Make Chicken Tandoori at Home with this Authentic Recipe
Chicken tandoori is one of the most popular traditional chicken recipes in Indian cuisine, and it’s also one of the simplest.
It’s made by marinating chicken pieces in a yogurt-based marinade and then cooking them in a tandoori clay oven or in an electric or gas oven set to high heat (broil).
If you don’t have an oven, you can make your own tandoori paste at home and cook your chicken on the stovetop, but the results won’t be quite as authentic.
Purchase the Right Ingredients
The first step in making authentic chicken tandoori is making sure you have all of your ingredients. While it is possible to find ready-made tandoori spices at grocery stores and online, homemade seasoning will result in a much more flavorful dish.
To make your own, combine 4 tablespoons coriander, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 2 teaspoons turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 3/4 tablespoon red chili powder and 1 teaspoon black pepper together and mix thoroughly. Add 1/2 cup plain yogurt to act as a binder and place in an airtight container for up to six months.
Once you’ve added your spices to both marinade and rub for chicken (see below), you’re rreadyeady to start cooking!
For marinating your chicken, use about 1 tablespoon of spice per pound of meat for whole cuts like breasts or thighs and no more than 2 tablespoons per pound if you are using ground meat such as ground breast. When mixing these seasonings into your choice of fat base—such as soy sauce or olive oil—be sure to use a plastic or glass bowl since metal can react with some acidic substances such as lemon juice.
Make sure to cover tightly so that none of the juices evaporate during preparation time; plan on settinsettingsettinsettinggg aside anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight before grilling. If you’re looking for even more flavor, try adding some lime juice or zest to your marinade.
This will add an extra tangy kick without making it too salty! Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl and pour over chicken in a large Ziploc bag. Seal and place in refrigerator until ready to cook.
Mix the Marinade
Place 1 lb. boneless chicken thighs, skinned and cut into cubes, in a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice to make your marinade.
Next add a generous pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper, followed by 1⁄4 cup vegetable oil and 2 teaspoons garam masala powder. Mix thoroughly until everything is evenly coated in sauce—the chicken should be totally covered by your marinade.
Cover and place it in your refrigerator to marinate for 2 hours; stirring once every hour or so. Remember to remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to bring it back up to room temperature! 1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 cinnamon stick (about 3 inches long)
2 whole dried red chiles (optional) 2 cardamom pods, seeds only
1 tsp paprika powder
1 tsp salt, or to taste Instructions: Remove your chicken from its marinade and set aside. Place a skillet over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of vegetable oil.
Once hot, add your chicken in a single layer and cook for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. You may need to do this in batches depending on how big your skillet is! Once cooked through, remove it from heat and place it on a plate. Add 1⁄4 cup of water to deglaze your pan before adding 1⁄4 cup of plain yogurt, stirring thoroughly so that all of the browned bits are scraped off of your pan.
This will make your sauce creamy and delicious! Reduce heat to low and return your chicken to your pan along with any juices that have accumulated on your plate. Stir in 1 teaspoon garam masala powder, 2 teaspoons paprika powder, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 minced garlic clove, 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds, and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper.
Cover tightly and simmer for 10 minutes while you prepare your rice according to package instructions. Uncover and stir everything together again. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro (optional) and serve immediately over steamed basmati rice. Garnish with sliced red onions if desired.
Marinate the Chicken Pieces
The marinade for tandoori chicken is a unique blend of spices. The major ingredients in a typical tandoori chicken marinade are yogurt, ginger, garlic and green chilies, but there are variations based on region and personal preference. For example, in India, mustard oil is also used to create that authentic flavor.
The ingredients should be mixed together and then combined with about 1 pound of boneless chicken pieces (thighs work best) and left to sit for an hour or two before cooking. While it's optional, you can also add paprika to give your dish some added color if you like.
And don't forget to save a few tablespoons of your marinade; you'll need it later when making your sauce! You can use any method you'd like to cook your chicken, whether it's baking, grilling or frying.
Just make sure not to overcook—tandoori chicken should still have a little bit of pink in the middle so make sure not to let your meat get too dry while cooking. This recipe makes enough for four servings, so divide up your cooked meat and use what you need right away along with storing any extra portions in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve. You'll use them within three days.
When ready to serve, heat up a skillet over medium-high heat and pour in some butter or ghee until melted and hot. Add in your leftover marinade from earlier and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for about five minutes until slightly thickened. Serve immediately over rice or flatbread with raita on top. Enjoy! 6 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Ginger Paste (or finely chopped fresh ginger root)
3 Cloves Garlic, Minced (or finely chopped fresh garlic cloves)
2 Tablespoons Yogurt/Curd (or substitute sour cream)
1 Teaspoon Paprika (optional, adds color to chicken and tastes great!)
In large bowl mix all ingredients except chicken. Add chicken and mix well coating each piece evenly. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for 2 hours minimum but preferably overnight. Heat oven broiler to high.
Remove marinated chicken from refrigerator one hour prior to cooking time and discard excess liquid inside bowl. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (for easy clean up) and place chicken pieces on top, skin side down. Broil in oven for 8-10 minutes until skin is crispy browned and cooked through (juices should run clear when poked).
Meanwhile heat oil in small saucepan over medium heat, add ginger paste, garlic, paprika if using and cook stirring constantly until fragrant about 1 minute. Stir in yogurt/curd/sour cream then remove from heat once combined.
Transfer cooked chicken to a serving platter along with any juices that have accumulated on baking sheet during cooking process. Pour sauce over top of chicken pieces then serve immediately over rice or flatbread garnished with fresh cilantro leaves if desired. Enjoy! Makes 4 servings Note:
If you prefer your tandoori chicken extra spicy feel free to use additional green chilies instead of just adding more red chili powder. You can also substitute 1 tablespoon of red chili powder with ground black pepper if you like.
The key ingredient in making authentic tandoori chicken is curd which can be found at most Indian grocery stores, usually near other dairy products such as paneer cheese and milk.
Cook the Tandoori in an Oven, Grill or on a Stovetop
Though tandoori is often made in a tandoor—the same clay oven that bakes naan—the dish can also be prepared using an oven, grill or on a stovetop. The steps are similar for all methods; start by marinating chicken pieces in yogurt, oil and spices for two to six hours.
Once your chicken has marinated, you’re ready to cook it. For gas or charcoal grills, fire up your grill, remove chicken from its marinade and place it directly on hot coals or grill for about 10 minutes per side; for stoves, heat oil in a large skillet and sauté your chicken over medium-high heat until browned.
Your chicken will likely be cooked through before it reaches a nice char, so feel free to use tongs or a spatula to flip your meat frequently during cooking. If you want to finish off your tandoori in a traditional way, bake it in an oven preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes.
Garnish and Serve
If you’re making chicken tandoori for a party, make sure to add plenty of garnishes so that each person can customize their serving. You can even create a DIY tandoori bar where guests can choose their own spice level and what kind of rice or flatbread they want. Garnishes include sliced cucumbers, onions, tomato wedges, lemon slices and mango chutney.
I prefer brown basmati rice because it has more flavor than white, but any kind of rice is great with chicken tandoori. Serve naan (Indian flatbread) or tortillas on the side so guests can use them to scoop up every last bit of sauce and spices.
And be sure to put out some plain yogurt for dipping as well! The cooling sensation of yogurt combined with warm spiced chicken will give your taste buds an experience like no other. Enjoy!
How to Make Chicken Tandoori at Home: Ingredients: 1 cup plain yogurt 1/2 cup greek yogurt 2 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon ground ginger 2 teaspoons garlic powder 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon paprika 3/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts olive oil Garnish and serve: 6 green onions thinly sliced Cucumber cut into strips Tomato cut into strips Lemon wedges Raita (yogurt dip) Brown Basmati Rice Naan Tortillas:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix together yogurt, greek yogurt, butter, ginger, garlic powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, salt and cayenne in a large bowl. Slice chicken breasts into thin strips about two inches long. Add chicken to marinade mixture in bowl and stir until all pieces are evenly coated.
Marinate for 30 minutes while you prepare rice or naan according to package directions. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil until hot but not smoking.
Place half of marinated chicken in pan and cook for about five minutes or until lightly browned on both sides but not cooked through; remove from pan and set aside on plate covered with foil or paper towel to drain excess liquid from meat. Repeat with remaining chicken.
Once all chicken is removed from pan, add another drizzle of olive oil and place back on stovetop over medium-high heat. Cook for one minute then add in reserved marinade mixture and bring to a boil.
Simmer sauce for three minutes then pour over cooked chicken pieces in an 8x8 baking dish. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes or until sauce has thickened slightly around edges of dish. Serve immediately with garnishes! Enjoying it too much!
