Tandoori chicken is a traditional Indian dish served as an appetizer and is used to make the famous chicken tikka masala. It’s yogurt-marinated chicken, charred in a high-temperature oven called tandoor. This recipe simulates the tandoor effect in the air fryer to make delicious, juicy, charred chicken tandoori tikka thighs. It has been our go-to dinner for the past few years. My husband likes it with his vegetable soup; I eat it with a salad and naan. The beauty of this recipe is that it’s easy enough to make every day but can also be served on special occasions. The marinade is very simple, especially if you already have an Indian panty. It’s perfect for cooking single-person meals and meals for smaller families. There are two other similar Indian style chicken recipes I make quite often-Indian style baked chicken using whole chicken and a masala fried chicken called chicken 65 from south India. Both have been a reader favorite on the website!
Ingredients for Tandoori Chicken
Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this delicious recipe
Chicken Thigh- You could use chicken drumsticks or legs but chicken thighs have the best texture when cooked in the air fryer. It stays juicy and can be cut after the chicken is cooked. Yogurt- Thick yogurt works the best. It not only sticks better to the chicken but it also forms a good “crust” when cooked. I like to use Greek yogurt because it’s thick right out of the box, plus extra protein doesn’t hurt anyone! Ground Kashmiri Chili - In most restaurants, the red color of tandoori chicken comes from the food color. We do not use food color at home, and a good natural substitute is Kashmiri chili powder. It gives more red color than heat. You can choose to use any ground chili powder like paprika or cayenne you have on hand. Ginger Garlic Paste- Make fresh or get storebought. Turmeric & ground coriander seeds - Both are staples in Indian cooking and are available online and in Indian stores. Kasoori methi or dried fenugreek leaves is the umami behind north Indian food. It takes any dish from average to fantastic, and if you cook foods like butter chicken and dal makhani at home, I strongly urge you to get some. It’s inexpensive and lasts forever in the pantry.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to Air Fry Tandoor Chicken
Step 1: Marination
Traditionally, tandoori chicken calls for two marinades, but I can’t be bothered with it on a daily basis, so we put everything in one marinade. Mix the yogurt, salt, turmeric, chili, and kasoori methi. Give it a taste. The marinade should be a little more “strong” than the flavors you would like in the chicken. If the yogurt is not sour enough, add a little lemon juice to balance it. Add the chicken thighs to the spice marinade. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes. Use that time to preheat the air fryer. Marinate the chicken for 3-24 hours in the refrigerator for best results.
Step 2: Air fry
Spray the air fryer basket with some oil.Or brush with oil. Preheat the air fryer by running it empty for 5 minutes at 200C or 400F. Place the chicken in the preheated air fryer in a single layer and brush it with ghee or oil. Air fry for 15 minutes till the outside of the chicken is lightly charred. Remove the chicken from the air fryer, cut into bite-size pieces, squeeze lemon juice and serve hot.
Tandoori Chicken in Oven
You can make the same recipe in the oven, too. I use the oven when I have to make the chicken in larger quantities. You can simply stick it in the oven at 200C or 400F for 30 minutes. The other option is to use an oven-proof pan, char the thighs on the stovetop, and cook in the oven at 200C or 400F for 30 minutes. Another favorite kebab that can be made easily at home is shami kebab.I always have freezer stash of this ready to fry at moment notice!
Serving tandoori chicken
As an appetizer, tandoori chicken is served with onion slices, lime wedges, and a tangy Indian green chutney. I like to use tandoori chicken to meal prep for the week. I eat it along with salads and soups. You can also use leftover tandoori chicken to make the famous chicken tikka masala. Check the photo after the recipe card. Serve this as a part of any Indian meal, whether basic everyday dal rice or an elaborate meal with slow-cooked dal makhani, garlic naan, and jeera rice. Here is a photo of how I used this air-fried chicken into making the best butter chicken ever!
