Tandoori Chicken Easy Recipe. Who doesn’t love the smoky, flavorful taste of Tandoori Chicken? This dish, originating from the Indian subcontinent, has captured hearts (and taste buds) worldwide. It’s a tantalizing blend of spices, yogurt, and perfectly cooked chicken that’s hard to resist. If you’ve ever thought that making this at home sounds too challenging, think again! This recipe will show you just how simple and rewarding it can be.
For more Chicken Recipe, check out my Cambodian Lemon Grass Chicken Drumsticks, Easy Fried Chicken Recipe, Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks, and Drums of Heaven Chicken Lollipops.

What is Tandoori Chicken?
Tandoori Chicken is a traditional Indian dish known for its vibrant red hue, smoky flavor, and juicy texture. It is prepared by marinating chicken pieces in a blend of yogurt, spices, and aromatics and then cooking them at high heat in a tandoor (a cylindrical clay oven). The dish gets its name from this cooking method, and its characteristic smoky flavor results from this unique technique. While it is traditionally cooked in a tandoor, you can recreate the magic using an oven, grill, or even a stovetop.
Why You’ll love this Tandoori Chicken
I recently visited an Indian restaurant in Washington where they serve the most delicious Tandoori chicken. They even showed us the tandoor they use for cooking, and I was amazed at how this simple, family-owned restaurant successfully maintains its business. While I would love to recreate this dish at home, I have to take a non-traditional approach for obvious reasons—I don’t have a tandoor, and the authentic ingredients are unavailable in my town. So, here’s my version of non-traditional Tandoori chicken and why you will love it.
- Easy Recipe: This non-traditional recipe ensures that the marinade and the cooked chicken have the authentic flavor of Chicken Tandoori, using ingredients readily available at local stores.
- Budget-Friendly: Despite ongoing inflation, chicken remains one of the more affordable meat options compared to others.
- Juicy and Tasty: This Chicken Tandoori is flavorful and juicy, with a beautiful marinade.

Ingredients for Authentic Tandoori Chicken
As I mentioned a while ago, this is a nontraditional way of making Tandoori Chicken, so I am using available ingredients and, at the same time, trying to capture the authentic Tandoori Chicken taste. Here are the ingredients I used.
For the Chicken Marinade:
- Chili Powder
- Ginger Powder
- Salt
- Ground Black Pepper
- Cayenne Pepper
- Turmeric
- Ground Cumin
- Non-Fat Greek Yogurt
- Lemon Juice
- Dried Oregano Leaves
5 lbs Whole Chicken
Step-by-Step Recipe for Tandoori Chicken
Step 1: Prepare the Marinade
- Clean the chicken thoroughly and pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture.
- Spatchcock the Chicken: place the chicken on a flat surface. Starting from the tail, cut both sides with a sharp knife.
- Holding both sides of the chicken, open it like a book. Pressing the middle. Please see the video for visuals.

Step 3: Marinate the Chicken
- Generously coat the chicken with the marinade, ensuring that it fills the slits for maximum flavor infusion.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer the marinated chicken to an airtight container.
- Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, with overnight marination preferred for optimal flavor and tenderness.

Step 4: Cook the Chicken
Oven Method:
- Preheat your oven to 365 F
- Put a baking tray on top of your baking sheet.
- Arrange the whole chicken on top of the rack.
- Bake for one hour and thirty minutes.
Tips for Perfect Tandoori Chicken
- Choose bone-in pieces for juicier results. Use thick yogurt to help the marinade adhere perfectly to the chicken.
- Avoid overcooking the chicken, as this can lead to dryness; aim for a cooked internal temperature of about 165°F (75°C).
- Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes post-cooking to let the juices redistribute, ensuring tender bites.
Serving Suggestions for Tandoori Chicken
Enhance your Tandoori Chicken experience by pairing it with:
- Refreshing mint chutney or cooling cucumber raita for a delightful contrast.
- Warm naan, flaky paratha, or fluffy basmati rice to complement the spices.
- A fresh salad with sliced onions, cucumbers, and lemon wedges for extra crunch and zest.
Tandoori Chicken Easy Recipe
Equipment
- Oven
- 1 baking sheet
- 1 Sheet Rack
- 1 Small Bowl
- 1 spatula
Ingredients
- 5 lbs Whole Chicken
- 1 tbsp Melted Butter to brush the chicken
Marinade Ingredients
- 1 tsp Chili Powder
- 1/4 tsp Ginger Powder
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 5.3 Oz Non Fat Greek Yogurt, 150 g
- 1/2 Lemon Juice of half Fresh Lemon
- 1 tbsp Dried Oregano Leaves
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken
- Clean the chicken thoroughly and pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture.
- Spatchcock the Chicken: place the chicken on a flat surface. Starting from the tail, cut both sides with a sharp knife.Holding both sides of the chicken, open it like a book. Pressing the middle. Please see the video for visual.
Marinade
- Mix the marinade spices until there are no lumps. Cover the chicken with the marinade and let the chicken sit in the fridge overnight.
- Preheat oven to 365 F. Place the oven rack in the middle and bake the Chicken for one and a half hours Or fifteen minutes per lb. Once the chicken is done cooking, brush it with the melted butter and let it sit for fifteen minutes before slicing.
Video
Nutrition
- Combine the marinade ingredients in a small bowl.
- Stir the mixture well until you achieve a smooth, thick paste that can easily coat the chicken.
Step 2: Prepare the Chicken
- Clean the chicken thoroughly and pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture.
- Spatchcock the Chicken: place the chicken on a flat surface. Starting from the tail, cut both sides with a sharp knife.
- Holding both sides of the chicken, open it like a book. Pressing the middle. Please see the video for visuals.

Step 3: Marinate the Chicken
- Generously coat the chicken with the marinade, ensuring that it fills the slits for maximum flavor infusion.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer the marinated chicken to an airtight container.
- Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, with overnight marination preferred for optimal flavor and tenderness.

Step 4: Cook the Chicken
Oven Method:
- Preheat your oven to 365 F
- Put a baking tray on top of your baking sheet.
- Arrange the whole chicken on top of the rack.
- Bake for one hour and thirty minutes.
Tips for Perfect Tandoori Chicken
- Choose bone-in pieces for juicier results. Use thick yogurt to help the marinade adhere perfectly to the chicken.
- Avoid overcooking the chicken, as this can lead to dryness; aim for a cooked internal temperature of about 165°F (75°C).
- Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes post-cooking to let the juices redistribute, ensuring tender bites.
Serving Suggestions for Tandoori Chicken
Enhance your Tandoori Chicken experience by pairing it with:
- Refreshing mint chutney or cooling cucumber raita for a delightful contrast.
- Warm naan, flaky paratha, or fluffy basmati rice to complement the spices.
- A fresh salad with sliced onions, cucumbers, and lemon wedges for extra crunch and zest.
Tandoori Chicken Easy Recipe
Equipment
- Oven
- 1 baking sheet
- 1 Sheet Rack
- 1 Small Bowl
- 1 spatula
Ingredients
- 5 lbs Whole Chicken
- 1 tbsp Melted Butter to brush the chicken
Marinade Ingredients
- 1 tsp Chili Powder
- 1/4 tsp Ginger Powder
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 5.3 Oz Non Fat Greek Yogurt, 150 g
- 1/2 Lemon Juice of half Fresh Lemon
- 1 tbsp Dried Oregano Leaves
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken
- Clean the chicken thoroughly and pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture.
- Spatchcock the Chicken: place the chicken on a flat surface. Starting from the tail, cut both sides with a sharp knife.Holding both sides of the chicken, open it like a book. Pressing the middle. Please see the video for visual.
Marinade
- Mix the marinade spices until there are no lumps. Cover the chicken with the marinade and let the chicken sit in the fridge overnight.
- Preheat oven to 365 F. Place the oven rack in the middle and bake the Chicken for one and a half hours Or fifteen minutes per lb. Once the chicken is done cooking, brush it with the melted butter and let it sit for fifteen minutes before slicing.
Video
Nutrition
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