The best homemade oven-baked tandoori chicken recipe ever! It’s just as good as what you’d get at an Indian restaurant and it’s so easy to make! Chicken thighs are soaked in a creamy, well spiced, yogurt based marinade and then baked on the oven.
Tandoori Chicken has become popular throughout the world and is commonly found on most any Indian restaurant menu. Tandoori chicken is my favorite item at Indian buffets
WHAT IS TANDOORI CHICKEN?
Tandoori Chicken is an Indian dish that’s traditionally marinated in yogurt and spices then roasted in a hot tandoor oven (a cylindrical shaped clay oven). It usually has a vibrant color because most often you’ll find it colored with turmeric, chili powders or even food coloring.
You don’t need a tandoor oven to make tandoori chicken! Since most of us don’t own a clay oven.You can cook it over a grill (charcoal preferred) or just in an oven with a broile. With this recipe I have cooked on the oven to get that same flavor.
The chicken gets its characteristic red hue from either lots of fiery chile or the addition of red food dye.But I’m not that big fan of food dyes here I have skipped it, but if you must have your chicken bright red, feel free to add a bit of red food dye to the marinade.
If you like tandoori chicken, you are going to love this!
Tandoori Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 chicken drumsticks
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 turmeric powder
- 1 tsp cooking oil
- 1 tsp butter/ghee
- 1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin Powder
- 1 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tsp Garam masala
- 2 tbsp of Greek yogurt/Hung curd/Sour cream
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tsp crushed Kasthuri Methi
Instructions
- Wash the Chicken Legs and make some slits all over the legs, so that the marination would penerate well and give that juicy and tender chicken at the end.
- First marinate the chicken with salt and lemon juice for 15 mins. Meanwhile lets make the yogurt mixture.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, ghee, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, Garam Masala, Yogurt and kasthuri methi
- Toss the Chicken legs evenly with this masala paste and allow it to marinate for at least 2 hours to 12 hours. I personally love the overnight marination.
- Place the marinated chicken legs in baking tray with aluminum foil and bake at 450F for 45 mins or until the juices of the chicken run clear when a knife is penetrated in the thickest part near the bone.
- Serve immediately with rice or fresh naan bread.
Notes
- I do not but you can add a couple of drops of food colours if you wish.
- To avoid dryness on the skin and the surface of the chicken, baste with oil/ghee half way and turn the chicken over while baking.
- Can be used on other meat, prawns or roasted veg/paneer.
If you’ve tried this Tandoori Chicken then don’t forget to like and leave your comments for this recipe!
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