Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken – The smell of tandoori chicken cooking is heavenly. And now you can make it in your air fryer! Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken Legs are easy to make and take less time than traditional oven-roasted chicken legs. The result will be a succulent, tender, flavorful baked chicken that’s perfect for dipping into a cool yogurt sauce or enjoying with rice pilaf and naan bread.
Do you love the flavor of tandoori chicken but don’t want to spend your entire day in front of an oven? Try out this fantastic air fryer recipe. It only takes 10 minutes and is cooked to perfection!
If you love a great plate of Air Fryer Chicken, this recipe is for you! The traditional flavors are brought out, and they are amazing!
Soft, tender, and juicy chicken packed with flavors is one of the favorite global appetizers. Chicken Tandoori originated in India during the Mughal era, and traditionally it is prepared by roasting marinated chicken in Tandoor, which is a cylindrical clay oven. Tandoor works on the same Principle as the modern-day oven, but the wood fire gives the chicken a different texture and aroma. Many restaurants in India still use the Tandoor to stick with the traditional taste.
Since everyone cannot access Tandoor at home, you can prepare tandoori chicken in the oven or an iron skillet over a gas stove and the air fryer.
This AIR FRYER chicken tandoori is super delicious, easy, and gives the same result as an oven.
Suppose you are looking for even more Air Fryer Chicken Recipes. In that case, some of my favorite recipes are EASY AIR FRYER CHICKEN SANDWICH (CHICK-FIL-A COPYCAT), AIR FRYER HERB CRUSTED CHICKEN BREASTS, AIR FRYER PERUVIAN CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS, and AIR FRYER CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA.
What Is Tandoori Chicken?
Tandoori chicken is a dish that originates from India. It is made with marinated meat that is cooked in a clay oven called a tandoor. The word “tandoor” means clay oven because this cooking technique was used for cooking food for centuries before the invention of metal ovens and stoves.
Tandoori chicken can be served as an entree, appetizer, or snack, and it usually comes with naan bread on the side.
This is a great and easy way to make a great batch of tandoori chicken in the air fryer!
Ingredients Needed For Tandoori Chicken Air Fryer
Tandoori chicken is a delicious Indian dish that’s definitely worth trying at home. Its succulent flavor comes from its marinade and the smoky flavor it gets from cooking in a tandoor oven traditionally used for clay-oven cooking.
Today we are taking this classic dish and updating it by making it in an air fryer! All you need to do is assemble some simple ingredients together, and you’ll have perfectly crispy tandoori chicken with minimal fuss or mess. So what are these ingredients? Here, we will walk through all of them so you can make your own delicious tandoori chicken air fryer recipes right at home!
- Chicken Thigh and Leg Piece
- Greek Yogurt
- Minced Garlic
- Garama Masala
- Salt
- Lime Juice
- Kasuri Methi
- Coriander Powder
- Black Pepper
- Red Chili Powder
- Gram Flour
- Mustard Oil
- Red Food Coloring
- Butter
How To Make Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken
Tandoori chicken is a classic Indian dish that has become increasingly popular worldwide thanks to its delicious and mildly spiced flavor. But if you’re looking for an easy way to enjoy this flavorful dish without buying a tandoor oven or charcoal grill, air frying can be the solution!
Air fryers are versatile kitchen appliances with many potential applications; using one to make crispy tandoori chicken is no exception. Read on to learn how it’s done—we promise it will turn out as succulent and flavorful as it would from a traditional tandoor method!
Put a heavy bottom pan on the heat and add mustard oil. Let it heat up. Next, add the gram flour and roast it for a few seconds until fragrant; remove from heat, and set aside.
In a bowl, take hung curd, add ginger garlic paste, Garam Masala, red chili powder, Kasuri Methi, coriander powder, salt, pepper powder, and lime juice, and give it a nice whisk. Next, add in the prepared oil and gram flour mixture and mix everything properly.
Make deep gashes in the chicken and add them into the mixture. Add a few drops of red food color. (optional) Rub and coat the chicken properly in the marinade and let it rest for a minimum of 6 hours.
Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 180 degrees C / 350 degrees F line the basket with aluminum foil and put the marinated chicken in it. Brush some butter on the top. Cook for 10 minutes on one side, then turn and cook for another 7 -8 minutes. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.
Serve hot with lime wedges and onions sprinkled with Chaat Masala.
Ingredient Notes:
Chicken: I used a combination of chicken thigh and leg pieces, but you can substitute the chicken with either chicken drumsticks, legs, or thighs. The recipe will work the same, but the cooking time will be shortened.
Hung Curd: This is very similar to Greek yogurt and can be substituted for it.
Garam Masala: Garam masala combines different spices, but the most common are cinnamon, peppercorns, cardamom, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, mace, and nutmeg. You can usually found in the spice aisle at any American grocery store.
Kasuri Methi: Also known as Fenugreek Leaves, you can easily substitute them for celery leaves if you can not find them in the grocery store.
Gram Flour: This is a type of flour made from ground chickpeas. You can substitute for chickpea flour, lentil flour, quinoa flour, soybean flour, tapioca flour, or even buckwheat flour. You can also use all-purpose flour if none of these other options are available.
What To Serve With Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken
The most popular Indian dish is Tandoori chicken, but what do you serve with it? The most common answer to this question is naan bread.
Naan bread is a type of flatbread that can be made at home or purchased from the grocery store. You can also buy other Indian flatbreads like roti, which are similar to tortillas and chapati.
Another great option would be a garden salad or basmati rice.
Tandoori Chicken Tips
- For best results, use a meat thermometer and check the thickest part of the chicken, which should register 165 degrees F, before removing it from the air fryer.
- Marinade for at least 2 hours, but overnight will give you chicken the best flavor. Remember to discard any marinade after your raw chicken has been exposed to it.
Pro Tips
- This recipe will work in any Air Fryer Basket or Oven Model. This recipe will also work in any specialty air fryer, such as the Ninja Foodi, Instant Pot Vortex, Instant Pot Crisp Lid, and the Meatlhy lid. The cooking time will vary slightly.
- Aerosol sprays aren’t recommended because they usually contain ingredients that damage your air fryer basket’s finish.
- Use a pair of tongs, and flip your chicken frequently during cooking. This will ensure that the chicken is fully cooked evenly on all sides.
How do you store leftover chicken drumsticks?
You can store drumsticks in the fridge for three days before they spoil. Place them into an airtight container.
To Reheat: Place the drumsticks into the air fryer or microwave and heat until warm.
Can you use chicken wings instead of drumsticks?
You can make chicken wings in the air fryer with this recipe. Just adjust your cooking time since they’re smaller and cook faster than their larger counterparts!
Reduce the cooking time, and check with a meat thermometer, which should register 165 degrees F, before removing chicken from the air fryer.
What temperature do I cook chicken legs to?
According to the USDA, you should cook chicken until it reaches 165 degrees F, in the thickest part of the chicken. A meat thermometer is one of the essential tools that you need when owning an air fryer!
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes:
- AIR FRYER HERB CRUSTED CHICKEN BREASTS
- AIR FRYER PERUVIAN CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS
- EASY AIR FRYER CHICKEN SANDWICH (CHICK-FIL-A COPYCAT)
- AIR FRYER CHICKEN CHIMICHANGAS
- AIR FRYER CHICKEN, BROCCOLI, AND BELL PEPPER
- CRISPY AIR FRYER CHICKEN WINGS
- AIR FRYER DRY RUBBED CHICKEN WINGS
- AIR FRYER BUFFALO CHICKEN KEBABS
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Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken
Description
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken thighs, or chicken legs
- 1/2 cup hung curd , or Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon Kasuri Methi , (dried fenugreek leaves)
- teaspoon coriander powder
- teaspoon ground black pepper powder
- 2 teaspoons red chili powder
- 2 tablespoons gram flour
- 2 tablespoons mustard oil, (if available, otherwise you can use any oil you prefer)
- 2 drops red food coloring, optional
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Put a heavy bottom pan on the heat and add mustard oil, let it heat up. Next, add the gram flour and roast it for a few seconds until fragrant, remove from heat, and set aside.
- In a bowl take hung curd, add ginger garlic paste, Garam Masala, red chili powder, Kasuri Methi, coriander powder, salt, pepper powder, and lime juice, and give it a nice whisk.
- Next, add in the prepared oil and gram flour mixture and mix everything properly.
- Make deep gashes in the chicken and add them into the mixture. Add a few drops of red food color. (optional)
- Rub and coat the chicken properly in the marinade and let it rest for a minimum of 6 hours.
- Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 180-degree C / 350 degrees F. line the basket with aluminum foil and put the marinated chicken in it. Brush some butter on the top. Cook for 10 minutes on one side then turn and cook for another 7 -8 minutes. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.
- Serve hot with lime wedges and onions, sprinkled with Chaat Masala.
- Plate, serve, and enjoy!
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Cooking Spray
- Parchment Paper, or Aluminum Foil
Notes
Ingredient Notes:
Chicken: I used a combination of chicken thigh and leg pieces, but you can substitute the chicken to either chicken drumsticks, legs, or thighs. The recipe will work the same, but the cooking time will be shortened. Hung Curd: This is very similar to Greek yogurt and can be substituted out for it. Garam Masala: Garam masala is a combination of different spices, but the most common are cinnamon, peppercorns, cardamom, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, mace, and nutmeg. You can usually found in the spice aisle at any American grocery store. Kasuri Methi: Also known as Fenugreek Leaves, you can easily substitute them for celery leaves if you can not find them in the grocery store. Gram Flour: This is a type of flour made from ground chickpeas. You can substitute for chickpea flour, lentil flour, quinoa flour, soybean flour, tapioca flour, or even buckwheat flour. You can also use all-purpose flour if you have none of these other options available.Nutrition
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Susan
I bought an air fryer last week (a bit behind the crowd!) and found your website. This is BY FAR the tastiest tandoori chicken I have ever made! Thanks so much for this keeper of a recipe! I’m craving it again this morning!