Tandoori Chicken has become a symbol of Indian cuisine around the world. Fortunately, you don’t necessarily need a tandoori oven – you can cook it in a home oven. You can also buy the spice mix or ‘masala’ for Tandoori Chicken ready-made in the supermarket. If you make your own spice mix, make a good batch and you can give it to the friends as a tasty gift.
A tandoori oven is a cylindrical, vertical oven made of clay, where food is cooked at high temperature in a charcoal fire. This method of cooking dates back to ancient times, but the tandoori is still a very popular tool in South Asian kitchens. A home oven can’t replicate the smoky char of a real tandoor, but pushing the temperature high and getting good color on the skin gets remarkably close, especially once the spice crust and yogurt marinade have done their work.
This is a good dish to plan a day ahead for, since the chicken benefits from a long marinating time — the flavor only gets better the longer it sits. It works well for a weekend dinner with rice and a cooling side like cucumber raita, and leftovers hold up well shredded into wraps or salads the next day.
Why the Marinade Needs Time
Don’t rush the marinating step. The spice paste needs at least an hour in the fridge to start working its way into the meat, but overnight is noticeably better — the yogurt helps tenderize the chicken while the spices penetrate deep into the flesh, especially through the deep cuts made in the skin. If you’re short on time, an hour is the minimum worth doing; anything less and the chicken will taste seasoned only on the surface.
How to Make Tandoori Chicken
Grind the tandoori spice mix into a paste in a mortar. Mix 2 tablespoons of the prepared spice mix with 2 tablespoons of yogurt. Using a sharp knife, make deep incisions in the surface of the chicken, then rub the seasoning mixture firmly into the flesh and under the skin. Marinate the chicken in the fridge for at least an hour — overnight is even better if you have the time.
Preheat the oven to its highest setting. Place the chicken in a baking dish, skin side up, and put it in the oven on the middle rack, immediately dropping the temperature to 180°C (355°F). Roast the tandoori chicken for just under an hour at 180°C; chicken thighs cook faster, in about half an hour, and can handle a slightly hotter oven at 210°C (410°F). The chicken should develop good color and the skin should turn crisp. Baste with the pan juices while it cooks. Test for doneness at the end by poking a hole into the thickest part of the meat — if the juices run clear, it’s done. Serve garnished with fresh coriander and lime.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
How long does tandoori chicken keep in the fridge?
Cooked and stored in an airtight container, it keeps for about three days. It also reheats well and works cold in salads or wraps.
Can I make tandoori chicken ahead of time?
Yes — this dish is actually better made ahead in one sense: marinating the chicken overnight gives a noticeably deeper flavor than a quick one-hour marinade.
Can I freeze tandoori chicken?
Yes, both the marinated raw chicken and the cooked chicken freeze well for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge before cooking or reheating.
Do I really need a tandoori oven for this recipe?
No — a regular home oven at high heat gets you very close to the real thing. You’ll miss some of the smoky char a charcoal-fired clay oven gives, but the spice crust and juicy interior come through just as well.
What wine pairs well with tandoori chicken?
An off-dry Riesling or a light Gewürztraminer both handle the spice well, while a chilled rosé is a good match if you’d rather stay dry.
Learn More
Read more about this dish: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tandoori_chicken
Tandoori Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken or 4 chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons yoghurt
- 2 tablespoons fresh coriander
- 2 limes
Tandoori spice mix
- 1 piece ginger peeled
- 5 cloves garlic peeled
- 4 fresh red chillies seeds removed
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 lime juice
- red food colouring in desired amount optional
Instructions
- Grind the tandoori seasoning in mortar. Mix 2 tablespoons of the prepared spice mix with 2 tablespoons of yoghurt.
- Using a sharp knife, make deep incisions in the surface of the chicken and gently rub the seasoning mixture deep into the flesh and under the skin of the bird.
- Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Better it will be if you can keep it in the marinade overnight.
- Set the oven on full heat.
- Place the chicken in the baking dish, skin side up. Put the chicken in the oven, on the middle rack. Drop the heat on 180C.
- Bake the tandoori chicken for just under an hour at 180C. The thighs will come out quicker, in about half an hour and the oven can be bit hotter; 210C degrees. The chicken should get a good colour and the skin needs to be crispy.
- While cooking, brush with the sauce. Test for doneness at the end of cooking by poking a hole in the thick part of the meat. If the juices come out clear, the chicken is cooked.
- Serve the Tandoori Chicken garnished with fresh coriander and lime.
Notes
- Marinate overnight if you can — the flavor deepens noticeably compared to the one-hour minimum.
- Cut deep incisions into the chicken before rubbing in the spice paste, so the marinade reaches the meat, not just the skin.
- Chicken thighs cook faster than a whole bird — about 30 minutes at a slightly hotter 210°C.
- Baste with the pan juices partway through cooking to keep the skin from drying out.
- A hole poked into the thickest part of the meat is the simplest doneness test — clear juices mean it’s ready.
Nutrition
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