Name: Tandoori Chicken Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 3 h
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 3/4 cup unflavored unsweetened Greek yogurt; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 3 tablespoons avocado oil, divided; 5 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed; 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated; 2 teaspoons garam masala spice mix; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon turmeric; 1 teaspoon cumin; 1 teaspoon coriander; 1 teaspoon sweet paprika; 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or up to 1 teaspoon if desired; 4 pounds chicken drumsticks and thighs, bone-in and skinless; Garnish Suggestions: Sliced red onion, cilantro leaves, lime wedges

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This incredible oven-roasted Tandoori Chicken Recipe is going to blow your mind because it’s so delicious. Chicken thighs and drumsticks marinated in a sauce made with Greek yogurt, spices, and a little bit of lemon juice. Each bite is going to leave you smacking your lips and ready for more.

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Are your kids adventurous when it comes to flavor? Mine are so BORING. They prefer plain chicken. Yep, just salt. I’m working on changing that by consistently offering a wider variety of flavors and foods from different cultures. That’s where this Tandoori Chicken recipe comes in!

While the chicken does take a couple of hours to marinate, it’s worth every second. Plus, you can prepare it up to 12 hours in advance. So, I typically throw the marinade together and add the chicken and let it rest throughout the day. At dinner time, all I need to do is toss it in the oven and let the oven do all the work. It’s so easy, and you can even make it during the week.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

Greek Yogurt – It’s best to use unflavored and unsweetened yogurt. Anything else will most likely result in odd flavors that don’t go well with the other ingredients.
Lemon Juice – Nothing beats using fresh lemon juice. The bottled stuff is okay, but it’s not going to give you that extra pizzazz.
Avocado Oil – I prefer to use avocado oil, but you could exchange it for olive oil too.
Garlic – I’m a huge fan of garlic, so I typically add 5 cloves. You can adjust that amount based on what you like.
Ginger – The key is using fresh ginger that’s been peeled and grated. Ginger tastes great, but it also happens to have vitamin C, zinc, phosphorus, potassium, iron, and more.
Garam Masala Spice Mix – Using garam masala is a must when making tandoori chicken. It’s a combination of coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, mace, and cinnamon.
Spices – This recipe uses a combination of salt, turmeric, cumin, coriander, sweet paprika, and cayenne, and it’s perfection!
Chicken – You will need bone-in chicken thighs and chicken drumsticks for this recipe.
Garnishes – For garnishing tandoori chicken, I like to use red onions, cilantro, and lime wedges. You can use as much or as little as you like.

HOW TO MAKE TANDOORI CHICKEN

1. Trim off any skin that is on the chicken. Be careful to ensure that the meat stays on the bone.

2. Combine the yogurt, lemon juice, avocado oil, minced garlic, ginger, garam masala, salt, turmeric, cumin, coriander, paprika, and cayenne in a large bowl.

3. Place the chicken in the bowl with the marinade and coat it well.

4. Cover the bowl with tin foil, plastic wrap, or a lid and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. It can marinate for up to 12 hours.

5. Heat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking pan with tin foil. Add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil and spread it around on the pan.

6. Take the chicken out of the marinade and scrape off any excess. Then place the pieces on the baking pan.

7. Bake until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, around 45-50 minutes.

FAQS ABOUT TANDOORI CHICKEN

WHAT DOES TANDOORI CHICKEN TASTE LIKE?

It’s an insanely good combination of succulent chicken that is earthy, garlicky and has a hint of tangy lemon. Due to using both Greek yogurt and avocado oil in the marinate, it will be some of the juiciest chicken you’ll ever taste.

WHAT DO YOU EAT TANDOORI CHICKEN WITH?

We prefer to stick with healthy and simple sides when making baked tandoori chicken. Rice, fresh garden salads, naan bread, and roasted veggies are typical choices. They help you complete the meal, and everyone will be satisfied.

HOW DO YOU STORE LEFTOVER CHICKEN?

Keep the chicken in an airtight container once it’s cooled down. Then put in the fridge and it will last for 3-4 days. You can also freeze leftovers too. Place the pieces of chicken in the freezer for up to 3 months in a sealed container.

If you are into batch cooking and meal prepping, this roasted chicken is a must. It’s easy to reheat and makes a great lunch or quick dinner option when you don’t have time to cook.

HOW DO YOU REHEAT CHICKEN?

There are a couple of methods that would work well for reheating the chicken. Let’s take a quick look:

Oven Method: Place the chicken in a baking dish and reheat at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or so until the chicken is hot.

Microwave Method: Add the chicken to a plate and heat covered in the microwave. It usually heats pretty fast and only needs 1- 2 minutes, depending on how much you are heating at a time. If you have a lot to warm, you may need to work in batches and only heat 3-4 pieces at a time.

We love eating chicken at our house, and even the kids will eat it without complaint. (most of the time!) Check out my Oven Baked Caprese Chicken, Oven Roasted Chicken, and Skillet Chicken with Mushrooms and Peppers for inspiration for dinner. Want to grill out? Try my Best Grilled Chicken recipe!

If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating below! It’s so helpful for other readers to see which recipes are tried and true! I’d also love to see it–share your photo of this dish and tag me on Instagram, and I’ll feature you!

Katelyn Porter says

May 26, 2021 at 8:12 am

My new favorite chicken recipe!