Tandoori Chicken

by Arman Liew

published on Feb 10, 2025

225 comments

5 from 97 votes
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Spice up the dinnertime with my smoky and perfectly juicy tandoori chicken. Marinated in yogurt and cooked in the oven, it’s an easy, authentic recipe.

baked tandoori chicken.

Authentic tandoori chicken recipe that tastes like it’s from a restaurant

meet arman

Tandoori chicken is, in my opinion, the most popular and tasty Indian dish ever. It features chicken marinated in yogurt and spices. Traditionally, the chicken is then cooked in a tandoor, which is a clay oven. In my version, I oven-bake it, and it honestly tastes like something from a restaurant! 

If you love Indian chicken recipes as we do, try my butter chicken, chicken saag, chicken vindaloo, or chicken tikka masala next.

Key Ingredients

  • Chicken. I prefer using chicken leg quarters for this recipe because they are fatty, flavorful, and have the bone intact. You can also use a mix of chicken legs and drumsticks. If you want boneless chicken, opt for chicken thighs.
  • Yogurt. Plain Greek yogurt or natural yogurt. Please do not use flavored yogurt.
  • Lemon juice. Optional, but if your yogurt is NOT on the tard side, add 1 teaspoon of lemon or lime juice.
  • Ginger and garlic. Freshly minced. Fresh ginger and garlic give the chicken Asian notes and add great flavor. Use fewer or more garlic cloves, depending on your preferences. 
  • Spices. The spice blend I prefer using for my tandoori chicken recipe consists of garam masala, cumin, cinnamon, ground coriander, turmeric, and smoked paprika. While you can customize the spice blend for tandoori chicken, I recommend you never skip the garam masala, as it gives the dish an authentic Indian feel. 
  • Olive oil. For the marinade. You can use butter or ghee, but I find it firms up a little too much for my liking.
  • Salt. To taste. 

How to make tandoori chicken

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

tandoori chicken marinade in a bowl.

Step 1- Prepare the marinade. Add the yogurt to a mixing bowl. Add the spices, freshly minced ginger and garlic, and olive oil.

raw chicken marinating in a bowl.

Step 2- Marinate. Pat dry the chicken pieces and put them in the marinade. Mix well to get the chicken completely coated. Let the chicken sit for at least 10 minutes.

marinated raw chicken on a wire rack.

Step 3-  Assemble. Remove the chicken from the yogurt mixture and shake off the excess marinade. Place the chicken on the wire rack.

roasted tandoori chicken pieces.

Step 4- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the chicken is nicely charred and cooked through.

Arman’s recipe tips

  • Use even-sized chicken pieces to ensure even cooking. If you are using different cuts of chicken, I recommend cooking them in batches.
  • Don’t overcrowd the baking rack so the chicken pieces brown well on all sides. 
  • Check the internal temperature. Remove the chicken from the oven as soon as it reads 165F in the thickest part of the chicken. 
  • Resting the chicken is essential because it allows the juices to redistribute and yield the juiciest meat ever.

Frequently asked questions

What does tandoori chicken taste like?

Tandoori chicken is juicy thanks to the yogurt marinade and earthy due to the Indian spices, ginger, and garlic. Cooked over high heat, the chicken is also naturally smoky. This is why I like to add smoked paprika to the marinade to make up for the smokiness that the traditional cooking method provides. 

tandoori chicken.

More delicious Indian dinners to try

tandoori chicken recipe.

Authentic Tandoori Chicken

5 from 97 votes
My easy and authentic tandoori chicken recipe tastes like something from a restaurant. It's perfectly seasoned and bakes up in under 20 minutes. Watch the video below to see how I make it in my kitchen!
Servings: 8 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
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Video

Ingredients  

  • 1 inch ginger minced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon garam marsala
  • 1 teaspoon ground corriander
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 2 pounds chicken quarters or a mix of thighs and drumsticks

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.
  • In a mixing bowl, mix together the ginger, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, garam marsala, ground coriander, smoked paprika, salt, olive oil, and plain yogurt.
    tandoori chicken marinade in a bowl.
  • Pat dry the chicken then add it to a large mixing bowl. Add in the marinade and mix very well, until all the chicken is completely coated.
    raw chicken marinating in a bowl.
  • Either cover and marinate for up to one day or let it sit for 10 minutes at room temperature.
  • Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Place tin foil on two wire racks. Remove each piece of chicken from the bowl and shake off the excess marinade. Place them on the wire rack.
    marinated raw chicken on a wire rack.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they begin to char around the edges. You can also check the internal temperature and make sure it reaches 165F.
  • Allow the chicken to set for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Grill method: Once the chicken is marinated, place it on a preheated charcoal grill or grill pan. Grill on high heat for 8 minutes per side.
Air fryer method: Once marinated, place the chicken pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 200C/400F for 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
Instant pot method: Marinate the chicken, then place it in the Instant Pot and switch on ‘saute’ mode. Sear the chicken on both sides. Add remaining marinade and set the pot to ‘pressure cook’. Cook the chicken for 8-10 minutes before turning it off and allow it to naturally release for 10 minutes.
TO STORE: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to five days. 
TO FREEZE: Place the cooked and cooled chicken in a shallow container and store it in the freezer for up to two months.
TO REHEAT: Microwave portions of the chicken for 40-50 seconds or reheat in a preheated oven until hot.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 250kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 17gFat: 19gSodium: 89mgPotassium: 263mgFiber: 0.3gVitamin A: 233IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 52mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 3g
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Author: Arman Liew
Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Originally published March 2015, updated and republished February 2025

Arman Liew

I’m a two time cookbook author, photographer, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.

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Comments

  1. I make a pot of chicken broth every single week (GAPS Diet). I am so sick of eating boiled (and then shredded) chicken, although sometimes I do turn it into a stir fry or add other seasonings. I am going to try this sauce on it to mix things up. Can’t wait until I make the next batch of broth this weekend.

    Reply

    2. I just got done making this for lunch using the boiled chicken, heating it all in a in a large pan. Perfection! It was a big hit with my 10 year old daughter, along with slices of cucumber, roasted cauliflower, and fermented carrots. Even with all the sides, she ate 3 heaping portions of the chicken and told me that she definitely wants me to make this recipe often. I did add a teaspoon of ginger too (fresh grated ginger would have been amazing, but was looking for quick and easy today). This dish would be great on top of rice, for those who eat rice, or riced cauliflower, or zucchini noodles. I am looking forward to trying some more of your recipes. The Persian chicken looks delicious too!

      Reply

  3. I can’t wait to try this recipe. The onus is that I have every single ingredient.

    I love to use the pressure cooker because it’s so easy and the meats is so tender. What do you think?

    Reply

    1. Hi Sunny! I was actually inspired by my mum’s recipe which used a pressure cooker for this! To be honest, if I had time and patience, I’d cook this in there or a slow cooker, but for those in a time crunch, it works beautifully 🙂

      Reply

  4. Just stumbled across your blog via Pinterest and this recipe looks amazing. I’m always looking for new ways to mix up the basics, and since we eat a lot of chicken in my house (it’s easy, lean, and always available in bulk) it’s nice to have options that flavor it differently. Definitely saving this recipe for this week. Also, love the way your write your posts!

    Reply

  5. I can’t wait to try this, I’m all about the quick (and delicious) dinner. But don’t be hating on the slow cooker. I use mine all. the. time. Especially in the summer since my oven really heats up the house (and I live in Texas). It’s great because my husband can eat when he gets home early, and I can eat when I get home late. win-win.
    I recently found your blog and really love all your healthy recipes. Keep them coming Arman.
    Now, how do you make TahDig, the Persian rice with crunchy layer on the bottom?

    Reply

    1. Hi Trish! Thanks so much for your kind words!

      Oh man, I’d need to ask my mum- I am very scared of making Persian style rice- There is some magic in it which makes it so fluffy haha! 🙂

      Reply

  6. Making this now and have a question- I know you say drain immediately but wanting to make sure I have this right- drain the chicken stock liquid and don’t use any of it or the onions for the shredded chicken?

    Reply

    1. You are welcome to use the onions there, but because the sauce works nicely to coat the chicken, I opt not to use the chicken stick liquid 🙂

      Reply

      1. Awesome! Thanks for the quick reply. About to shred my chicken now and eat with some roasted cauliflower and sweet potatoes. Smells yummy.

  7. I made this and then immediately text Jo to tell her I had made a recipe that was whole30 since she has been nagging at me about doing the whole plan. Blah blah blah. Not interested if wine isn’t part of the plan. BUT I will say this was a damn good meal. … And I served it with a half a bottle of wine 🙂

    Reply