Tandoori Chicken
Quick answer
- Total time
- 270 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 6
About this dish
Tandoori chicken is an Indian dish in which chicken pieces are marinated for hours in a spiced yogurt mixture and then roasted at high heat until the surface chars and develops a smoky fragrance.
Read more
The marinade combines yogurt with cumin, coriander, and paprika powders, which together create the dish's signature vivid red hue and layered spice character. Lemon juice in the marinade tenderizes the meat and adds a subtle citrus undertone. Scoring the chicken before marinating allows the spices to penetrate deeply, so every bite carries the full complexity of the blend. At 230 degrees Celsius, the exterior develops dark, slightly blistered spots that contribute a smoky bitterness, while the yogurt coating keeps the interior moist and succulent. Tandoori chicken is traditionally cooked in a cylindrical clay oven called a tandoor, though a conventional oven at maximum temperature produces excellent results. It is often served with naan bread, sliced onion, and a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Step
Score the thickest parts of 800 g chicken thighs and drumsticks so the marinade can reach inside.
If the surface is very wet, pat it lightly dry so the yogurt coating does not become watery.
- 2Prep
Mix 150 g yogurt with 1 teaspoon each of cumin powder, coriander powder, and paprika powder, then add 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
Stir until the color is even and no dry spice pockets remain.
- 3Control
Rub the marinade over the chicken and push it into the cuts so the thick pieces season evenly.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight for a deeper spice flavor.
- 4Step
Before roasting, preheat the oven fully to 230°C.
Place the chicken on a rack and smooth the outside coating so it clings in a thin layer instead of sitting in heavy clumps that can burn.
- 5Step
Roast at 230°C for about 30 minutes.
Check the color halfway through; if the edges darken too quickly, shift the pieces on the rack so the surface chars without drying out.
- 6Finish
Remove the chicken when the red spice coating has dark charred spots and smells smoky.
Let it rest for 5 minutes so the juices settle, then serve with a little lemon juice if desired.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Tandoori Chicken achieves its char by roasting meat in a spiced yogurt and chili marinade.
- Finish cue
- Remove the chicken when the red spice coating has dark charred spots and smells smoky.
- Avoid this
- Place the chicken on a rack and smooth the outside coating so it clings in a thin layer instead of sitting in heavy clumps that can burn.
- Storage and reheating
- Overnight marinating gives the deepest flavor.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
270min, 6 ingredients
Category median
32min, 8 ingredients
Based on 173 recipes
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