Tandoori chicken is a universally loved grilled chicken dish from Indian cuisine. Making it in air fryer cooks it faster yet keeping it moist inside and browned outside.
It is truly delicious and a great show stopper appetizer. It is also such an easy dish to make. The trick is in getting the marinade right. You can modify it to your taste.
I have shared a few tips which will help get you a flavourful and healthy air fryer tandoori chicken. Using Greek yogurt in the marinade makes it very tender and moist inside.
You will also love this Tandoori whole chicken in air fryer and air fryer tandoori chicken tikka.
You will also love KFC style Air fryer chicken drumsticks, Air fryer chicken tikka recipe, Air fryer Shake and Bake chicken, air fryer chicken parmesan, air fryer buffalo chicken tenders, air fryer bacon wrapped chicken, air fryer chicken leg quarters.
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What is Tandoori Chicken?
Tandoori Chicken is a spicy, grilled chicken done in a clay oven or tandoor. It is a popular dish in restaurants though I often dislike the bright food colour and the overdose of spices and oil that they use.
It is traditionally made in a clay tandoor but Air frying it gives it the same char and taste. You can also grill or bake this.
This homemade recipe is spicy and delightfully moist.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
1. Easy centerpiece: Tandoori chicken is a centerpiece dish. Just marinate the chicken and keep. Then it is quick to make in the air fryer. A real crowd pleaser too.
2. Healthy chicken main: Air frying keeps the chicken moist on the inside and with a delicious crust outside. Definitely healthy and tasty.
3. Versatile: Play around with the spices and yet it turns out delectable.
Variations and Substitutions
1. If you don't eat dairy, you can substitute Greek yogurt with plant-based yogurt like soy or peanut yogurt.
2. In case you can't source certain Indian spices, you can use substitutes like paprika, salt, pepper, garam masala, ground cinnamon and some ground cumin.
3. If you don't have chickpea flour, you can use all-purpose flour or cornstarch in its place.
Serving Suggestions
1. Tandoori chicken is traditionally served with yogurt mint sauce and onion rings and lemon wedges. Enjoy it with drinks or as a chicken main.
2. You can also pair tandoori chicken with naan or tandoori rotis and a salad for a tasty meal.
Instructions
Take similar pieces of chicken when making tandoori chicken. Eg. You can take chicken thighs, drumsticks or breast pieces with bone.
Make slashes and keep aside.
Now take all the ingredients for marinade and mix together to form a thick marinade.
It is important that the marinade be thick or else it will not adhere well to your chicken pieces.
In case you can't source certain spices, you can use substitutes like paprika, salt, pepper, garam masala, ground cinnamon and some ground cumin.
Now generously apply the marinade all over your chicken pieces and in the slashes.
Marinate for at least 2 hours. It is tastier if marinated overnight in the fridge.
To Air fry chicken
Preheat air fryer to 360 F or 180 C for 4 minutes.
Baste or spray the chicken with oil and place in the Air fryer basket. Don not allow overlap.
Let the chicken have enough space to cook evenly.
Cook for about 12-16 minutes at 360F or 180C depending upon how thick the pieces are.
Flip midway and baste/spray with oil again.
Once done your tandoori chicken will look nice and browned with a good char.
It will be crispy outside and moist inside. Take care to cook it evenly.
Serve hot sprinkled with chaat masala (optional) for more tang and with lemon wedges and onion rings.
Pro Tips:
1. Always take similar sized pieces of chicken. If not, cook the thicker pieces first and halfway through put in the smaller pieces to cook.
You don’t want the chicken to overcook and become stringy. To check that the chicken is perfectly cooked, use a meat thermometer. The temperature should be above 165F in the thickest part for the chicken to be cooked through.
2. We need Greek yoghurt so that the marinade is thick sticks well to the chicken. This also helps in keeping the chicken moist and tender.
3. You can use chicken with skin though I use chicken without skin.
4. Use paprika or Kashmiri chilli powder for low heat and a beautiful colour to the chicken.
5. Oil in the marinade and basting helps keep the chicken moist when cooking.
6. You can make the same recipe in the oven as well.
7. Dry the chicken well so that the marinade does not get watery and then the chicken will not crisp up as much.
📖 Recipe Card
Air fryer Tandoori Chicken Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb. chicken or 750 gm.
Marinade ingredients
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp. ginger garlic paste
- 2 tsp. paprika or Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 tsp. dried fenugreek or kasuri methi optional
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. pepper powder
- 1 tbsp. tandoori chicken masala or garam masala
- 2 tsp. chickpea flour or besan
- 1 tsp. oil
- Salt to taste
Basting
- 1 tsp. oil
Garnish
- Lemon wedges
- Onion rings
- Chaat masala
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Instructions
- Take similar pieces of chicken when making tandoori chicken. Eg. You can take chicken thighs, drumsticks or breast pieces with bone. Make slashes and keep aside.
- Now take all the ingredients for marinade and mix together to form a thick marinade. It is important that the marinade be thick or else it will not stick well to your chicken pieces.
- Now generously apply the marinade all over your chicken pieces and in the slashes.
- Marinade for at least 2 hours. It is tastier if marinated overnight in the fridge.
To Air fry chicken
- Preheat airfryer to 360 F or 180 C for 6 minutes.
- Baste or spray the chicken with oil and keep in the Airfryer basket. Cook for about 12-16 minutes at 360F or 180C depending upon how thick the pieces are. Flip midway and baste with oil again.
- Once done your tandoori chicken will look nice and browned with a good char. It will be crispy outside and moist inside. Take care to cook it evenly.
- Serve hot sprinkled with chaat masala (optional) for more tang and with lemon wedges and onion rings.
Notes
- Always take similar sized pieces of chicken. If not, cook the thicker pieces first and halfway through put in the smaller pieces to cook.
- We need Greek yoghurt so that the marinade is thick sticks well to the chicken. This also helps in keeping the chicken moist and tender.
- You can do away with pepper powder if you need less heat in your chicken or add more depending upon how spicy you want your chicken to be.
- Use paprika or Kashmiri chilli powder for low heat and a beautiful colour to the chicken.
- Oil in the marinade and basting helps keep the chicken moist when cooking.
- You can make the same recipe in the oven as well.
- Don't overcook or chicken will turn out dry and stringy.
- To check that the chicken is perfectly cooked, use a meat thermometer. The temperature should be above 165F in the thickest part for the chicken to be cooked through.
- 7. Dry the chicken well so that the marinade does not get watery and then the chicken will not crisp up as much.
Nutrition
Your delicious tandoori chicken in air fryer is ready to eat. Have it as a snack or main.
It is super tasty and a complete crowd pleaser at parties. This is high protein and low carb, perfect for weight watchers.
If you liked the recipe, I request you to leave a star * rating either on the recipe card or in the comments. Thanks.
Saroj Rohankar says
If I don’t want to make with the skin on, how do I do it ? If I do it without skin the top portion of the flesh becomes stiff & firm, that is not at all chewable.so my first try of chicken fry in air fryer was a complete flop ! 😟. Shall I cover the pieces with aluminium foil or something else you suggest ? Can I use aluminium foil in air fryer ?
Rachna says
I have never made tandoori chicken with skin. It gets a nice coating with the little besan used in the marinade. If you are air frying you will get a crust on top. Else like you mentioned you can try placing inside foil in which case moisture is trapped inside and will prevent the skin from browning too much. I have heard that people use aluminium foil in the air fryer safely. I haven't personally needed to use it so far.