This easy, baked tandoori chicken recipe is ready in under an hour and has the best flavor from the spiced tandoori masala. Serve the juicy chicken with warm naan, basmati rice, or kachumber salad.
What is Tandoori Chicken?
Like chicken karahi, tandoori chicken gets its name from the equipment it cooks in, called a tandoor.
Tandoors are cylinder clay pots heated over an open flame, and the result is tender, chargrilled chicken packed with flavor from the tandoori masala. Since a tandoor is something few people have in their kitchens, the chicken roasts in the oven to deliver a similar taste.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Tandoori Marinade: Make a paste with yogurt, garlic and ginger paste, liquid smoke, salt, turmeric powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, garam masala, Kashmiri chili powder, lemon juice, and sliced onion.
- Chicken: I use bone-in chicken thighs, legs, and quarters. If you prefer boneless, I recommend using chicken thighs. Be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly. The safe internal temperature for chicken is 165°F (73°C).
How to Make Baked Tandoori Chicken
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Combine ingredients for the tandoori masala (apart from the onions) in a food processor until smooth.
Step 2: Transfer it to a mixing bowl with the chicken pieces and sliced onion. Toss to combine. Then, cover and marinate in the fridge for 6 hours (but at least one hour).
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C) and set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange the chicken pieces onto the wire rack, leaving excess marinade behind.
Step 4: Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F (204°C). Bake for 25-35 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through. Check the chicken with a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches 165°F (73°C).
Tip: Let the chicken broil on high the last 5 minutes for crispy skin.
Expert Tips
- I recommend marinating for 6-24 hours (but at least one hour) to ensure the flavor penetrates and flavors the chicken.
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before you are ready to prepare it.
- Carefully shake off the excess marinade and onions before setting them onto the wire rack.
- Start by preheating the oven to 450°F (232°C), the same way you preheat a grill. Then, lower the temperature and roast the chicken at 400°F (204°C) for even cooking.
- Insert your food thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken drumstick. The safe cooking temperature for chicken is 165°F (73°C).
- After cooking, let the chicken set for 10 minutes; this allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in juicy tandoori chicken.
If you enjoy the meal, try one of these oven-baked recipes!
Can I Grill Tandoori Chicken?
Do you prefer the taste of grilled chicken? Try grilled tandoori chicken with the same tandoori masala flavor.
Serving Suggestions
If you’re deciding what to serve with tandoori chicken, here are a few suggestions:
- Bread: Naan
- Rice: Basmati Rice, Jeera Rice, Yakhni Pulao, Saffron Rice
- Vegetables: Roasted Potatoes, Grilled Zucchini, Corn on the Cob, Cauliflower Rice
- Salad: Vegetable Chopped Salad, Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad, Spinach and Arugula Salad, Kachumber Salad
- Sauce: Raita, Chutney, Serrano Crema
What to do with the Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store the leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Let the chicken cool and transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Baked tandoori chicken freezes for 2-3 months.
- Thaw: Defrost the chicken in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat: Reheat defrosted or leftover chicken in the oven at 400°F (204°C) for 15 minutes.
- Repurpose: This may be a given, but you can make chicken tikka masala or butter chicken masala with the leftovers or use the chicken to finish a pizza, quesadilla, or sandwich.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is tandoori chicken red?
The red-colored tandoori chicken served in restaurants is the result of added food coloring; achieve a similar color using Kashmiri chili powder, though it won’t be as pronounced without food coloring.
What’s the difference between tandoori chicken and chicken tikka?
There is a lot of confusion surrounding the terms tandoori chicken and chicken tikka, and many use them interchangeably.
• Charga: Similar to how I prepare Peruvian chicken or tandoori turkey, chicken charga refers to a marinated whole chicken that’s grilled or roasted.
• Tikka: Most people in the West consider small pieces of chicken (usually chicken breast) to be tikka when chicken tikka can also be leg quarters or legs, similar to the ones I use to make BBQ chicken legs. However, the term also covers bite-size chicken pieces since ‘tikka’ means pieces in English.
• Tandoori: Tandoori chicken is chicken (whole or parts) that cooks in a tandoor oven. Since most kitchens aren’t tandoor-equipped, you will find grilled and baked tandoori chicken recipes that attempt to recreate the cooking technique.
More Indian Recipes:
Baked Tandoori Chicken
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup plain yogurt, full fat
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 2-3 taps liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder, optional
- lemon juice, 1-2 lemons, plus lemon wedges to garnish
- ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 2-3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces
- Combine ingredients for the tandoori masala (apart from the onions) in a food processor until smooth. Transfer it to a mixing bowl with the chicken pieces and sliced onion. Toss to combine. Then, cover and marinate in the fridge for 6 hours (but at least one hour).
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C) and set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange the chicken pieces onto the wire rack, leaving excess marinade behind.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F (204°C). Bake for 25-35 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through. Check the chicken with a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches 165°F (73°C). Tip: Let the chicken broil on high the last 5 minutes for crispy skin.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- I recommend marinating for 6-24 hours (but at least one hour) to ensure the flavor penetrates and flavors the chicken.
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before you are ready to prepare it.
- Carefully shake off the excess marinade and onions before setting them onto the wire rack.
- Start by preheating the oven to 450°F (232°C), the same way you preheat a grill. Then, lower the temperature and roast the chicken at 400°F (204°C) for even cooking.
- Insert your food thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken drumstick. The safe cooking temperature for chicken is 165°F (73°C).
- After cooking, let the chicken set for 10 minutes; this allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in juicy tandoori chicken.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Shariq
Sunday 16th of October 2022
This is a very easy and delicious recipe for baked tandoori chicken. I think it comes close to the real deal from a restaurant while being much healthier and cheaper.