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 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.
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 airfryer tandoori chicken. Using Greek yogurt in the marinade makes it very tender and moist inside.
Step-by-step Pictures:
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 Airfry 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 depending upon how thick the pieces are.
Turn 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.
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.
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 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.
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.
Airfryer Tandoori Chicken Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb. or 750 gm. chicken
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
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 Airfry 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 depending upon how thick the pieces are. Turn 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. You don’t want the chicken to overcook and become stringy.
- 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.
Nutrition
Your delicious healthy Airfryer chicken tandoori is ready to eat. Have it as a side or a starter.
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.
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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.