Tandoori Chicken
Chicken marinated in spiced yogurt and baked until charred and juicy. An iconic Indian dish simplified for home ovens.
Prep: 10 minutes (plus 2 hours marinating). Cook: 30 minutes. Difficulty: Easy. Serves 4.
Ingredients
- 8 chicken drumsticks or thighs
- 200g yogurt
- 2 tablespoons tandoori paste or powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder
- Salt to taste
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Score the chicken with deep cuts to let the marinade penetrate.
- Mix yogurt, tandoori paste, lemon juice, oil, ginger-garlic paste, cumin, chilli, and salt.
- Coat chicken thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight is best).
- Preheat oven to 220°C.
- Place chicken on a wire rack over a baking tray.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes until charred and cooked through.
- Squeeze lemon over the top. Serve hot.
Tips for Helpers
- Scoring the chicken deeply is important — it lets the marinade flavour the meat.
- A wire rack allows heat to circulate for even cooking.
- Broil for the last 3 minutes for extra char.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Use chicken breast — reduce cooking time to 20 minutes.
- Tandoori paste makes this recipe very easy — buy a good brand.