Very mildly charred and crispy with a smoky aftertaste, tandoori chicken can be an ideal meal for any time! Tender and juicy pieces of chicken marinated in yogurt, herbs, and spices…simply irresistible. Cooked initially in a cylindrical clay oven over charcoal heat, you can now make the same Tandoori Chicken at home. 

And all you need is a Clay Tandoori Oven. We know how to bring out the authentic flavor and taste of our food using a secret blend of herbs and spices. With these special spices, and a special clay oven in which the chicken is cooked, this tandoori chicken becomes juicier, tastier, and more unique.

So, let’s get started with the process!

The preps

This no fuss, easy to follow recipe is the perfect way to create the most delicious and tender tandoori chicken you’ve ever tasted! It is healthy, great for meal prep, and comes together in just minutes. 

First comes first…the marinade! This tandoori chicken recipe doesn’t require a long list of ingredients. All you need is your favorite chicken cut, tandoori masala mix, oil, yogurt, lemon juice, and garlic ginger paste. In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, oil, lemon juice, tandoori masala, garlic ginger paste, salt, and black pepper. Place the chicken thighs in the bowl with the marinade and mix well, making sure all the chicken pieces are fully coated. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate it for a minimum of a couple of hours, ideally overnight.

Pro tip: You can serve this tandoori chicken as a starter or as a main course. Alternatively, you can use the cooked chicken pieces as a base for a creamy curry dish to enjoy with your favorite basmati rice!

The tandoor part!

This classic tandoori chicken dish is very easy to make at home in just a few minutes without any hassle. When you are ready to cook, preheat the tandoor oven. Remove the marinated chicken from the fridge and bring it to room temperature while the oven is heating up. Thread marinated chicken pieces on the skewers and place those loaded skewers vertically in the tandoor. Let them cook them in the tandoor for 25 to 30 minutes. 

The best part is, you can manage the flame of the tandoor oven to avoid dry and rubbery tandoori chicken. So, keep a close eye on the chicken when using a clay oven (since it heats up rapidly). Don’t overcook it, and make sure you remove it from the oven at just the right time to ensure it’s moist and juicy. And now for the big reveal, the aroma of tandoori chicken, a perfectly charred look, and the shine from the chicken juices…oh-so-good! 

We’re not done yet!

Serve this classic tandoori chicken piece with a plate full of fluffy basmati rice. For this, you only need white basmati rice and salt. Soak basmati rice in cold water. Then rinse the rice with water. Now, place the rice into the rice pot. Add water to the pot and add salt to taste. Turn on the rice cooker and let it cook. Fluff the cooked rice and enjoy it with tandoori chicken, voila!

Looking to bring the authentic Tandoor experience to your home? Check out Tandoor Morni for more tandoor oven options! If you need more tandoori recipes, check them out here.