Tandoori Chicken is a dish prepared by marinating the chicken in yogurt and aromatic Indian spices and cooking the chicken in a Tandoor which means a cylindrical clay oven which can heat up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit.

I would not be wrong in saying that this tops the Top 5 favorite dishes of South Asian cuisine. You will find it on every restaurant’s menu and it is enjoyed with rumali roti, naan or rice.

Since we don’t have clay ovens at home, we can get the same taste and flavor of Tandoori Chicken at home by either grilling it, or baking it. The magic is in the marination. As long as you get that right, the dish comes together beautifully. Over the years, I have grilled and baked Tandoori Chicken, but I prefer the baking method as it is easier but I will give you a tip on how to get the roasted flavor when baking Tandoori Chicken.

What cut of chicken should I use for Tandoori Chicken?

My personal choices are legs, leg quarters, and bone-in thighs. These pieces are very succulent and will give you the best flavor. If you prefer to cook with chicken breast, make sure to marinate it for full 24 hours and baste it with butter or ghee while cooking.

Should I cook with skin on or off?

This is a matter of personal choice. My preference is to cook it without the skin as the skin has a lot of fat in it; however, if you are grilling it then my advice would be to leave the skin on so that the chicken does not stick to the grill.

How can I get the red color on my Tandoori Chicken?

The red color that we are all accustomed to seeing in restaurants for Tandoori Chicken is usually the red food color. I do not believe in using any food colors in my cooking, but in my recipe below I share the ingredients I use to achieve a beautiful color on the Tandoori Chicken.

What is the best way to cook Tandoori Chicken?

• Grilling it (outdoor or indoor grill)
• Bake
• Airfry
• Cook it in a cast-iron skillet and then broiling it in the oven for 5 minutes

What else can I use this marinade for?

Anything Tandoori!! This marination is the basic Tandoori marination which can be used for Paneer, Tofu (see my Tandoori Tofu recipe linked below), Mushrooms, Lamb, Pork, Onions, Potatoes, and even broccoli! Once you learn this recipe, you will never need another Tandoori recipe.

Can I airfry the Tandoori Chicken?

Yes, you can and I have done it but I love the taste of baked Tandoori Chicken more. I find that when we bake it, the marinade seals into the chicken which makes it more flavorful.

Can I make the Tandoori Chicken in the Instant Pot?

I have seen recipes for Instant Pot Tandoori Chicken but I have never tried it as I think it is easier to grill or bake.

How long should I marinate the chicken for?

For the best results, you should marinate the chicken overnight. The longer it sits in that marinade the tastier it will be. If you don’t have time to marinate it overnight, then try to marinate it for at least 4 hours.

What is the difference between Kashmiri Chili Powder and Red Chili powder?

I get this question a lot so I want to point out their difference.

• Kashmiri Chili Powder is made from very mild chilis with a deep color. This powder is mainly used for that beautiful pungent red color and not heat. My favorite brand for Kashmiri Chili Powder is by SWAD. I was not able to find a link for it on Amazon but it readily available at all Indian grocery stores.

• Red Chili powder is made from dried spicy red chilis that are used to add heat to your dish.

What is served with Tandoori Chicken?

You can enjoy this dish on its own with lemon juice and chaat masala with the side of onions and cilantro and mint chutney. They really bring out the Tandoori flavors in the chicken. It also pairs extremely well Naan or Roti or Kulchas. I am sharing some of the recipes below that you can try with Tandoori Chicken:

• Pudina Naan

• Onion Kulcha

• Tandoori Tofu

• Persian Rice with Tahdig

• Cilantro and Mint Chutney

TIPS:

• I enjoy eating my chicken with Tandoori Onions. After you place your chicken in the oven, do not throw away the marinade. Thinly slice an onion and marinate it in the Tandoori marinade and bake it with the chicken or separately when the chicken is half done for 10-12 minutes. You can also broil it for 3-5 minutes after. (onions don’t take long to bake). The end result is soft, caramelized tandoori onions which can be enjoyed with sandwiches in case you have any leftover (Highly doubtful)!.

• While marinating the chicken use your fingers and press the masala into the chicken slits which will make the chicken extremely flavorful.

• The secret to a soft and juicy chicken is to baste it often while it is cooking. The heat from the grill or the oven can dry out the chicken quickly but you can prevent this by basting it with ghee or butter every 5 minutes.

• If you are going to grill the chicken using either an outdoor or indoor grill, allow the chicken to cook on one side for 7-8 minutes so that it leaves its grill marks. I know it’s tempting to flip it sooner but DON’T do it!

• If you want to get the authentic Tandoor flavor, you can heat a piece of charcoal over the gas flame, and place it in a stainless bowl and then place the bowl over the baked chicken, and pour some ghee on top of the charcoal and cover the chicken for 5 minutes. This will infuse the chicken with the Tandoor flavor.