Tandoori Chicken – Once Upon a Chef

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.

Deliciously spiced with super-crispy skin, tandoori chicken is a family favorite.

Tandoori chicken is a traditional Indian dish of chicken marinated in yogurt, citrus, and spices, and then roasted in a tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven. The chicken gets its signature reddish hue from the combination of spices, the flavor of which is further enhanced by toasting them in a pan prior to incorporating into the marinade. Tandoori chicken is a simple dish to prepare, and you can replicate the tandoor environment at home by roasting in a high-heat oven. In this recipe, adapted from Food & Wine, the chicken is deliciously seasoned with super-crispy skin. The chicken is best marinated for a few hours or overnight, but if you’re in a time crunch, you can simply coat the chicken with the marinade and cook it immediately; it will still be packed with flavor.

Instead of making a traditional green chutney, I serve store-bought mango chutney alongside – it adds a gingery sweetness that complements the spices. Serve tandoori chicken with naan, basmati rice pilaf with dried fruits and almonds (or simple basmati rice), and a refreshing cucumber mint salad. Kids love this one, too!

What you’ll need to make Tandoori Chicken

Drumsticks are an excellent choice for tandoori chicken. They have enough fat to stay moist when cooked at high heat. Bone-in chicken thighs would also work, and the cook time would be about the same.

Classic tandoori chicken is made with ground Kashmiri chili pepper, a spice found in Indian grocery stores and some supermarkets. Paprika makes an excellent substitute, so I use that instead.

The yogurt in the marinade helps to tenderize the meat; it breaks down the proteins making the chicken moist and tender when cooked. (Yogurt is also used to marinate and tenderize the chicken in chicken tikka masala, another classic Indian dish.)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Begin by combining the spices in a small skillet.

Toast for a few minutes until the spices are fragrant. This step really enhances the flavor.

Next, zest the lime and chop your fresh ginger and garlic (the ginger and garlic will get blended in a food processor, but they won’t fully pulverize unless you give them a rough chop first).

Combine the toasted spices, ginger, garlic, yogurt, lime juice, lime zest, oil and salt in a mini food processor or blender.

Pulse until smooth.

Then, using a sharp knife, make slashes in the drumsticks. This increases the surface area of the chicken, so the marinade can penetrate the meat.

Toss the drumsticks with the marinade, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Line a baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil and place a greased oven-proof rack over top. Arrange the marinated drumsticks on the rack, leaving a bit of space in between them.

Cook for 45 minutes, turning once, until the chicken is cooked and the skin is quite crisp.

Finally, flash the chicken under the broiler for about 5 minutes, until the skin is super-crisp and a bit charred.

Serve with mango chutney and lime wedges on the side.

You may also like