Easy Baked Tandoori Chicken

Baked Tandoori Chicken – The tandoori paste made from scratch makes this Indian classic tastier than you could ever imagine. Don’t hesitate to add this to your next party menu. I guarantee that nobody will ever guess this delicious dish can be easily made at home. In simple words, it’s going to be a stunner!

Do you have a family favorite recipe that you make over and over again? I bet you have so many of them. I’m going to introduce you to another recipe to add to your collection. Excited? I am.

To be very honest, I’m totally obsessed with this tandoori chicken. I make it very often, no matter the weather or the time of the year. I think that clearly defines the depth of my love affair with this recipe. In fact, this is my ideal feast for a special occasion as it never fails to impress my guests. Again, if you’re thinking about a fabulous Sunday dinner, this is the perfect comforting meal.

Although tandoori chicken is traditionally cooked in tandoor or clay oven, today we are going to talk all about making this in the oven. Just because, you know, we don’t have tandoors in every household. And because I know that you will really love the idea of making your restaurant favorite in the comfort of your own home. Cool!

Homemade tandoori paste makes the base of this recipe. It’s a simple mix of few Indian spices like turmeric, fennel, coriander, garam masala, yogurt, lemon juice, ginger, garlic and dried fenugreek leaves. I think all the ingredients are very familiar to you except dried fenugreek leaves or kasuri methi. The dried leaves are not commonly used in Indian cuisine, but it is readily available from your Indian grocery store.

If you think you’re too busy to make this homemade paste, store bought tandoori paste will also do the job. But, on the other hand, if you don’t want to compromise the flavor, make the paste from scratch. It really makes a difference, and it’s certainly worth the effort.

Alright, so once you’ve made the tandoori paste, just rub it on to the chicken pieces. I used chicken thigh fillets in this recipe because I think that’s the most flavorful part of chicken. When baked, these will turn into juicy, melt-in-your-mouth pieces of deliciousness. Let the chicken fillets marinate for at least two hours in the refrigerator. Overnight is best. This will give enough time for the chicken to absorb all the wonderful flavors from the marinade.

I served this with mint chutney (get the recipe here), sliced vegetables (including cucumbers, tomatoes and red onions) and whole meal naan. Yum!

Well, this is my epic tandoori chicken recipe, and I’m pretty sure your whole family is going to love this!

Yield: 4

Tandoori Chicken

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The homemade tandoori paste makes this tandoori chicken a stunner.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 kg boneless chicken, cut into big pieces (I used chicken thigh)
• 1 tsp ground turmeric (turmeric powder)
• 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander (coriander powder)
• 1/2 tsp ground fennel (fennel powder)
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper (black pepper powder)
• 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
• 3 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 3 tbsp natural yogurt
• Juice of one lemon
• 1 tsp minced garlic (garlic paste)
• 1 tsp minced ginger (ginger paste)
• 2 tbsp oil
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 250C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Place chicken in a large bowl. Add turmeric, coriander, garam masala, black pepper, paprika, red chili powder, fennel, garlic, ginger, yogurt, lemon juice and oil. Season with salt. Toss the chicken well in the spices. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight if possible.
3. Arrange chicken in the tray in a single layer. Bake for 45 -50 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
4. Serve with naan or rice, mint chutney (recipe link below) and sliced red onions, cucumbers and tomatoes.

Notes

- You can add a pinch of tandoori color to the chicken if you like.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 465Total Fat 26gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 18gCholesterol 223mgSodium 290mgCarbohydrates 5gFiber 2gSugar 1gProtein 74g

***Get the recipe for mint chutney here.

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• Avocado Tandoori Chicken Sandwich
• Tandoori Roast Chicken
• Tandoori Chicken Salad