Name: Tandoori Chicken
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 3 lb chicken (such as breasts, thighs or drumsticks); 3 tbsp butter (unsalted, melted, for brushing); 1 1/4 tsp chili powder; 1 tsp paprika; 2 tsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed); 1/4 tsp salt; 1/2 cup yogurt (plain, such as Greek yogurt); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tsp ginger (minced); 2 tsp chili powder; 1/2 tsp pepper (freshly ground); 1 tsp garam masala; 1 tsp coriander powder; 1/2 tsp cumin powder; 3 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed); 4 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp salt; 2 drops red gel food coloring (optional)

This Baked Tandoori Chicken features healthy and delicious Indian flavors you can enjoy right in your home. Made from scratch, baked in your oven and perfect for a weeknight meal!

overhead shot of tandoori chicken with lemon wedges on a baking sheet

Indian cuisine has to be one of my favorite cuisines with tandoori chicken being right there at the top of my favorite dishes. I’ve been going to Indian restaurants for a while now and I pretty much always order tandoori chicken. What attracts me to it really is the red color, I think it makes the chicken look so exotic.

However, a long time ago I learned to make tandoori chicken at home. With a few spices and a few tricks, the popular tandoori chicken can be made right in the comfort of your home in your own oven. Not only can you bake the chicken in your oven, you can also grill it!

What is Tandoori chicken?

Tandoori chicken is an Indian chicken dish prepared by roasting chicken marinated in yogurt and spices in a tandoor cylindrical clay oven. You can read more about tandoor ovens here on thekitchn.com.

This delicious chicken dish is extremely popular in Indian restaurants, and it’s one of my favorite dishes to order. However, I also love making it at home without a tandoor oven. All you need is your oven.

tandoori chicken process shots for applying wet rub on chicken

What Cut of Chicken Can You Use

When you visit an Indian restaurant and order tandoori chicken, almost always you will get chicken drumsticks. However, I have made this many times with boneless skinless breast as well as thighs and drumsticks.

In this recipe I am using both breasts and drumsticks. It works just as well with both cuts of chicken. Chicken breast with skin and bones works as well.

How to Make Tandoori Chicken

Clean the chicken and pat it dry. If using chicken breasts cut them in half. In a small bowl, mix all the wet rub ingredients together to form a paste. Using a knife, cut deep slits into the chicken. Smear the rub in between the slits and if there is any left over, rub it over the entire chicken pieces.

In a medium size bowl, whisk together all the marinade ingredients. Since Tandoori chicken is usually red, I used a few drops of red gel food coloring, however this is optional and the more food coloring you use the more red color you’ll get.

Place the chicken in the bowl with marinade and mix well, making sure all the chicken pieces are fully coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a couple hours.

tandoori chicken process shots for marinating the chicken

How long to bake?

After a couple hours you can start preheating your oven to 400 F degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and over it, place a grill rack.

Place the chicken breasts over the grill rack leaving a bit of space in between each piece. Bake the chicken for 30 minutes. 15 minutes, in brush some butter over each piece. After the first 30 minutes, turn the chicken pieces over, brush with more butter and bake for another 15 minutes.

The chicken is done when the juices run clear when poked with a fork. The best way to check if your chicken is done, is to use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature near the bone. When it reaches 165 degrees F, the chicken is done.

tandoori chicken drumsticks on a baking sheet

How to serve

Make sure to serve this chicken with some lemon slices so you can squeeze the lemon juice all over the chicken. It will really bring out all those tandoori flavors.

I usually serve this with a side salad like a simple spinach salad with tomatoes. However tandoori chicken is great with some basmati rice, sliced fresh cucumbers, and some red onions.

Leftovers

As with most dishes, this tandoori chicken should be enjoyed as soon as it’s cooked. However if you have leftover chicken, store it in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

You can also freeze the chicken also stored in airtight containers and it could last up to 4 months in the freezer.