Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori Chicken Tips

Cuts of Chicken

Please use these timings as a guide. Every air fryer is different and you may need to adjust the cooking time and temperature based on your particular model. Refer to your manual for specific instructions.

Cooking time will depend on what part of the chicken you’re using. Measure the internal temperature of the chicken by inserting a digital thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken to make sure it’s fully cooked.

Boneless chicken thighs

Boneless skinless chicken thighs are convenient and no fuss. At 380° F, they air fry in about 12 to 14 minutes. The chicken is fully cooked at an internal temperature of 165 degrees F but for optimal flavor, the chicken should be at about 180 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bone-in chicken legs and chicken thighs

You can also make air fryer tandoori chicken legs and/or bone-in thighs. They’re more flavorful, more forgiving, and harder to overcook. Make a few slashes in the chicken with a sharp knife to allow the marinade to penetrate. At 380° F, they take about 18 to 20 minutes to cook. Cook the chicken to about 180 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature.

Boneless chicken breast

I’m not a huge fan of chicken breasts and prefer to use chicken drumsticks and thighs for most of my recipes. You can use chicken breast, but you’ll have to reduce the cook time.

Keep in mind that it’s easier to overcook chicken breast since it’s white meat. If the chicken pieces are too thick, place them between two sheets of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound the chicken to even out the thickness.

At 380 degrees, they take about 13 to 15 minutes to cook. Cook chicken until it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature. Bone-in chicken breasts can take another 7 to 10 minutes longer.

Tandoori Spice

I always use Shan Tandoori Masala spice mix. The word masala means spice. It’s a pre-mixed blend that’s available at South Asian or Indian grocery stores. It’s also available on Amazon. If you can’t find this mix, you can use Shan Chicken Tikka mix. If you can’t get hold of either, use the following spice powders:

• 1 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder (or a smaller quantity of cayenne pepper)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder

In restaurants, tandoori chicken has a red color because they add red food coloring. I choose not to use food coloring but add some paprika for color, instead.

Yogurt

For this tandoori chicken recipe, it’s important to use thick whole-milk plain yogurt. You can either use Greek yogurt or you can take regular yogurt and strain it, letting the liquid drain for about an hour.

Brown Sugar

I like the balance that the sugar provides. It’s not a lot of sugar, but it adds a nice touch to the marinade. This tip is from my mother-in-law. You can omit the sugar if you wish.

Fenugreek

Fenugreek is an herb that’s commonly used in Indian cooking.  In Hindi, it’s referred to as methi or kasuri methi. Methi leaves and seeds are common in Indian cooking. Fenugreek’s flavor has been described as a cross between celery and maple.

I like to use dried fenugreek leaves because of their shelf life and they’re easily available at Indian grocery stores or on amazon. I highly recommend fenugreek but if you can’t find it, omit it.

Ginger Paste and Garlic Paste

Many Indian recipes call for ginger paste, garlic paste, or ginger garlic paste. I learned to cook from my mom and she generally doesn’t use these pastes, so I just mince the ginger and finely chop garlic for most recipes.

However, for this recipe, you should try and use ginger paste and garlic paste because it gives the marinade a bold flavor and a smooth consistency. You can buy these at the Indian store but you can make them at home too.

Blend ginger or garlic to a smooth paste, with enough oil to get the blender contents moving. The leftover paste can be frozen in ice cube trays and used in any recipe calling for ginger or garlic. Since this recipe uses equal quantities of both, you can blend equal quantities (by weight) of ginger and garlic.

One teaspoon of garlic paste equals one teaspoon (a large clove) of garlic. One teaspoon of ginger paste equals one teaspoon of minced ginger.

I’ve made this tandoori chicken recipe numerous times with ginger powder and garlic powder. They are fine substitutes, but with mellower flavor. Use 1/2 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 tsp ginger powder.

FAQS

How to Make Chicken Tandoori in the Oven

• You can double or triple the recipe for the grill or oven.
• Make the marinade
• Let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes, preferably 4 to 6 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place a rack on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.
• Place chicken on the rack, shaking off excess marinade.
• Bake for 20 minutes, flip the chicken and brush with some marinade.
• Bake for 15 more minutes, basting with more marinade if desired.
• Turn on broil mode and broil the chicken until it is slightly charred.

See the recipe card below for detailed instructions.