Description
Tandoori chicken brings Indian culinary magic to your table with its bold, spicy marinade and smoky grilled perfection. Marinated yogurt-spice blend creates tender, juicy chicken that sizzles with authentic flavors you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 1 whole chicken or chicken pieces
Spices and Seasonings:
- 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chile powder
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Additional Ingredients:
- ½ medium lime
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt or hung curd
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) light cream, Amul cream, or ⅓ cup (80 milliliters) heavy cream plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 tablespoon mustard seed oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (if roasting)
- Vegetable oil (if grilling)
Instructions
- Prepare the first marinade by creating a zesty blend with freshly grated ginger and crushed garlic, extracting vibrant lime juice into a spacious mixing vessel.
- Incorporate kosher salt into the marinade, thoroughly combining the aromatic ingredients to create a flavor-packed liquid.
- Remove chicken leg skin, creating strategic deep incisions to allow maximum marinade penetration.
- Submerge chicken pieces completely in the first marinade, ensuring thorough coating and allowing flavors to develop at room temperature for one hour or refrigerate up to two days.
- Craft the second marinade by whisking together tangy yogurt, optional creamy element, and a robust spice blend including chile powder, mustard oil, ground coriander, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper, turmeric, and additional salt.
- Transfer marinated chicken from first mixture into the complex spice-infused second marinade, massaging each piece to ensure comprehensive flavor absorption.
- Refrigerate the seasoned chicken for minimum two hours or up to two days, allowing spices to deeply infiltrate the meat.
- For oven preparation, preheat to 400ºF and position chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet, roasting initially for 15 minutes.
- Brush chicken with melted butter and continue cooking until internal temperature precisely reaches 165ºF for perfect doneness.
- Alternatively, grill enthusiasts can prepare chicken over medium heat, oiling grates beforehand and rotating pieces every 10 minutes until completely cooked through.
Notes
- Deep slashes in chicken help marinade penetrate, creating more flavorful and tender meat.
- First marinade with lime juice and salt helps tenderize and prepare chicken for deeper flavor absorption.
- Marinating times are flexible: minimum 1 hour at room temperature or up to 2 days refrigerated for maximum taste development.
- Spice blend includes warming Indian spices like cardamom, cumin, and cinnamon that create complex, authentic tandoori flavor profile.
- Cooking methods are versatile: oven-roasting or grilling both work perfectly, with goal of reaching 165ºF internal temperature for safe, juicy chicken.
- Mustard oil adds traditional tangy undertone typical in authentic tandoori recipes, enhancing overall aromatic experience.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 425
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg