Tandoori Chicken Recipe
This Tandoori Chicken is an iconic restaurant style smoky grilled chicken dish, that is so easy to prepare, tastes incredibly delicious and is seriously the best! Perfect for holiday tables, party or gatherings. With instructions to cook on gas stove, Instant Pot, air fryer, and oven.
Servings: 6
Calories: 402kcal
Ingredients
- 2.2 pounds Whole Chicken Legs or chicken thighs, de-skinned and trimmed fat, cut into serving pieces
For first marinade
- 1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- 2-3 teaspoons Kashmiri Chili Powder ( I have added 1 tablespoon)
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- Salt To Taste
For second marinade
- 1¼ cup Thick Plain Yogurt hung curd or Greek Yogurt.
- 1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- 2-3 teaspoons Kashmiri Red Chili Powder (or any chilli powder that gives good colour)
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- ¾ teaspoon Black Salt or regular salt
- ½ teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
- ½ cup Mustard Oil or vegetable oil of choice
- Red Food Colour optional -I have not used any food colour in this recipe
Instructions
Preparation of Marinade
- Clean, wash and make cuts on the whole chicken legs using a sharp knife. This will help the marinade to penetrate well into the chicken.
- Combine all the ingredients of first marinade (ginger garlic paste, Kashmiri red chili powder, lemon juice and salt), in a large bowl.
- Add chicken and mix it very well in the marinade.
- Cover the bowl with a cling wrap and leave it for 45 minutes - 1 hour under refrigeration.
- In another large bowl, add all the ingredients of second marinade and mix to combine well.
- After a first marination process is over, transfer the chicken in the prepared second marinade. Cover the bowl with a cling film cover and refrigerate for 7-8 hours or overnight.
- Take the chicken out 30-45 minutes prior to cooking.
- Grill it either on a charcoal grill (tandoor), outdoor grill, in the oven or on stovetop. Here I have chosen to do it by roasting in the oven.
To bake it in the Oven
- Pre-heat the oven at 220℃. Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and place it on a baking tray or a rack.
- Grill the chicken for 25 minutes and then broil it for 5 minutes or until thermometer reads the internal temperature to 165°F in the thicken part of the chicken.
On Gas Stove
- First, heat the pan, and place the chicken on it.
- Then cover and cook until done, do flip it once in between.
- Grease the grill with oil so that the chicken does not stick over the grill. Place the chicken pieces over the grill and turn the flame to medium high.
- Grill from both the sides until aromatic. Serve hot!
In the Airfryer
- First, pre-heat the airfryer at 200 degrees. Then, brush the airfryer basket with little oil or butter.
- Arrange the marinated chicken in the basket and airfry it 30 minutes (flipping the chicken once in between) or until charred
Serving Suggestion
- Sprinkle some chaat masala over it, and serve along with yogurt mint chutney, lemon wedges and onion rings. Enjoy it as is or pair it with some naan bread or saffron rice.
Notes
- Add salt according to the taste you like, as we are also adding rock salt. Avoid using salt in large spoons.
- Other refined oil can also be used instead of mustard oil during marination, but trust me the mustard would sensitize an altogether different set of taste buds than the usual ones. You should, at least, try this once.
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 45 minutes before you plan to cook it.
- Basting is not needed as the required oil is already soaked in the chicken during marination. This helps the chicken to be cooked well from within. It will also make the chicken soft and juicy. If you feel you can still do it. No harm!
- Refer to the post above for more expert tips, storage and freezing, serving suggestions.
Nutrition
Calories: 402kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 412mg | Potassium: 295mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 485IU | Vitamin C: 1.2mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 1.1mg