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Home / Recipes
1 hour 5 minutes
4.49 from 145 votes
63 Comments

Tandoori Chicken

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  • 352
by: Joanna Cismaru
09.03.20

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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.

two tandoori chicken drumsticks over a bed of spinach salad

Try These Indian Recipes:

  • Indian Cauliflower Fried Rice with Chicken and Roasted Chickpeas
  • Roasted Potatoes with East Indian Spices
  • Indian Salmon Curry with Saffron Rice
  • Indian Style Lentils with Pork Tenderloin
  • Mulligatawny Soup
  • Instant Pot Butter Chicken
  • Vegetable Biryani

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overhead shot of tandoori chicken with lemon wedges

Tandoori Chicken

4.49 from 145 votes
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 1 hr 5 mins
Author: Joanna Cismaru
Serves: 6
Print Pin Rate
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!

Ingredients

  • 3 pound chicken such as breasts, thighs or drumsticks
  • 3 tablespoon butter unsalted, melted, for brushing

Wet Rub

  • 1 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Marinade

  • 1/2 cup yogurt plain, such as Greek yogurt
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger minced
  • 2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper freshly ground
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 3 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 4 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 drops red gel food coloring optional
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Prepare the chicken: Clean the chicken and pat it dry. If using chicken breasts cut them in half. Using a knife, cut deep slits into the chicken.
  • Apply wet rub: In a small bowl, mix all the wet rub ingredients together to form a paste. Smear the rub in between the slits and if there is any left over, rub it over the entire chicken breasts.
  • Prepare marinade: In a medium size bowl, whisk together all the marinade ingredients. Place the chicken in the bowl with marinade and mix well, making sure each chicken breasts is fully coated.
  • Marinate chicken: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a couple hours.
  • Preheat oven and baking sheet: Preheat 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: 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.
  • Garnish with lemon slices, parsley and serve.

Video

Recipe Notes

  1. 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.
  2. You can also freeze the chicken also stored in airtight containers and it could last up to 4 months in the freezer.
  3. Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 427kcal (21%)Carbohydrates: 3g (1%)Protein: 44g (88%)Fat: 25g (38%)Saturated Fat: 7g (44%)Cholesterol: 233mg (78%)Sodium: 721mg (31%)Potassium: 632mg (18%)Sugar: 1g (1%)Vitamin A: 875IU (18%)Vitamin C: 4.5mg (5%)Calcium: 53mg (5%)Iron: 2.4mg (13%)
Course:Main Course
Cuisine:Indian
Keyword:baked tandoori chicken, indian recipes, tandoori chicken
Tried this recipe? Rate it belowtag @jocooks on instagram and hashtag it #jocooks!
Recipe originally shared March 2012. Updated with new pictures, more information and video.
  • 352

Meet Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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Comments

  1. Lynsey says

    May 27, 2021 at 10:34 am

    5 stars
    I have really enjoyed this recipe and make it regularly for friends and family. If I make the paste and marinade in advance what is the longest I can leave it in the fridge before actually adding the chicken? Hoping to make it 24 hours in advance so can just add the chicken the day I want to eat it – would this work do you think?

    Reply
    • Jo Cooks Team AMJ says

      May 28, 2021 at 10:07 am

      You can definitely leave the marinade and Tandoori paste in the fridge for up to 2-3 days, then add it to your chicken and cook it as instructed in the recipe.
      Let us know how it all turns out!

      Reply
  2. Nazia Afsar says

    May 13, 2021 at 1:27 pm

    5 stars
    I swear by this recipe! First time I tried my whole family loved it and since then I’ve make it at least 6-7 times within 2 months. Honestly thank you so much for such a simple and tasty recipe.

    Reply
    • Joanna Cismaru says

      May 13, 2021 at 2:04 pm

      My pleasure, so glad to hear you guys enjoyed it! 🙂

      Reply
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I'm Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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