Tandoori Chickenਤੰਦੂਰੀ ਚਿਕਨ

Name: Tandoori Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Punjabi
Ingredients: 1 kg bone-in chicken pieces, skin removed; 150g plain whole-milk yogurt; 2 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder; 1 tsp cumin powder; 1 tsp coriander powder; 1 tsp garam masala; 2 tbsp neutral oil; 1.5 tsp salt

⏱ Prep 15m🍳 Cook 35m🍽 Serves 4🌿 Non-veg

Video: ChefRonCooks (YouTube)

Tandoori chicken takes its name from the clay oven — the tandoor — in which it is cooked at ferocious heat. The char on the edges, the deep red spice crust, and the smoky aroma are the signatures of a dish that originated in the kitchens of pre-Partition Punjab and travelled the world. At home, a very hot oven combined with a final minute under the broiler recreates that intensity faithfully.

📍 Make it in Plano

This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.

Finding Desi spots near Plano…

Ingredients

▪bone-in chicken pieces, skin removed1 kg
▪plain whole-milk yogurt150g
▪lemon juice2 tbsp
▪ginger-garlic paste2 tbsp
▪Kashmiri red chili powder2 tsp
▪cumin powder1 tsp
▪coriander powder1 tsp
▪garam masala1 tsp
▪neutral oil2 tbsp
▪salt1.5 tsp
▪lemon wedges and raw onion ringsto serve

🌍 Cooking abroad? Substitutions

Kashmiri red chili powder delivers the signature deep red colour without fierce heat. Outside South Asia, combine 1.5 tsp sweet smoked paprika with 0.5 tsp cayenne for a close match.
A wire rack over a tray is what lifts the chicken above its own juices and encourages char. Without one, a perforated grill pan or simply turning more frequently on a foil tray will still produce a good result.

Method

1Make deep slashes through the chicken pieces to the bone so the marinade can penetrate. Mix together the yogurt, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, Kashmiri chili, cumin, coriander, garam masala, oil, and salt.
2Coat the chicken thoroughly in the marinade, working it into each slash. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
3Preheat your oven to its highest temperature (240-250°C / 475°F). Place a wire rack over a foil-lined baking tray. Arrange the marinated chicken on the rack, shaking off any excess.
4Roast for 20 minutes, then turn each piece. Roast a further 10-15 minutes until cooked through with light char marks forming.
5Switch to the broiler and broil 3-5 minutes on each side for a proper char — watch closely to prevent burning.
6Rest 5 minutes before serving with lemon wedges, onion rings, and green chutney alongside roomali roti or naan.

A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.