Finger lickin’ good!
Tandoori Chicken recipe
Butter Chicken, Chicken Tikka Masala or Tandoori Chicken?? Any outing to an Indian restaurant causes a crisis of indecision as we battle it out between these 3 wildly popular Indian chicken dishes! There’s no denying that one of the reasons why we love Tandoori chicken is the signature smokey chargrilled flavour that can only be achieved in a clay tandoor built to withhold fierce charcoal heat. But don’t worry, you won’t miss the chargrill flavour in this Tandoori Chicken recipe. My trick is to jack up the flavour of the marinade to compensate – we’re talking big, big flavours here!
Tandoori Chicken Marinade
Here’s what you need for the Tandoori Chicken Marinade. Kashmiri Chilli is what gives Tandoori the signature red colour. Tastes like paprika with a bit of spiciness, you’ll need to hunt down an Indian grocery store for this. But don’t worry, paprika is a near perfect flavour sub! The chicken won’t be quite as red but will still have a red hue. You can easily increase the redness with a drop or two of red food colouring.
How to make it
The making part is very straight forward: mix marinate, add the chicken, then leave to marinate. 12 to 24 hours is best, or 48 hours. If you’re in a rush, then 2 to 3 hours will do the trick if you cut slashes into the chicken. While this is a baked tandoori chicken recipe, it’s a ripper on the barbie too. And off the charts amazing if cooked over charcoal!
What to serve with Tandoori chicken
Here’s what I serve with Tandoori Chicken:
Saffron Rice– love the colour contrast! Recipe below. Though plain basmati rice will do in a pinch (or other rice of choice). Minted Yogurt– the freshness of the mint and cool yogurt pairs so well with all things Indian. Recipe below. Side Salad*– try this Indian Tomato Salad or use the same dressing with slices of cucumber. Otherwise, check out this South Indian-style Cabbage & Carrot Salad with Coconut. A simpler alternative is Everyday Cabbage Salad (it’s in the recipe notes). Flatbreads – When naan is in hot demand, I reach for my Easy No Yeast Flatbreads. Because it’s not a saucy curry, I like to brush the flatbreads with garlic butter for extra flavour – SO GOOD!
- Fresh side salads are less common in Indian cuisine, vegetables tend to be cooked. So don’t get too caught up about an authentic fresh side salad – go with what you like! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Originally published September 2015. Completely rewritten April 2019, new photos, new video, tidied up video and most importantly, new Life of Dozer section added!
Life of Dozer
Final photo from Dozer’s birthday cake recipe from Monday – when I was trying to do a “nice” overhead photo of the cake and when he saw I was teetering on a ladder fiddling with my camera, he knew it was an opportune time to lunge in for ANOTHER slice!
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title: “Oven Baked Tandoori Chicken” ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-20” author: “Jennifer Thomas”
What is Tandoori Chicken?
I think it’s fair to say tandoori chicken is probably one of the most ordered dishes at any Indian restaurant (alongside butter chicken). It’s typically marinated with yogurt and spices and then baked in a tandoor, aka a clay oven. I like to use unsweetened full-fat coconut milk in place of yogurt (you won’t taste the coconut – it just helps tenderize the chicken the way that yogurt does). I think most restaurants use artificial color to get that signature red tandoori color. If you prefer your chicken without the red dye, you can get a more natural red hue by using paprika or Kashmiri red chili powder. Now keep in mind that no amount of paprika can get you that restaurant shade of red, but here’s how I add a natural reddish hue to my tandoori chicken: make a couple of deep incisions on each drumstick, and then with a spoon, add a mixture of paprika, salt, and lime. Do this before adding the marinade, and you’ll get a redder color than you would otherwise. Additionally, this will help get more flavor into the chicken. When you blend your marinade, it will have some texture to it. You don’t need it to be a completely smooth paste. The texture will make your chicken look a little more authentic, and you’ll be able to better taste some of the individual flavors in the marinade. Once the chicken is well coated, add a couple of tablespoons of mustard oil on top. This will give the chicken a nice sheen and add a touch of tanginess to the dish. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes in the fridge, then bring it to room temperature and pop it in the oven. When you take a bite of this chicken, you’ll see that it’s just as good if not better than what you’ll get in any restaurant. Like this recipe? Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board now so you will remember to make it later!
