This baked tandoori chicken is made with juicy chicken thighs marinated in a spiced yogurt marinade and baked to give you that smoky, restaurant-style flavor right from your oven, no tandoor needed. Serve tandoori chicken with Naan, biryani, or jeera rice. Learn to make this spicy baked chicken with step-by-step photos and a quick video tutorial.
Tandoori chicken is one of India’s most iconic dishes, known for its spicy, smoky, charred flavor and a bright red-orange color. While it’s traditionally cooked in a hot clay oven called a tandoor, I use my OTG oven and still get juicy chicken with beautifully charred edges.
In this recipe post, I’m sharing oven-baked tandoori chicken recipe that’s easy, made with simple ingredients, and tastes delicious, even without a tandoor. With this tandoori chicken, you can make Chicken Tikka Masala, Butter Chicken, and Dishoom’s Ruby Chicken Curry.
About This Tandoori Chicken
This baked chicken recipe is the easiest way to enjoy a classic Indian favorite at home. It’s quick to prep, full of spices, and doesn’t need a grill to turn out beautifully smoky and juicy.
For me, the secret lies in the spiced yogurt marinade and a hot oven. The tandoori marinade is a mix of yogurt, spices, and Kashmiri chilli that soaks into the chicken and builds layers of flavor. A hot oven does the rest, sealing it all in and giving the chicken a tender, juicy texture with just the right amount of char.
I love serving this tandoori chicken with roti, naan, or basmati rice, along with a side of cooling raita. It’s the perfect homemade Indian dinner that’s flavorful, satisfying, and always a hit with family and friends.
You may also like these other popular chicken recipes from this website:
Ingredients Notes
This baked chicken tandoori recipe may vary from home to home, but the ingredients are more or less the same. You can use this baked tandoori chicken to make a tandoori chicken sandwich or butter chicken biryani.
- Chicken thighs or legs: I like using bone-in pieces for this spicy baked chicken recipe because they stay juicy and don’t dry out in the oven. They also have more flavor and work great with strong tandoori spices.
- Hung curd or thick yogurt: This makes the base of the tandoori chicken marinade. It tenderizes the chicken and helps the marinade spices stick well.
- Kashmiri red chilli powder: It gives the chicken a bright red color without making it too spicy. Great for that classic tandoori look without using food coloring.
- Tandoori chicken masala: This is a ready spice mix that adds lots of flavor. It usually has spices like cumin, coriander, and cloves. If you don’t have one, substitute with garam masala powder + chaat masala.
- Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves): I roast it a little, crush it, and add it. It adds a nice aroma and classic flavor to the marinade.
- Oil: Traditionally, mustard oil is used. However, you can use any cooking oil that has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point.
How To Make Baked Tandoori Chicken With Step By Step Photos
Preparations for tandoori marinade
1) First marinade: Make deep gashes on the chicken. It helps the spices get right into the meat. Marinate with salt and lemon juice. Cover and keep it aside for 1 hour in the refrigerator. It's important not to marinate in lemon juice for too long, as it can make the chicken mushy. This first marinade will prep the chicken to better absorb the flavors.
2) Second marinade: Start by mixing thick yogurt with ginger-garlic paste, Kasuri methi, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, spicy red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, Tandoori chicken masala, cardamom powder, and oil. Taste the marinade and adjust the seasoning.
3) Remove the marinated chicken. Drain off the excess liquid from the first marinade. The chicken should be dry. Add it to the second marinade.
4) Rub the tandoori marinade all over the chicken, making sure to get it inside the gashes. Marinate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Baking Tandoori Chicken in the Oven
1) Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F) for 15 minutes. Line a baking tray with foil for easy cleanup and place a wire rack on top. Spray oil over the grill/wire rack. Place the marinated chicken over it, leaving some space between each piece so they roast, not steam.
2) Bake at 200°C for 15 minutes on the middle rack, and then remove it to baste with oil or butter for a rich flavor. This adds extra moisture and flavor as it cooks. Return the chicken to the oven. Flip and cook for 10 minutes on the other side.
4) Once the chicken is cooked, place it on the top rack. Baste the oil and cook for 5 minutes or until char marks appear on the edges. Do not overcook, or it may dry the chicken. This step gives the chicken those delicious, slightly charred spots of tandoori chicken. Ensure the chicken is fully cooked by checking that its internal temperature reaches 75°C (165°F). The juices should run clear when pierced.
Tip: Baking time may differ if you are using other cuts of chicken. I used whole chicken legs, so cooking time will be 5-8 minutes longer than other cuts. So keep a check on the chicken.
5) Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving to let the juices redistribute. Serve this baked tandooti chicken hot with naan or basmati rice for a perfect meal.
How to bake tandoori chicken in the oven (video)
Tips to make The Best Tandoori Chicken
- Always marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours to 8 hours. It tenderizes the chicken and makes it flavorful.
- Use thick, full-fat yogurt for the marinade. It clings better to the chicken. Hung curd or Greek yogurt is ideal. To make hung curd, place regular curd in a muslin cloth or fine sieve over a bowl and let the whey drain for 30 minutes to an hour or overnight in the fridge.
- If you’re baking in an OTG, use the top and bottom heating elements with the fan mode if available. Bake on a rack over a tray so the heat circulates and the chicken roasts evenly.
- For a charred look, turn up the heat in the last 5-7 minutes. I move the tray closer to the top coil for extra browning.
- Once it’s out of the oven, I let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes. That little pause locks in the juices and makes every bite tender and flavorful.
- Brushing or dabbing with oil/butter halfway through baking adds more flavor and prevents the surface from drying out.
Frequently Asked Questions
I usually bake tandoori chicken at 200-220°C (425°F) for about 30–35 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces.
Traditionally, tandoori chicken is orange-red. This color is due to Kashmiri red chili powder and turmeric powder. The dark red or brick red color of tandoori chicken in restaurants is because of red food coloring that they add to the chicken marinade.
Yes, it is, but you can always adjust the heat as per your preference. Tandoori chicken is full of warm spices, smoky flavors, but it isn’t always very hot. You can reduce the spiciness by using Kashmiri chilli powder (it is not spicy but gives the bright red color to the dish), and also reduce the tandoori chicken masala powder in the recipe.
Recipe Card
Baked Tandoori Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Oven
- 1 Mixing bowl
Ingredients
First marinade
- 2 whole chicken legs, 500 grams
- salt to taste
- 4 teaspoon lemon juice
Second Marinade (Tandoori Chicken Marinade)
- 3 tablespoon hung curd/yogurt
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon Kasuri methi
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon spicy red chili powder add as per taste
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 2 teaspoon Tandoori chicken masala (substitute 1 teaspoon garam masala + 1 teaspoon chaat masala) - adjust as per taste
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1 tablespoon oil mustard oil or any oil with high smoke point
Instructions
Preparations For Tandoori Marinade
- First marinade: Make deep gashes on the chicken. It helps the spices get right into the meat. Marinate with salt and lemon juice. Cover and keep it aside for 1 hour in the refrigerator. It's important not to marinate in lemon juice for too long, as it can make the chicken mushy. This first marinade will prep the chicken to better absorb the flavors.
- Second marinade: Start by mixing thick yogurt with ginger-garlic paste, Kasuri methi, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, spicy red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, Tandoori chicken masala, cardamom powder, and oil. Taste the marinade and adjust the seasoning.
- Remove the marinated chicken. Drain off the excess liquid from the first marinade. The chicken should be dry. Add it to the second marinade.
- Rub the tandoori marinade all over the chicken, making sure to get it inside the gashes. Marinate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Baking Tandoori Chicken In Oven
- Preheat oven to 220°C for 15 minutes. Line a baking tray with foil for easy cleanup and place a wire rack on top. Spray oil over the grill/wire rack. Place the marinated chicken over it, leaving some space between each piece so they roast, not steam.
- Bake at 200°C for 15 minutes on the middle rack, and then remove it to baste with oil or butter for rich flavor. This adds extra moisture and flavor as it cooks. Return the chicken to the oven. Flip and cook for 10 minutes on the other side.
- Once the chicken is cooked, place it on the top rack. Baste oil and cook for 5 minutes or until char marks appear on the edges. Do not overcook it may dry the chicken. This step gives the chicken those delicious, slightly charred spots of tandoori chicken. Ensure the chicken is fully cooked by checking that its internal temperature reaches 75°C (165°F). The juices should run clear when pierced.
- Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving to let the juices redistribute. Serve this baked tandooti chicken hot with naan, or basmati rice for a perfect meal.
Video
Notes
- Baking time may differ if you are using other cuts of chicken. I used whole chicken legs so cooking time will be 5-8 minutes longer than other cuts like if you are using chicken breast. So keep a check on the chicken.
- Always marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours to 8 hours. It tenderizes the chicken and makes it flavorful.
- Use thick, full-fat yogurt for the marinade. It clings better to the chicken. Hung curd or Greek yogurt is ideal. To make hung curd, place regular curd in a muslin cloth or fine sieve over a bowl and let the whey drain for 30 minutes to an hour or overnight in the fridge.
- If you’re baking in an OTG, use the top and bottom heating elements with the fan mode if available. Bake on a rack over a tray so the heat circulates and the chicken roasts evenly.
- For a charred look, turn up the heat in the last 5-7 minutes. I move the tray closer to the top coil for extra browning.
- Once it’s out of the oven, I let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes. That little pause locks in the juices and makes every bite tender and flavorful.
- Brushing or dabbing with oil/butter halfway through baking adds more flavor and keeps the surface from drying out.
- I usually marinate the chicken the night before. It gives the flavors time to really settle in. If you’re prepping for a party or a busy day, just keep the marinated chicken in the fridge (covered) for up to 6-8 hours.
- Leftovers? They stay juicy in the fridge for 2-3 days. I reheat them in the oven or air fryer so they crisp up again; microwaving makes them a bit soft.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below. We'd love to hear your feedback.
And, follow me on social media so we can stay connected. I’m on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube.
Hi! I’m Preeti Nayak, and with over two decades of hands-on experience in Indian cooking, I’m excited to share my passion with you. As the author, photographer, and editor behind every well-tested, family-friendly recipe on this blog, my goal is to help you cook with confidence and bring the bold, authentic flavors of India to your table.
Vasant Uchil
add me