Authentic Tandoori Chicken (Restaurant Style)

My time-tested recipe brings Authentic Tandoori Chicken to your dinner table with real Indian gourmet flavors. It’s incredibly tender, moist, perfectly seasoned inside out with a smoky flavor, just like you get in those BEST tandoor places. I cover every detail, step-by-step right from making the chicken tandoori marinade, roasting in oven, grilling on a pan or air frying and smoking the chicken for more authentic flavors.

This recipe has been a readers’ favorite on Swasthi’s, for more than 12 years. For many years I made Tandoori Chicken with drumsticks to accommodate my toddlers as a finger food, but over the years their appetite has grown to bone-less chicken breasts, thighs and now quarters.

So this recipe comes with plenty of time-tested tips and tricks to help you make the best at home.

About Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori Chicken is a popular Indian dish where bone-in chicken legs/ quarters are marinated overnight in spiced yogurt and roasted / grilled to perfection in tandoor, a clay oven. It is usually served hot with Mint Chuntey or Cilantro Chutney, alongside sliced onions, cucumbers and lemon wedges.

While the acidic marinade works to tenderize the meat, the spices infuse their magical flavors. A high-heat tandoor roasts the chicken to perfection, charring the surface slightly yet keeps it tender from inside.

Traditionally the heat for a tandoor is generated by a wood fire or charcoal. As the chicken roasts, the juices drip on the coal and release a characteristic smoky flavor. In this post, I’ll help you replicate the same flavors and achieve the same texture without a tandoor.

Like Chicken Tikka Masala and Butter Chicken, Tandoori Chicken was also not born in the home kitchens, nor did the home cooks invent or perfected it. Originally it was invented by Chef. Kundan Lal Gujral, at Moti Mahal during the British Raj.

Later Punjabi Dhabas across India popularized it and over the years lack of tandoor in restaurants & homes gave way to the discovery of making it in an oven, grill and air fryer.

Ingredients & Substitutes

• Chicken: Skinless bone-in chicken leg quarters (hind quarters), thighs & drumsticks are best. However you may use wings, chicken breasts or a skinless whole chicken if you want to use it diced or shredded in wraps, salads or sandwiches.
• Thick yogurt: Strained yogurt also known as Greek yogurt or hung curd is more suitable for the marinade than the regular yogurt with whey. If you have only homemade yogurt, you may make your own with this hung curd recipe.
• Ginger and garlic: Use them either fine grated, pressed or ground (paste) and avoid dry powdered, minced or chopped forms as they won’t impart the same flavor. I make my own using this ginger garlic paste recipe that lasts for months.
• Oil: A small amount of oil in the marinade helps lock the juices in the chicken and prevents drying out. Traditionally unrefined mustard oil is used for a unique pungent flavor. But any neutral cooking oil works. Extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil or avocado oil also work.

Tandoori Masala / Spices

You won’t need a store bought Tandoori Masala for this recipe because I share how to make your own aromatic spice blend using existing pantry ingredients and yes! You get the bright fiery red color without any food color or additives.

• Red chili powder: Byadgi or Kashmiri red chili powder is the secret ingredient for a fiery bright red color, without adding a lot of heat. But if you want to cut down the heat further yet achieve the same color, use 1 to 1½ parts cayenne with 3 parts paprika, adjusting heat levels.
• Ground spices: Garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder, black pepper and turmeric not only impart the essential Indian flavors, but also help thicken the marinade and act as a barrier, preventing the chicken from soaking up any excess whey in the yogurt.
• Salt: Use sea salt, kosher salt, Himalayan salt or a mix of regular salt with kala namak (black salt) for a unique flavor. If you are using chaat masala, you may omit black salt.
• Kasuri Methi: Aka dried fenugreek leaves is the king of Indian herbs. Even a small amount elevates the flavors, omit it if you don’t have but it’s highly recommended for those unique North Indian flavor.
• Chaat masala: A bit of chaat masala takes your chicken tandoori to the next level. It’s a mix of garam masala, kala namak/ black salt, mango powder/ amchur and asafoetida (hing).

Photo Guide

How to make Tandoori Chicken (Stepwise Photos)

Marinade

1. Make 3 to 4 deep gashes/ slits on larger portions of chicken quarters/ legs or 2 to 3 on smaller portions like drumstick, breasts or bone-in thighs.

2. Meanwhile add the following ingredients to a small bowl and mix well.

• ½ cup Greek yogurt (hung curd)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or sub with 1 tsp amchur/mango powder or ½ teaspoon chaat masala, adjust to taste)
• 1½ tablespoon oil (mustard oil, extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil or any neutral oil)
• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste (or use ¾ tbsp each grated)
• 1 teaspoon garam masala (more if you prefer)
• 1 to 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (or use paprika or a smoked hot chili powder, use 1 tsp for low heat and 2 tsps for high heat)
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper crushed (powder)
• 1½ teaspoon coriander powder (daniya powder)
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt (or use ¼ teaspoon each sea salt & black salt/ kala namak)
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
• 1½ teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

3. You should have a thick marinade like shown in the image below. Taste test to adjust salt and spices to your preference.

4. Add it to the chicken and mix well.

5. Cling wrap the bowl and let rest for a minimum of 6 hours up to 36 hours in the refrigerator. Bring the chicken out of the refrigerator 20 mins before you plan to grill it. This prevents uneven cooking and a sudden temperature shock which can make the meat stringy or let out too much juices.

Roast Tandoori Chicken in Oven

6. Preheat your oven to 470 F – 240 C for at least 15 to 20 mins. (If using a smaller oven like an OTG, preheat at 430 F – 220 C). Line a baking tray with foil for easy clean-up & place a wire rack over it, spray/grease oil on the rack. Place the marinated chicken (with a thick marinade) over the wire rack.

7. Bake for 12 to 15 mins, then baste/brush with leftover marinade or with chili oil (mix together 1 to 2 tsps Kashmiri chili powder with 1 to 2 tbsps oil) and turn the chicken to the other side. Bake for another 12 to 15 mins if using chicken legs/quarters (Not needed for chicken drumsticks and breasts).

8. Move the tray to the top rack and set to broil mode for 3 to 4 mins, until you see some charred spots. Adjust the timing as needed depending on the size of your chicken and oven. (If your oven does not have a broil mode, set the temperature to the highest.)

9. You may check if the chicken is cooked through by inserting an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part, it should read 165 to 170 F (75 C). If you want to smoke the chicken jump to the next section.

Lastly, brush Tandoori Chicken with melted butter if it looks too dry & sprinkle 1/8 to ¼ tsp chaat masala if you want. (Restaurants always do both). Serve with Cilantro Chutney or Mint Chutney alongside sliced onions, cucumbers, carrots and lemon wedges. My family always looks forward to have this with Turmeric Rice, Onion salad and Cucumber Raita.

Stovetop method – Grilling in a pan

1. Heat a grill pan or a skillet & spread 1 to 2 tablespoons oil. Heat on a medium flame until really hot, but not smoking. Place the chicken. Here I’m using a chicken drumstick, a thigh and one chicken breast. You can use any.

2. After 3 to 4 minutes turn them and baste with the marinade. Turn them after 3 to 4 mins again. Brush with chili oil if you want (1 to 2 tsps chili powder mixed with 1 to 2 tbsps oil).

3. Cook regulating the flame between medium to medium high, until the chicken is cooked through. Each may need a different cooking time if you are not using all the parts from the same bird. To test, prick with a fork to see the meat falls off the bone easily (a sign of chicken being well cooked). An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part should read 165 to 170 F (75 C).

Smoking Chicken (without tandoor)

This step is also optional but infuses smoky flavors. Keep your kitchen doors and windows open, turn off your smoke alarms or smoke outdoors.

• Bring your tandoori chicken pan to a table or countertop. Place a steel or aluminium disposable cup in the pan.
• Hold a wood coal chunk with a tong over direct fire like a fire igniter/ candle or gas stove until really red hot. It takes about 3 to 4 mins.
• When it turns hot, drop into the arranged cup in the pan. Immediately pour half teaspoon ghee or neutral oil over the hot coal. It will begin to smoke immediately.
• Cover the skillet or the baking tray with a lid or aluminium foil and let smoke for 5 to 7 mins.

Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken

• Preheat the air fryer to 390 F or 200 C & spray your basket with oil or grease it. Place the chicken on the basket and air fry for 10 to 12 mins. Using a tong, turn them to the other side & air fry for another 10 mins or until cooked through & the internal temperature in the thickest part reaches 165 F.
• Brush the tandoori chicken with chili oil if you want (oil & chili powder mixed together). Air fry for another 2 mins. Brush with melted butter before serving.

Grill in Outdoor Grill

• Preheat the outdoor grill for medium high heat.
• Grease the grate generously with oil. Shake off the excess marinade from the chicken and place over the preheated grill.
• Cook for 5 to 6 mins and turn them to the other side. Baste the marinade on the top and turn it again after 5 to 6 mins. The cook time depends on the size of your chicken pieces.
• It takes about 27 to 30 mins to cook the Tandoori chicken fully. Insert a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken and cook until it shows 165 F or 75 C. Brush with some melted butter.

Expert Tips

• The chili oil I showed in the post is the key to my super hit tandoori chicken. I’ve made it again and again over the years with and without that step and always it wins with everyone. So give that a try!
• Make deep gashes till the bone for better flavour absorption.
• Always use strained/ Greek yogurt else too much whey in the marinade can ruin the texture of meat, making it more wet, water-logged or mushy.
• Thicker strained yogurt adheres well to the chicken while a runny marinade flows down to the pan/tray while grilling, resulting in bland & too wet chicken.
• If your marinade is runny, fix it by increasing the ground spices proportionately.
• Too much garam masala can make your Tandoori Chicken taste bitter. So it is ideal to use it in combination with cumin and coriander powder.
• Coriander powder and turmeric are like fillers. They soak up any excess whey from the yogurt and prevents the chicken from getting too wet & mushy.

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This Recipe was first published in Sept 2014, updated in October 2026.