Tandoori Hen Recipe (+ VIDEO)


Boost the dinnertime with this smoky and completely juicy tandoori rooster. Marinated in yogurt and cooked within the oven, this recipe comes collectively in minutes!

tandoori chicken.

We love our Indian recipes, particularly these with rooster.

In case you’ve tried my butter rooster, rooster saag, or rooster tikka masala, you’re in for a deal with: this tandoori rooster recipe might be a brand new dinnertime favourite. 

Desk of Contents
  1. What’s tandoori rooster?
  2. Elements wanted
  3. The best way to make tandoori rooster
  4. Various cooking strategies
  5. Recipe ideas and variations
  6. The best way to retailer leftovers
  7. Incessantly requested questions
  8. Extra scrumptious Indian dinners to attempt
  9. Excellent Tandoori Hen (Recipe Card)

What’s tandoori rooster?

Tandoori rooster is, for my part, the preferred and engaging Indian dish ever. It options rooster marinated in yogurt and spices. Historically, the rooster is then cooked in a tandoor, which is a clay oven.

In my model, I oven-bake it, and it actually tastes like one thing from a restaurant! Listed below are some the reason why I really like this recipe:

  • Wholesome. Marinated in yogurt and roasted within the oven, tandoori seasoned rooster is a wholesome strategy to cook dinner rooster. 
  • Juicy and flavorful. Yogurt works properly for tenderizing rooster and making it moist and juicy. The nice and cozy spices used within the marinade make the rooster tremendous flavorful. 
  • Any rooster lower works. You need to use any rooster lower for this recipe. I usually use rooster quarters or rooster legs, however leaner cuts like rooster thighs additionally work very properly.

What I really like about this recipe is simply how genuine it tastes. Certain, cooking it in a tandoor oven would make issues full, however this oven-baked model tastes simply nearly as good! 

Elements wanted

This recipe requires quite simple substances and pantry spices. Apart from the rooster itself, you’ll seemingly have every part available. Here’s what you’ll want: 

  • Hen. I favor utilizing rooster leg quarters for this recipe as a result of they’re fatty, flavorful, and has the bone intact. You may also use a mixture of rooster legs and drumsticks. If you’d like boneless rooster, go for rooster thighs.
  • Yogurt. Plain Greek yogurt or pure yogurt. It goes with out saying however please don’t use flavored yogurt.
  • Lemon juice. Non-compulsory, but when your yogurt is NOT on the tard aspect, add 1 teaspoon of lemon or lime juice.
  • Ginger and garlic. Freshly minced. Recent ginger and garlic give the rooster Asian notes and add nice taste. Use fewer or extra garlic cloves, relying in your preferences. 
  • Spices. The spice mix I favor utilizing for my tandoori rooster recipe consists of garam masala, cumin, cinnamon, floor coriander, turmeric, and smoked paprika. Whilst you can customise the spice mix for tandoori rooster, I like to recommend you by no means skip the garam masala, because it offers the dish an genuine Indian really feel. 
  • Olive oil. For the marinade. You need to use butter or ghee however I discover it corporations up a little bit an excessive amount of for my liking.
  • Salt. To style. 

Discover the printable recipe with measurements beneath.

The best way to make tandoori rooster

Apart from marinating the rooster, this recipe requires barely any hands-on time. The oven takes care of all of the arduous work! Able to bake some rooster? 

Step 1- Put together the marinade. Add the yogurt to a mixing bowl. Add the spices, freshly minced ginger and garlic, and olive oil. Give the combination a great combine. 

tandoori chicken marinade.

Step 2- Marinate the rooster. Pat dry the rooster items and put them within the marinade. Combine properly to get the rooster fully coated. Cowl and marinade for as much as 24 hours within the fridge. If you’re in a rush, let the rooster sit within the marinade for round 10 minutes. 

chicken in marinade.

Step 3-  Assemble. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F levels. Line the wire racks with tin foil. Take away the rooster cuts from the yogurt combination and shake off the surplus marinade. Place the rooster on the wire rack. 

seasoned chicken on a wire rack.

Step 4- Bake. Bake for 25 to half-hour or till the rooster is properly charred and cooked via. Permit the rooster to relaxation for five minutes and serve with naan and coconut rice.

baked tandoori chicken.

Various cooking strategies

In the course of the hotter months, I prefer to grill the rooster as an alternative of baking it, and it solely wants a number of minor tweaks. I’ve additionally examined this out within the air fryer AND the moment pot, that are each nice for fast cooking.

Grill technique: As soon as the rooster is marinated, place it on a preheated charcoal grill or grill pan. Grill on excessive warmth for 8 minutes per aspect.

Air fryer technique: As soon as marinated, place the rooster items in a single layer within the air fryer basket. Air fry at 200C/400F for 20 minutes, flipping as soon as midway via.

On the spot pot technique: Marinate the rooster then place it within the On the spot Pot and change on ‘saute’ mode. Sear the rooster on either side. Add remaining marinade and set the pot to ‘strain cook dinner’. Cook dinner the rooster for 8-10 minutes, earlier than turning it off and permit it to naturally launch for 10 minutes.

Recipe ideas and variations

  • Use even-sized rooster items to make sure even cooking. If you’re utilizing completely different cuts of rooster, I like to recommend cooking them in batches.
  • Don’t overcrowd the baking rack in order that the rooster items brown properly on all sides. 
  • Have a thermometer at hand. Take away the rooster from the oven as quickly because it reads 165F within the thickest a part of the rooster. 
  • Resting the rooster is necessary as a result of it permits the juices to redistribute amnd yield essentially the most juiciest meat ever.
  • For a enjoyable twist on this rooster, shred it with two forks for pulled tandoori rooster.
  • It’s possible you’ll discover my recipe isn’t as crimson or pink as restaurant-style Tandoori rooster. The reason being I don’t use any crimson meals coloring. If you wish to make this with aesthetic functions in mide, add 1-2 drops to the marinade.
  • For some added spice, add some cayenne pepper or crimson chili powder.

The best way to retailer leftovers

To retailer: Leftovers will be saved within the fridge in hermetic containers for as much as 5 days. 

To freeze: Place the cooked and cooled rooster in a shallow container and retailer it within the freezer for as much as two months.

Reheating: Microwave parts of the rooster for 40-50 seconds or reheat in a preheated oven till sizzling. 

tandoori chicken pieces.

Incessantly requested questions

Is tandoori rooster wholesome?

Tandoori rooster is likely one of the healthiest rooster recipes to make. Because the rooster is marinated in yogurt after which baked and never fried, it doesn’t comprise a excessive quantity of saturated fat. You need to use rooster breasts to make tandoori rooster decrease in fats and energy and better in protein. 

What’s more healthy tikka or tandoori rooster?

Hen tikka is one other widespread Indian dish that options yogurt-marinated rooster items. The items are threaded on skewers after which grilled or roasted. In contrast to the tandoori rooster, rooster tikka is all the time made with boneless rooster. 

Hen tikka and tandoori rooster are each wholesome. All of it relies on the kind of rooster cuts used to make them. The healthiest model of each dishes is made with skinless rooster breast. 

What does tandoori rooster style like?

Tandoori rooster is juicy due to the yogurt marinade and earthy because of the Indian spices, ginger, and garlic. Cooked over excessive warmth, genuine tandoori rooster can also be smoky. That is why I like so as to add smoked paprika to the marinade to make up for the smokiness that the normal cooking technique offers. 

Extra scrumptious Indian dinners to attempt

  • Hen vindaloo– Spicy, tangy, and excellent in the event you love your curries spicy!
  • Lamb Rogan Josh– Wealthy and creamy, the curry base is made up of tomatoes and yogurt.
  • Lamb vindaloo– Just like the rooster model, however swap out the meat for lamb.
  • Paneer Tikka Masala– My household’s favourite veggie curry, the leftovers style even higher.

Stop your display screen from going darkish

  • In a mixing bowl, combine collectively all of the substances, aside from the rooster.

  • Pat dry the rooster then add it to a big mixing bowl. Add within the marinade and blend very properly, till all of the rooster is totally coated.

  • Both cowl and marinate for as much as someday, or if you’re in a rush, let it sit for 10 minutes at room temperate.

  • Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Place tin foil on two wire racks. Take away each bit of rooster from the bowl and shake off the surplus marinade. Place them on the wire rack.

  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, or till they start to char across the edges.

  • Permit the rooster to set for five minutes earlier than serving.

TO STORE: Leftovers will be saved within the fridge, lined, for as much as 5 days. 
TO FREEZE: Place the cooked and cooled rooster in a shallow container and retailer it within the freezer for as much as two months.
TO REHEAT: Microwave parts of the rooster for 40-50 seconds or reheat in a preheated oven till sizzling.

Serving: 1servingEnergy: 250kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 17gFats: 19gSodium: 89mgPotassium: 263mgFiber: 0.3gVitamin A: 233IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 52mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 3g

Recipe initially revealed March 2015 however up to date to incorporate new pictures, data, and video in your profit.

Disclosure: This put up could comprise affiliate hyperlinks. I could earn a small fee for my endorsement, advice, testimonial, and/or hyperlink to any services or products from this web site.



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