Tandoori chicken
Chicken marinated in yogurt and warm spices, then roasted at high heat until charred and juicy, with a bright red color. It is served with onion rings, lemon and mint chutney.
Chickentandoori: kspoddar, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Where it comes from
Tandoori chicken takes its name from the tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven used across northern India and Pakistan. It was popularized in Punjab and now appears in menus worldwide.
Explore the cuisine of India.
Recipe
Make Tandoori chicken at home
Ingredients
- 8 chicken drumsticks or thighs, skin removed
- 1 cup thick plain yogurt
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp oil
- Salt
- Onion rings and lemon wedges
How it's made
- Slash the chicken deeply and rub with lemon juice and salt; rest 20 minutes.
- Mix yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, chili powder, garam masala, cumin, turmeric and oil.
- Coat the chicken thoroughly and marinate 6 hours or overnight in the fridge.
- Heat the oven to 475 F (245 C) or prepare a grill.
- Roast on a rack 20 to 25 minutes, turning once, until charred and cooked through (165 F / 74 C).
- Brush with a little butter and rest 5 minutes.
- Serve with onion rings, lemon and mint chutney.
Variations
- Chicken tikka: boneless pieces on skewers.
- Tandoori fish: use firm white fish.
- Paneer tikka: vegetarian version.
Cook’s tip: A long marinade and very high heat give the best char and keep the meat juicy.
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About this page
Description and method written by Intercontinental Chef. Home-style method; quantities are a starting point, so adjust to taste.
Photo credit
- Chickentandoori: kspoddar, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)