Tandoori chicken
Tandoori murgh (तंदूरी चिकन) — Punjabi yogurt-and-spice chicken roasted until charred, made in a home oven
Tandoori chicken comes from Punjab, where clay tandoor ovens fired with wood or charcoal reach well over 400 °C and roast marinated chicken in minutes. In Punjabi dhabas and wedding buffets it arrives on a sizzling plate with raw onion rings, lemon and mint chutney, and it's the starting point for butter chicken. A home oven can't match a tandoor, but a very hot oven plus a final blast under the grill gets you charred edges and juicy meat. The two-step marinade (lemon and salt first, then spiced yogurt) is the key. Chef's tip: cut deep slashes right down to the bone; the marinade gets inside and the thick legs cook through at the same time as the thinner parts.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
First marinade
Second marinade
To cook and serve
Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Cut 3–4 deep slashes into each piece of 4 chicken legs, down to the bone. Rub with 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder. Leave in the fridge for 20 minutes.
20 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil in a small pan until it smokes, then let it cool for a minute. Mix it into 7 oz thick plain yogurt (or hung curd) with 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder, 1 tsp ground roasted cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp garam masala and 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi).
3 minStep 3: Coat the chicken thoroughly in the yogurt marinade, working it into the slashes. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Always marinate raw chicken in the fridge, never on the counter.
5 minStep 4: Take the chicken out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking. Heat the oven to 475°F (425°F fan) and set a wire rack over a foil-lined tray.
20 minStep 5: Shake off excess marinade and arrange the chicken on the rack, not touching. Roast for 20 minutes.
20 minStep 6: Turn the pieces, baste with 2 tbsp melted butter or ghee and roast for 8–10 minutes more. Then switch to the grill on high for 3–4 minutes, until charred in spots. Common mistake: putting the chicken on a flat tray; it sits in its juices and stews instead of charring.
13 minStep 7: Check the thickest piece next to the bone: it must reach 165°F/165 °F, with clear juices and no pink. Rest for 5 minutes.
5 minStep 8: Sprinkle with 1 tsp chaat masala and serve with 1 red onion, 4 lemon wedges and mint chutney.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tandoori chicken take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of kashmiri chilli powder?
- Sweet paprika with a pinch of cayenne (gives the same colour, less heat).
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