Classic Tandoori Chicken is an Indian recipe that’s marinated in yogurt, garam masala and cayenne before baking made easier, a perfect weeknight meal.
We are enjoying the new Indian recipes showing up on the blog including Butter Chicken, Vegetable Biryani, Chicken Tikka Masala and Raita.
Easy Tandoori Chicken Recipe
Tandoori Chicken was the obvious next recipe I wanted to share after the other chicken recipes have been SO popular with you guys.
This recipe was actually a mix between trying to stay true to the classic restaurant favorite recipe while making an easy weeknight meal. I settled on using chicken legs for one reason alone. Every time I would make tandoori chicken for clients I would buy the fryer pack of chicken from the store.
This meant I’d have 8 pieces to cook that included chicken breasts, thighs, wings and legs. Every time I would make the recipe the first pieces to go were the legs! Soon I found myself making just thighs and legs, but even then the first things to go were the legs.
So now, when I make this recipe for my family or clients I stick to chicken legs. Why you ask? Well the legs are tender while cooking quickly. They have just enough meat to stay tender while getting a slightly crispy exterior from the marinade. This means more of the meat is super flavorful.
With thighs I would see people eat all the parts of the chicken covered in the marinade while leaving the extra meat on the inside. Chicken breasts were an issue only because with the high heat of cooking to get the right char I was finding the white meat was drying out a bit.
Chicken legs are the perfect easy option here.
Want to make this recipe with a different cut of chicken? I highly suggest cutting through the meat to allow the marinade to flavor more deeply into the chicken. This can be done once you remove the skin, you would cut deep x marks into the thighs or breasts almost to the bone.
How do you make Tandoori Chicken Red:
Tandoori Chicken is classically served in restaurants in a bright red hue because of the addition of a few drops of red food coloring. You can create a similar color with the addition of harissa paste and turmeric if you are averse to using the red food coloring.
What is Tandoori Spice Mix?
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
The spice mix can be combined and stored for future use, this spice mix makes enough for two pounds of tandoori chicken when combined with 2 cups greek yogurt.
How long do you cook tandoori chicken in the oven?
The classic charred look of grilled tandoori chicken can be replicated in the oven. Cook the chicken at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking.
Don’t have garam masala? You can make your own garam masala spice mix at home!
Garam Masala Spice Mix:
- 2 tablespoons cumin
- 1 tablespoon coriander
- 1 tablespoon cardamom
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
Tandoori Chicken Recipe
Classic Tandoori Chicken is an Indian recipe that's marinated in yogurt, garam masala and cayenne before baking made easier, a perfect weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken legs , no skin (8 legs)
- 2 cups greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon yellow food coloring
- 1 teaspoon red food coloring
- 1 lemon , juiced
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix well.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then let marinade in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, preferably 24 hours.
- Remove the majority of the marinade before cooking the chicken.
Grill Instructions: Heat the oiled grill to medium-high heat and cook the chicken until cooked through, 10-12 minutes.
Oven Instructions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and cook on a sheet pan for 25-30 minutes.
Good recipe. It’s very mild so if you want more spice/flavor, definitely double the ingredients.
First time making it. It was amazingly delicious and fabulous. My husband enjoyed it a lot. Many thanks for the golden recipe. ?
I’m so glad you decided to give it a try!
Thanks for this kind information and delicious recipe on tandoori chicken. It was really helpful and worth reading your article.
Found the recipe to be bland and not very spicy at all, so I adjusted accordingly on my 2nd time and was much better and was spicy, I recommend 3 teaspoons if you like it spicy and I pretty much doubled everything except the masala I left it at one tablespoon and 3 teaspoons of cayenne.
Can you replace Greek yogurt with anything else for lactose intolerant people?
There are some great brands that produce 100% lactose free greek yogurt.
So yummy!!!! I didn’t have any yogurt so I used whole milk with one teaspoon of lemon. It is very spicy so if you have young kids lighten up on the cayenne.
To get a red colour you can use achiote (ground: not whole seeds) this is the colouring used in food from the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico) and is used to colour Red Leicester cheese. You need the pure spice not the one that comes as a paste which contains vinegar, maize flour etc.
My family loved this recipe!! We grilled it in a gas bbq. As good as an Indian restaurants! Will be making this again!
Thanks for the 5 stars, Sandra. So glad you all enjoyed it.
Hi! I’m planning on making this recipe one day this week. But I have a question about the seasonings. If I have tandoori and garam masala, do I still need to use all the spices you listed or do I just use the Tandoori and GM? Also I don’t have a bbq pit but I have a cast iron flat/grilling thing, that should work in the oven right?
Oh and is this a spicy chicken? I tasted the tandoori and it was spicy and the Garam Masala tasted like dirt lol. I’m sure when they are cooked they won’t taste the same! Anyway, thanks for posting the recipe and I can’t wait to try it!! ?
If you have tandoori you can substitute the ingredients needed to make it yourself that are listed in the recipe card. You should be able to use the cast iron grill for this. This dish is spicy but you can adjust the spice level to match more to your liking! I hope you enjoy it!
Made this last night. Amazing flavor! Cooked on stovetop first then in the oven. Even my picky son loved it. Used 1/2 tsp. Of both the red & yellow food coloring. Everyone questioned the deep orange color while marinating but came out a deeper red when cooked. Thanks for my new go to Tandoori chicken recipe!
So glad this is your new go-to!!
I’m making tandoori Chicken. With my mom . We would like to know if you put the Chicken for 400 d. How long you have put the temperature down .
This is not authentic when you use garlic powder, or chicken legs, get thighs not drumsticks with the sinews still in.
J’ai fais cette recette pour un souper entre amis pour un petit festin indien , un vrai succès ?
Do you have a good recipe for chicken 65? With ingredients that are easy to find?
I don’t but I’ll add it to my research list. Thanks for the suggestion.
Has anyone tried using a flavored yogurt for marination?