Science-backed recipe

Tandoori Chicken: Charred Outside, Juicy Inside

Also called Tandoori Murgh · तंदूरी चिकन · تندوری چکن

Bone-in chicken marinated in yogurt or sour cream with ajwain, lemon, lal mirch, black pepper, garam masala, kasuri methi and ginger-garlic, then roasted very hot until charred. Plus what a real tandoor looks like and how this dish was born.

In short

Tandoori chicken is skinless chicken marinated in yogurt, ginger-garlic, Kashmiri chili, ajwain and garam masala, then roasted very hot until charred. It’s one of the leanest restaurant favorites, at about 320 calories and 39 g of protein per serving.

From the MedRise Food Science kitchenPublished November 7, 2026

Active: 55 min
Marinate: 6–24 hours
Total: 6 hr 55 min
Serves: 4

Jump to recipe Air fryer or Instant Pot air-fryer lid method Read the science

Tandoori chicken legs with a deep red charred crust on a gold-rimmed platter with lemon wedges, onion rings and mint chutney

Why this recipe works

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A marinade that clingsThick yogurt or sour cream coats the chicken and chars in the heat.
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Deep slashesCuts down to the bone let the marinade in and help the thick parts cook evenly.
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Very high heatA hot oven or air fryer, then the broiler, mimic the tandoor’s blast of heat.
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Butter to finishA quick baste at the end, the way tandoor cooks do it.

The tandoor: a 5,000-year-old oven

A tandoor is a tall, cylindrical clay oven, usually sunk into the ground or set in a brick-and-mud surround. A charcoal or wood fire burns at the bottom, and the thick clay walls soak up the heat until the inside of the oven is fiercely hot.

Breads like naan and tandoori roti are slapped straight onto the inner walls, where they puff and blister in a minute or two. Meat goes in on long metal skewers, cooked all at once by the glowing coals below, the radiant heat of the walls and the hot air rising through the oven. That combination is what gives tandoori food its smoky char outside and juicy inside.

Ovens of this kind go back thousands of years: remains of clay tandoors have been found at Indus Valley sites. For most of that history, though, the tandoor was a bread oven.

Tandoori chicken as we know it took shape in Peshawar in undivided Punjab, at a small restaurant called Moti Mahal, where Kundan Lal Gujral and his partners began cooking yogurt-marinated chicken in the bread tandoor. After Partition in 1947, Gujral, Kundan Lal Jaggi and Thakur Dass Magu moved to Delhi and reopened Moti Mahal in Daryaganj, and from there tandoori chicken spread around the world.

Most home kitchens don’t have a tandoor, so these recipes use a very hot oven, an air fryer or an Instant Pot air-fryer lid, with a final blast under the broiler for char.

What does a tandoor look like?

Tandoori chicken is chicken marinated in yogurt and spices and roasted in a tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven. Its bright red color traditionally comes from Kashmiri chili, and its smoky char from the tandoor’s intense heat.

The photo shows a traditional tandoor: a clay oven with charcoal glowing at the bottom, naan baking on the walls and skewers of chicken standing inside. At home, a very hot oven, an air fryer or an Instant Pot air-fryer lid gets you close.

A traditional clay tandoor oven with glowing charcoal at the bottom, naan baking on the inner walls and skewers of tandoori chicken inside

The grill version

On the charcoal grill

Tandoori chicken legs charring over a charcoal grill with red onion rings and a grilled lemon

For the smokiest char, cook the marinated chicken over medium-hot charcoal, turning every few minutes, for 20–25 minutes until it reaches 165°F, then finish with the chaat masala butter.

Meet the ingredients

The marinade ingredients, with their English, Hindi and Urdu names.

Chicken legs and thighs

चिकन लेगمرغی کی ران

murghī kī rān

Bone-in, skinless chicken legs, thighs or drumsticks.

Its job: Dark meat stays juicy at high heat.

A small bowl of plain white yogurt with a spoon

Thick yogurt or sour cream

दही · खट्टी क्रीमدہی · کھٹی کریم

dahī

Plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, strained yogurt (hung curd) or sour cream.

Its job: The base of the marinade: it tenderizes the surface, clings and chars.

Fresh ginger root and garlic cloves on small plates

Ginger-garlic paste

अदरक लहसुन पेस्टادرک لہسن پیسٹ

adrak lahsun

Fresh ginger and garlic ground together, or store-bought paste.

Its job: Deep aromatic flavor.

Ajwain (carom seeds)

अजवाइनاجوائن

ajwāin

Tiny ridged seeds with a strong thyme-like flavor. Crush them lightly.

Its job: The classic tandoori note; a little goes a long way.

Lemon juice

नींबू का रसلیموں کا رس

nīmbū kā ras

Freshly squeezed.

Its job: Tang and brightness.

Red chili powder (lal mirch) measured by the teaspoon on a digital scale reading 1.8 g

Kashmiri red chili powder (lal mirch)

कश्मीरी लाल मिर्चکشمیری لال مرچ

kashmīrī lāl mirch

A mild, deep-red chili powder.

Its job: The famous red color with gentle heat.

Black pepper

काली मिर्चکالی مرچ

kālī mirch

Freshly ground.

Its job: Sharp heat that balances the yogurt.

Garam masala

गरम मसालाگرم مصالحہ

garam masālā

A ground blend of warming spices.

Its job: Warmth and depth.

Kasuri methi

कसूरी मेथीقصوری میتھی

kasūrī methī

Dried fenugreek leaves, crushed between your palms.

Its job: The signature restaurant aroma.

Grow it yourself: Cilantro (dhania), Mint (pudina), Methi (fenugreek), Garlic, Ginger

The lab notes

The science behind every step

Restaurant cooks do these things by habit. Here’s what each step is actually doing to the food, so you can cook by understanding instead of guesswork.

Lab note01

Why yogurt or sour cream

Coat the chicken in thick yogurt or sour cream with the spices.

Both are cultured dairy, mildly acidic and full of milk proteins. The gentle acid and enzymes soften the surface of the meat without turning it mushy the way a strong vinegar or lemon marinade can. Thick versions cling in a heavy layer, and their proteins and milk sugar brown and char in the heat. Sour cream has more fat and less tang than yogurt, so it gives a richer, milder coating that browns just as well.

Lab note02

Deep slashes to the bone

Cut 2–3 deep slashes into each piece before marinating.

The marinade only flavors the outer few millimeters of meat. Slashes create more surface for it to reach, let heat into the thickest parts so they cook at the same pace as the thin ends, and give extra edges to char.

Lab note03

Why the marinade needs hours

Marinate for at least 6 hours, and up to 24, in the fridge.

Salt is the ingredient that works deepest: given time, it moves into the meat and helps the muscle hold onto its moisture as it cooks, so the chicken stays juicy. Past about 24 hours the acid can make the surface mealy, so don’t go much longer.

Lab note04

Where the red comes from

Use Kashmiri red chili powder, plus a little food coloring for the restaurant look.

Kashmiri chili is prized for its deep red pigments and moderate heat; those pigments dissolve in the fat of the yogurt or sour cream and give a natural brick-red color. The vivid red-orange of restaurant tandoori chicken usually comes from added food coloring. It changes only the color, not the flavor, so it’s optional.

Lab note05

Ajwain, a little goes far

Crush the ajwain lightly before adding it.

Ajwain’s flavor comes from thymol, the same aroma compound found in thyme. Crushing the seeds releases it. It’s strong, so measure carefully.

Lab note06

Recreating the tandoor

Roast at 450°F (230°C) on a rack, then broil for char.

A tandoor cooks from every direction at once: radiant heat from the clay walls, hot air rising from the coals and direct heat from the fire. A very hot oven with the chicken on a rack lets air circulate all around, and a final broil supplies the direct top heat that chars the edges.

Lab note07

Done means 165°F

Cook until the thickest part reads at least 165°F (74°C).

All poultry must reach 165°F. Dark meat is actually most tender at about 175–185°F, because its connective tissue keeps softening at higher temperatures while the meat stays moist.

How to make it, at a glance

Slash the chickenPat the chicken dry. Cut 2–3 deep slashes into each piece, down to the bone.
Mix the marinadeIn a large bowl, stir together all the marinade ingredients until smooth.
MarinateAdd the chicken and rub the marinade into the slashes. Cover and refrigerate for 6–24 hours.
Heat the ovenHeat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack on it. Let the chicken sit out while the oven heats, about 20 minutes.
RoastShake off the excess marinade (discard it) and arrange the chicken on the rack. Roast for 25–30 minutes, turning once, until the thickest piece reaches 165°F (74°C).
Char under the broilerBrush with melted butter and broil on high for 3–5 minutes, watching closely, until charred in spots.
Finish with chaat masala butterStir together 2 tbsp melted butter, 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp chaat masala, and brush or drizzle it over the hot meat right before serving.
Rest and serveRest for 5 minutes. Serve with onion rings, lemon wedges, cilantro and mint chutney.

Exact amounts and timings are in the recipe card below.

Health & nutrition

Health benefits, honestly rated

What this dish brings to the table, with an honest rating of how strong the evidence is.

Macros per serving High protein

Calories320

Protein39 g

Carbs4 g

Fat15 g

Fiber0 g

Sodium1050 mg

12.2 g protein per 100 calories. Estimated from the ingredients with USDA FoodData Central values.

Gym-friendly tip: Already high in protein. For a leaner plate, serve with salad and roti instead of rice, and use skinless thighs or breast.

Well established

High-quality protein

A serving has roughly 39 g of protein and about 320 calories (estimated), with the skin removed.

Well established

Yogurt, not cream

The marinade is built on yogurt (or sour cream) and spices rather than oil or cream, and roasting on a rack lets fat drip away.

Limited evidence

Spices and ginger-garlic

Ginger, garlic, chili, ajwain and kasuri methi bring big flavor; their health effects in food amounts are modest. See the ingredient health guide.

Keep in mind

Charring meat at very high heat forms compounds (HCAs and PAHs) that are linked to cancer in lab studies. The National Cancer Institute suggests avoiding long cooking over direct flame, turning meat often and trimming off heavily charred bits.
The marinade has 1½ tsp salt for 4 servings; use 1 tsp for a lower-sodium version.
Cook to 165°F (74°C). Contains dairy.

General nutrition information, not medical advice. Numbers marked “estimated” are calculated from the recipe’s ingredients and vary with brands and portions. If you have diabetes, heart or kidney disease, a food allergy, or are pregnant, ask your doctor or a registered dietitian how this dish fits your diet.

Fits these health goals: High blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes, High LDL cholesterol, Building muscle and staying strong with age, Celiac disease (gluten-free), PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), Fatty liver disease (MASLD), Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (general guidance, not medical advice)

Health sources: National Cancer Institute: Chemicals in meat cooked at high temperatures and cancer risk · Dietary Guidelines for Americans

See the full ingredient health guide: benefits, traditional roots and the science →

Questions, answered

Tandoori chicken vs chicken tikka: what’s the difference?

They share the yogurt-spice marinade. Tandoori chicken uses bone-in pieces; chicken tikka uses boneless cubes on skewers.

Can I make tandoori chicken in the oven?

Yes. This recipe is written for a home oven: roast at high heat, then finish under the broiler for the char.

Can I use sour cream instead of yogurt?

Yes. Full-fat sour cream works the same way; it’s a little richer and less tangy.

Why is restaurant tandoori chicken so red?

Most restaurants add red or red-orange food coloring to the marinade. It’s optional here: Kashmiri chili alone gives a deeper, brick-red color with the same flavor.

Which food coloring should I use?

Any liquid or powdered food coloring sold for food use in the US. “Tandoori color” powders from Desi grocery stores work too; check that the label lists food-grade colors and use only a pinch.

How long should I marinate?

At least 6 hours and up to 24 in the fridge. Longer can make the surface mealy.

Who invented tandoori chicken?

The modern dish is credited to Kundan Lal Gujral and his partners at Moti Mahal, first in Peshawar and, after 1947, in Delhi.

About MedRise Food Science

Desi restaurant favorites, recreated at home and explained with food science: every recipe is tested in a home kitchen and comes with the why behind each step.

Meal prep

Meal prep: feeding 4 for the week

How much to make, based on 4 people eating it once a day. One batch of this recipe makes 4 servings.

Tonight1× the recipe4 servingsOne batch is enough.

Days 1–44× the recipe16 servings, kept in the fridge

Days 1–7, the whole week7× the recipe28 servings: fridge for the first days, freezer for the rest

Cook onceOn prep day, make the recipe at 7× (use the button above to scale every amount). Big pots take longer to come to a boil and to reduce, so allow extra time; an Instant Pot should be filled no more than halfway for beans and lentils, or two-thirds for other dishes, so cook in rounds if needed.
Cool it fastDivide the food into shallow containers so it cools quickly, and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking.
Split fridge and freezerKeep days 1–4 in the fridge. Freeze the rest in single-meal portions labeled with the date.
Thaw the night beforeMove the next day’s portion from the freezer to the fridge the night before. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through (165°F / 74°C).

Fridge: Up to 4 days
Freezer: Raw chicken in its marinade freezes well for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking.
Keep separate or add fresh: Marinate a double batch and freeze half raw, flat in zip-top bags.
Reheat: Reheat in the air fryer or a 375°F oven until hot through (165°F / 74°C).

Why only a few days in the fridge? Refrigeration slows bacteria but doesn’t stop them; some, like Listeria, can still grow at fridge temperatures, which is why food-safety agencies set cooked leftovers at 3–4 days. Freezing at 0°F stops growth completely, so frozen portions stay safe indefinitely; the freezer times above are for best taste and texture.

Food-safety guidance: USDA, Leftovers and Food Safety · FoodSafety.gov storage chart