Restaurant-Worthy Tandoori Chicken (Oven Baked)

This recipe will guide you in making juicy, outrageously flavorful tandoori chicken packed with smoky goodness-right in your own kitchen. Made with a scratch-made tandoori marinade, it skips store-bought blends for an authentic, deeply spiced taste. You'll be amazed at how easy it is to recreate this classic Indian appetizer!

A 2-step marination process ensures maximum flavor-chicken leg quarters are marinated for 18-24 hours (the longer, the better!) in a spiced yogurt mixture, to allow the flavors to deeply penetrate down to the bone. Whether you choose to air fry (my preferred method these days!) or bake in oven for that perfect charred taste, detailed instructions for both methods are included in the post.

Perfect for BBQ parties, summer grilling, or holiday feasts, this north indian style chicken tandoori recipe is a crowd-pleaser!

I didn't grow up eating homemade tandoori chicken because in India, no one really makes it at home. Why? It's everywhere! On the streets, in restaurants, and at dhabas (roadside diners). Tandoors are a staple in North Indian eateries giving tikka & kebabs or flatbreads like tandoori roti the signature smoky, charred flavor.

Whether it's chicken, fish (tandoori salmon), or meat (tandoori lamb chops), homemade tandoori marinades pack irresistible flavors. After moving away, I developed my own tandoori chicken recipe over 10 years back. My whole tandoori chicken cooked in the air fryer is our holiday favorite. Homemade tandoori has perks- the leftovers make amazing butter chicken!

Update - I originally published this recipe in 2014, which is why you'll see a mix of old and new images. I've kept the older images to preserve the recipe's history while also adding new ones to showcase how different chicken cuts can be used. You'll also notice the visual impact of food color on the final dish.

Tandoori Chicken

Simply, it's marinated chicken cooked in high heat of tandoor - a cylindrical clay oven. To make tandoori chicken, chicken pieces are marinated in a mixture of yogurt, and spices. Long marination not only imparts a rich flavor but also helps to tenderize the chicken.

Marinated chicken is threaded on to long metal rods and brushed liberally with butter or oil. The metal skewers are then vertically placed inside a wood or charcoal fired tandoor.

As the chicken cooks, the oil from the marinade and chicken juices drip onto the hot coals, which thereby releases smoke and hence a smoky aroma that infuses into the chicken. Sounds divine, right?

How To Choose Chicken

1. In Indian cuisine, chicken is typically skinless to allow the marinade to fully coat and penetrate the meat. This also helps achieve the signature charred, slightly crispy exterior in tandoori cooking.

Why Bone In Chicken - Marrow-rich bones infuse the chicken with deep, savory flavor during high-heat cooking while also insulating the meat and keeping it juicy and tender.

2. I have been making tandoori chicken for years and dark meat, bone in chicken works the very best! Go for skinless chicken leg quarters or a mix of bone in chicken thighs or chicken drumsticks.Bone in chicken stays juicer!
3. Avoid using overly meaty chicken pieces else they may taste bland at the core. Choose medium sized pieces for best results.
4. Boneless chicken thighs work great to make tandoori chicken tikka that you can add to wraps, sandwiches or salads.
5. Chicken breast is not my preferred cut for making tandoori chicken. I don't recommend it.

Ingredients

• Chicken Leg Quaters - See my notes in the previous section on how to select.
• Salted Butter (Melted) - For brushing on the charred skins once the tandoori is ready. You may skip it but it does make tandoori taste moist & rich like you get in restaurants.

First Marinade

• Lemon Juice - or lime juice. Fresh squeezed is the best. It helps tenderize the chicken but keep in mind that too much can wash out the color of kashmiri chili powder.
• Salt - of course!

Tandoori Marinade

• Greek Yogurt - or thick yogurt. I use plain whole milk greek yogurt. Thick yogurt prevents the marinade from slipping off the chicken. If using regular yogurt (or dahi) and you feel it's watery, tie it in a muslin or cheesecloth and let strain overnight. You will make hung curd (chakka dahi), a term you would have often heard while using indian marinade recipes.
• Ginger & Garlic Pastes - I stock both seperately in my freezer and throw the cubes in. You could sub store bought ginger garlic paste.
• Kashmiri Red Chili Powder - Adds the natural color and a mild to medium heat to the marinade. It makes the tandoori look rich and appetizing after cooking.Tandoori chicken is not overly spicy, but you can add hot red chili powder or cayenne for extra heat.
• Other Spices - Cumin and coriander powders add an earthy taste. Garam masala powder brings in the warmth. I also add black salt and chaat masala in the marinade to include its sharp saltiness and savory tang to the marinade.
• Red Food Color - Optional and many times I dont use it (notice the pictures?). Enhances tandoori chicken's vibrant, restaurant-style appearance. Kashmiri chili's color may fade under high heat, and food coloring compensates for it. I use gel color, but powdered works too.
• Kasuri Methi - Dry fenugreek leaves or kasuri methi is essential in true Punjabi dishes like tandoori chicken and butter chicken. It imparts a distinct bittersweet aroma that no other herb can replicate. Easily found online or at Indian grocery stores. Skip if not available.
• Mustard Oil - Mustard oil adds authenticity and depth to tandoori marinades with its pungent aroma and slight bitterness as well as helps in enhancing the spice flavors. Its high smoking point makes it ideal for tandoor cooking. If unavailable or preferred, ghee is a great alternative.
• Cashew Paste - Many street vendors & restaurants in india use it . Soak cashews in hot water for 10 minutes and quickly grind into a paste. While testing the recipe, I found that cashew paste not only keeps the marinade thick (even hung yogurt releases moisture!) but also adds a subtle creamy, nutty richness. I highly recommend it, though you can skip it for a nut-free version.

How To Make Tandoori Chicken

Prepare The Chicken

1. I purchase chicken from american super markerts, and remove the skin myself. To do so, I simply grap the loose end of skin using a piece of paper towel and pull it off. It's easy!
2. Next, using a sharp knife make deep cuts in the chicken. This step is super importart to make sure that the marinade gets a chance to penetrate the meat.Don't skip.

Chicken Leg Quaters	- Make 2 deep cuts on the thigh portion meat side. - Then, 1 deep cut on the top side of drumstick. - Flip the leg quarter and make a cut on the underside of the drumstick meat. - A small cut on the side of joint where the drumstick and thigh are attached (see arrow in the image)
Chicken Thigh & Chicken Drumsticks	as outlined above! Skip the last cut.

If you are purchasing chicken from a middle eastern grocer here in US, the size of the bird will be smaller and less meatier. Ask and they might remove the skin as well as make deep cuts for you.

3. Place chicken in a large bowl. Pour lemon juice,and sprinkle salt and kashmiri chili powder. Using your hands, thoroughly rub everything all over the chicken making sure that it gets in the deep cuts you made. Set aside for 30 minutes to an hour and proceed to make the tandoori marinade.

Make Tandoori Marinade

4. In a medium bowl, add the thick yogurt, ginger paste, garlic paste, all the ground spices, black salt, cashew paste (if using) mustard oil, and salt. Sprinkle the crushed kasuri methi.
5. Whisk everything very well untill a thick & smooth paste is formed. Taste and adjust the salt or spices if needed. The marinade should be sharp salty right now. Add food color (if using) as needed to adjust the color of marinade.
6. Refrigerate it for 30 minutes (if you have time, else use rightaway) to allow the flavors to mingle together. Your tandoori marinade is ready!

4. Add tandoori marinade to the chicken leg quarters. Use your hands (wear gloves to prevent reddish hands) to coat the chicken pieces fully with the marinade. Slide your thumb and fingers inside the deep cuts to coat in marinade.
5. Cover the bowl with a cling film and let marinate refrigerated for 18-24 hours (at least). This long marination is really really important. The longer you marinate, the better the flavors and the chicken tenderizes. You could marinate up to 2 days in advance.

Tandoori Chicken in Oven

• Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30-45 minutes before cooking to bring it closer to room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line the bottom of a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminium foil for easy cleanup. Place a wire rack over the lined baking sheet and brush the rack with oil to prevent sticking.
• Using tongs, arrange the chicken pieces on the wire rack, meat side up.Brush some oil on top.

• Bake in the oven for 12-14 minutes. Open the oven, flip the chicken pieces, and brush with bit more of oil. Don't skimp on oil- it keeps your chicken moist in high heat of the oven.
• Continue baking for an additional 10-12 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature: 165°F on a meat thermometer). Adjust time as needed depending on meatiness and size/weight of chicken pices.

• Once baked, set the oven to broil at 550°F. Flip the chicken so that meat side is up again. Broil for 5-8 minutes, or until the meat is slightly charred.
• Immediately brush melted butter on the broiled chicken to keep it moist and flavorful. Sprinkle chaat masala powder and serve.

Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken

• Preheat your air fryer to 375°F for 3 minutes. I use a 6 qt air fryer, which fits about 2 leg quarters at a time.
• Line the air fryer basket with a liner or brush the bottom with oil to prevent sticking.
• Arrange chicken pieces, meat side up in a single layer in the basket such that they do not touch. Spray ½-1 tablespoon of oil over the chicken pieces.
• Air fry for 18-22 minutes, flipping the chicken pieces midway, using tongs. Air fry until the chicken looks charred and the meat starts loosening from the bone-this indicates it's done. Remember: Cooking times may vary depending on your air fryer, chicken quality, weight and size. Adjust timings based on your equipment and experience.
• Towards the last 1-2 minutes, for added char, bump the air fryer to 400F.
• Brush the air fried tandoori chicken with melted butter sprinkle chaat masala powder. Serve immediately with chaat masala, sliced onion, and lemon wedges.

How To Infuse Smokiness into Tandoori Chicken

There are three ways in which you can infuse the tandoori chicken with smoky flavor. One of the most popular ways is the charcoal method (dhungar). The other two methods involve placing cooked tandoori chicken in vicinity of high heat to develop smokiness. Lets discuss one by one.

1. Broiling - As written above. Few minutes under the broiler char the chicken surface to create crispy and smoky areas. Just a heads-up-keep the kitchen windows open because the smoke alarm might go off!
2. Over Flame - This method works great for boneless tandoori chicken skewerd on metal skewers. Hold the skewered, cooked tandoori chicken over your stove flame. You have to be careful here to not let the chicken burn as well as about the oil dripping(if any). Rotate the chicken evenly for a minute or so to develop charred black spots on all sides.
3. Use Charcoal (Dhungar)
   • Light a small piece of natural lump charcoal or briquettes until red-hot.
   • Place cooked tandoori chicken in a heat proof dish, with a small foil or steel bowl in the center.
   • Place the hot charcoal to the bowl and drizzle with ghee or oil to create smoke.
   • Cover immediately and let the smoke infuse for 1-2 minutes. Avoid smoking for longer else the tandoori becomes bitter.
   • Discard the charcoal and enjoy the smoky tandoori chicken!