Make Classic Indian Tandoori Chicken on your outdoor grill! Chicken legs marinated in yogurt and aromatic spices deliver a classic Indian dish with a unique flavor that’s perfect for summer entertaining.
What is Indian Tandoori Chicken?
Traditionally Tandoori Chicken is cooked in a clay oven (tandoor) heated with charcoal. Cooking Tandoori Chicken in the conventional oven using a sheet pan is an easy dinner for the weekdays. Tandoori chicken with baked veggies is a wholesome low-carb meal that’s Keto Diet friendly.
No outdoor grill? Use your oven!
- Make 3 – 4 deep slits on each chicken drumstick and marinate with thick, whole milk plain yogurt or Greek yogurt, oil, and spices for a minimum of 2 hours.
- Pre-heat the oven to 420ºF and arrange the drumsticks on the sheet pan with 2 – 3 inches space in between.
- Bake for 25 minutes on one side and turn the drumsticks to the other side and continue baking for another 25 minutes.
- Turn on the broiling mode and broil for 6 minutes, 3 minutes on each side. Tandoori Chicken is ready to serve.
Why use chicken legs in this classic Indian dish?
Skinless chicken thighs and drumsticks are the best for Tandoori chicken. These parts of the chicken are comparatively tender and perfect for optimal results. Marinating the chicken in the thick plain yogurt is important because yogurt adds enzymes and helps in tenderizing the chicken. The longer you marinate the chicken, the more tender it will be.
Unlike traditional Tandoori chicken, there is no artificial red food dye in this recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Skinless Chicken Drumsticks
- 6 tbsp Greek or Whole Milk Plain Yogurt
- 1 tbsp Red Chili Powder
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tbsp Garam Masala
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 2 tbsp Vegetable or Canola Oil + more for brushing the grill grates
Instructions
- Make 3 - 4 deep slits on the chicken drumsticks using a sharp knife.
- Marinate the chicken drumsticks with red chili powder, oil, yogurt, coriander powder, salt, garam masala and ginger garlic paste.
- Apply oil on the grill grates and let the oil on the grates start smoking off.
- Arrange drumsticks on the grates with 2 - 3 inches space apart and cook covered over low to medium heat for 30 - 35 minutes or until the temperature of the drumsticks reaches 165ºF.
- Flip the drumsticks every 5 - 7 minutes for even cooking.
- Rest the grilled chicken drumsticks for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Home Chef Tips: Cooking time varies depending on the grill type. Cook until the internal temperature of the chicken drumsticks reaches 165ºF. Flip the drumsticks whenever needed to prevent them from burning. Add spices according to your taste.
Tandoori chicken is an easy appetizer for summer entertaining. You could marinate the chicken a day before the party and store in the refrigerator. The marinated chicken stays well in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Tandoori chicken pairs well with the other BBQ spread. It is an ideal appetizer for everyone, my kids love to eat with ketchup.
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We hope you enjoy this Indian Tandoori Chicken recipe from SoFabFood Home Chef, Antonet from Anto’s Kitchen, as much as we do. If you love this dish, you can find more like it by visiting our Outdoor Grilling Section. For daily recipe inspiration, subscribe to our newsletter, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Pinterest. Enjoy!
