Restaurant-Style Tandoori Chicken (Easy Oven Recipe)

Juicy on the inside, charred at the edges and full of flavour, this tandoori chicken tastes like it came straight from a restaurant, but it’s made in your home oven. A thick spiced yoghurt marinade does all the work, so most of your time is just waiting while it soaks in. Marinate it overnight if you can. It’s worth it!

Serves: 3 | Prep: 10 mins | Marinate: 2 hours to overnight | Cook: 35 mins

Ingredients

• 3 chicken legs with thighs attached

For the marinade

• ½ cup thick Greek yoghurt
• 1½ tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger and garlic
• 1½ tsp garam masala
• 1½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1½ tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp chaat masala
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1½ tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• ⅛ tsp red food colouring

To finish

• A little oil for brushing
• Butter for brushing

Method

1. Score the chicken. Make deep cuts in the legs and thighs so the marinade can soak right in.
2. Make the marinade. Put the Greek yoghurt in a bowl and add the olive oil, ginger and garlic, garam masala, Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt, turmeric, chaat masala, lemon juice, kasuri methi and red food colouring. Whisk until smooth.
3. Marinate. Coat the chicken well in the marinade, working it into the cuts. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight. Keep any leftover marinade for basting.
4. Get ready to bake. Take the chicken out of the fridge so it reaches room temperature before cooking. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
5. Set up the tray. Put a wire rack in a baking tray and lay the chicken pieces on the rack.
6. First bake. Bake for 15 minutes.
7. Flip and baste. Take the tray out, turn the chicken over, brush on the rest of the marinade, then brush with a little oil.
8. Second bake. Return to the oven for another 15 minutes.
9. Char. Put the chicken under the grill (broiler) for 5 minutes to get those charred edges.
10. Finish. Brush with butter and enjoy!

Tips

• Use thick Greek yoghurt. Runny yoghurt slides off the chicken and won’t char as nicely.
• Cut deep. Scoring all the way to the bone helps the flavour go right through and the chicken cook evenly.
• Use the wire rack. Air can then circulate under the chicken, so it roasts instead of sitting in its juices.
• Room temperature matters. Chicken that goes in cold cooks unevenly.
• Watch it under the grill. Five minutes is enough to char it, so keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.

Serve it with

Mint chutney, sliced onions, lemon wedges and warm naan or rice.

FAQs

Can I skip the food colouring? Yes. Kashmiri chilli powder still gives a lovely red colour, just a bit less bright.

How long should I marinate it? At least 2 hours, but overnight gives the best flavour.

Why use a wire rack? It keeps the chicken off the tray, so the heat reaches every side and it chars better.