Authentic Tandoori Chicken Recipe – Juicy, Smoky & Restaurant-Style at Home

Authentic Tandoori Chicken Recipe – Juicy, Smoky & Restaurant-Style at Home

Authentic Tandoori Chicken Recipe – Make tandoori chicken at home with this easy step-by-step recipe. Learn the secret marinade, cooking tips, and oven/air-fryer methods for juicy, smoky perfection.

 

By Amit Kaul
Location: India
Published on: February 17, 2026 

 

Tandoori Chicken – India’s Most Loved Grilled Classic

Few dishes define Indian cuisine as much as tandoori chicken. With its vibrant red color, smoky aroma, and juicy interior, this dish has become globally popular — from street food stalls to fine dining restaurants.

The secret lies in a double-marination with yogurt, spices, and lemon that tenderizes the chicken while infusing it with deep flavor. Traditionally cooked in a clay tandoor, you can easily recreate the same restaurant-style tandoori chicken in an oven, pan, or air fryer.

This recipe guarantees soft meat inside and a slightly charred crust outside — exactly the way it should be.

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Ingredients (Serves 3–4)

Chicken

1. 750 g chicken (leg pieces or thighs, bone-in preferred)
2. 2 tbsp lemon juice
3. 1 tsp salt

First Marinade

1. 1 tsp red chilli powder
2. ½ tsp turmeric powder
3. 1 tsp ginger garlic paste

Second Marinade

1. 1 cup thick curd (hung yogurt)
2. 1½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
3. 1 tsp coriander powder
4. 1 tsp cumin powder
5. 1 tsp garam masala
6. 1 tsp roasted besan (gram flour)
7. 1 tbsp mustard oil (smoking hot, then cooled)
8. ½ tsp black pepper
9. 1 tsp kasuri methi (crushed)
10. Salt to taste

For Cooking

1. Butter or ghee for basting
2. Chaat masala for garnish
3. Onion rings & lemon wedges

How to Make Tandoori Chicken (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Prep the Chicken

Wash and pat dry the chicken. Make deep cuts on each piece — this allows the marinade to penetrate and ensures juicy meat.

Step 2: First Marination

Rub lemon juice, salt, chilli powder, turmeric, and ginger-garlic paste.
Rest for 20 minutes. This removes the raw smell and tenderizes meat.

Step 3: Second Marination

In a bowl, mix yogurt, spices, mustard oil, and besan.
Coat chicken thoroughly and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours (overnight is best).

This step defines the authentic tandoori chicken recipe flavor.

Cooking Methods

Oven Method (Best Result)

1. Preheat oven to 220°C
2. Place the chicken on the rack over the tray
3. Bake 20 minutes
4. Flip, baste butter, bake 15 minutes
5. Broil/grill mode 5 minutes for char

Air Fryer Method

1. 180°C for 10 minutes
2. Flip + butter baste
3. 200°C for 8–10 minutes

Pan Method

1. Cook covered on medium heat, then uncover and roast until slightly charred.
2. Secret Tips for Smoky Restaurant Flavor
3. Always use hung curd (prevents watery marinade)
4. Mustard oil gives an authentic dhaba aroma
5. Kashmiri chilli gives color without too much heat

For real tandoor taste: place a hot coal in a bowl, add ghee, cover 2 minutes (dhungar method)

Why This Recipe Works

This is how to make tandoori chicken at home:

1. Acid (lemon)
2. Enzyme tenderizing (yogurt)
3. Fat (mustard oil)
4. Spice infusion (overnight marination)
5. Result → juicy inside + charred outside

Serving Suggestions

Serve hot with:

1. Mint chutney
2. Onion salad
3. Laccha paratha
4. Jeera rice

Perfect for dinner parties, weekend meals, and high-protein diets.

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Final Thoughts

Once you try this oven tandoori chicken or air fryer tandoori chicken, you’ll realize restaurant versions are easy to recreate at home. The double marination and slow cooking technique make all the difference.

Make it once — it will become your signature dish.

 

 

 

 About the Author

Amit Kaul is a food content writer and digital publisher based in India. He specializes in creating original, experience-driven recipes and home-cooking guides. All recipes published on this website are personally researched, tested, and written by him, following Google’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) guidelines.