bones in the tandoori chicken, you can use boneless skinless pieces. Try to use thighs since breasts can dry out easily.
2
Mix some of the chili powder, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl. To make the spice mix, put 1 teaspoon (2 g) of Kashmiri chili powder or paprika into a small bowl along with 1 teaspoon (5.5 g) of table salt. Stir in 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of fresh lemon juice until you have a thin paste.^{[2]
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- The Kashmiri chili powder will give the chicken a slightly red color.
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3
Coat the chicken with the spice mix and refrigerate it for 30 minutes. Put the chicken pieces into a large bowl and dip your fingers into the spice mix. Then, rub it into the chicken pieces and work it down into the slashes that you cut. Cover the bowl and put it in the fridge while you make the marinade.^{[3]
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- If you don't want to use your fingers to apply the spice mix, use a pastry or basting brush.
4
Combine the rest of the chili powder, juice, spices, and mustard oil with the yogurt. To make the marinade, mix 1 cup (245 g) of plain yogurt, 1 teaspoon (2 g) of Kashmiri chili powder or paprika, 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) of table salt, 2 tablespoons (12 g) of ginger paste, 2 tablespoons (17 g) of garlic paste, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon (2 g) of garam masala, and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of refined mustard oil.^{[4]
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- If you prefer, use plain Greek yogurt since it's so thick there's no need to strain it.
- To give the tandoori chicken it's vivid red color, you can add red food coloring until the marinade is as bright as you like.
Tip: To strain the yogurt, place a coffee filter into a fine mesh strainer and set it over a bowl. Put the plain yogurt into the filter and leave it for 20 to 30 minutes so excess liquid drips into the bowl.
5
Spread the marinade over the chicken and refrigerate it for 3 to 4 hours. Take the bowl of chicken out of the refrigerator and pour the marinade over it. Then, use your hands to toss the pieces until they're completely coated with the flavorful marinade. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the chicken for 3 to 4 hours.^{[5]
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- The chicken will become more flavorful as it chills in the marinade.
- You can season and marinate the chicken overnight if you'd like to prepare it ahead of time.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Baking Tandoori Chicken

1
Preheat the oven to 425 °F (218 °C) and arrange the chicken on a baking sheet. Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and lay them on a rimmed baking sheet so they're in a single layer.
- If you can't fit all of the chicken in a single layer, use 2 smaller sheets or bake the pieces in batches.
2
Bake the chicken for 25 to 30 minutes. Put the sheet in the preheated oven and roast the chicken pieces until they're tender and completely cooked. The chicken should be richly browned and some of the meat may even be falling off of the bone.^{[6]
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- To test if they're done, insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest piece of chicken. It should reach 165 °F (74 °C) once it's finished.
Tip: If you want slightly charred tandoori chicken, move the sheet of roasted pieces about 3 inches (7.6 cm) below a hot broiler. Broil the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
3
Eat the chicken with warm naan, Indian-style rice, and raita. Set out wedges of lemon to squeeze over the chicken and sprinkle a little chaat masala over the top. Put out pieces of fresh naan along with rice and raita to complete the meal.^{[7]
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- Put leftover tandoori chicken in an airtight container. Refrigerate it for up to 3 to 4 days.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Grilling the Chicken

1
Heat a grill to medium-high. If you're using a gas grill, turn 1/2 of the burners to high and leave the other burners turned off. To heat a charcoal grill, fill a chimney with briquettes and light them. Once the briquettes are hot and lightly covered with ash, dump them on 1/2 of the grate.^{[8]
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- This will create a 2-zone fire. You'll start cooking the tandoori chicken over high heat before moving it to the cool side of the grill.
2
Lay the chicken on the hot side of the grill and cook it for 2 to 3 minutes. Arrange the pieces so they're in a single layer directly over the coals or flames and they aren't touching. Put the lid on the grill and cook the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes so it chars.
- Starting the chicken over direct heat will help it brown quickly.
Carefully lift the lid of the grill and use tongs to transfer the chicken to the cooler 1/2 of the grill. Put the lid back on and grill the chicken until it reaches 165 °F (74 °C) with an instant-read meat thermometer.

Did You Know? Cooking over indirect heat ensures that the chicken won't burn on the outside before the meat near the bone has finished cooking.
4
Serve the chicken with naan, steamed rice, and raita. Cut 1 to 2 lemons into wedges and set them next to the tandoori chicken. Scatter a few pinches of chaat masala over the chicken and serve it alongside naan, steamed rice, and yogurt-cucumber raita.^{[9]
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- Store the leftover tandoori chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Cooking Tandoori Chicken on the Stove

1
Heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. To tell if the oil is hot enough, hold the palm of your hand about 3 inches (7.6 cm) above the skillet. You should feel the heat from the pan when it's ready for the chicken.^{[10]
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- If you prefer, you could use ghee instead of vegetable oil.
2
Lay the chicken in the skillet and cook it for 2 to 3 minutes. Take the chicken out of the refrigerator and shake off the excess marinade. Then, arrange the chicken pieces so they're in a single layer and wait a few minutes before you flip them over with tongs.^{[11]
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- If you can't fit all of the pieces in the skillet, cook them in batches.
3
Continue to cook the chicken for 12 to 15 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces every 3 to 4 minutes so they brown on the outside and finish cooking near the center. To tell if the tandoori chicken has finished cooking, insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of a piece. It should reach 165 °F (74 °C).^{[12]
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- If the chicken hasn't reached 165 °F (74 °C), cook it for a few more minutes before checking the temperature again.
4
Serve the tandoori chicken with naan, rice, and raita. Slice a few lemons into wedges and place them next to the chicken pieces. Then, sprinkle a little chaat masala for garnish. Tandoori chicken tastes great with warm naan, basmati rice, and cool raita.^{[13]
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- Refrigerate leftover tandoori chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.
Tip: Thinly sliced red onions are another classic side dish for tandoori chicken. Sprinkle them with a little salt and a few squirts of lemon juice to add flavor.

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Community Q&A

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Question

What does "marinated" mean?

Rania Afzal

Community Answer

"Marinate" means to put meat or fish in a sauce for a period of time to add flavor.

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Question

The traditional method is skinless chicken. This is with the skin on. Why?

Community Answer

As you say, it usually is without skin, with traditional "slashes" for the marinade. Murgh tandoor is different, since the whole chicken is used. This leg tandoori already is a departure from tradition, and rarely cooked in a tandoor. So tradition and what is nice inform the method. If you have a crisp finish, keep the skin; if it will be served in sauce, ditch the skin.

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