Tandoori chicken traces back to Kundan Lal Gujral, who cooked it in clay ovens in Peshawar before moving to Delhi and opening Moti Mahal after Partition. The tandoor itself had long been used across Punjab for bread, but roasting marinated whole chicken in it became the dish that defined Indian restaurant food around the world.
A first marinade of lemon, salt and chilli seasons the meat to the bone, and a second thick yogurt marinade with ginger, garlic and garam masala tenderises and forms a crust. The heat of the tandoor, often above 400 C, chars the edges while keeping the inside juicy. Mustard oil adds a pungent Punjabi edge.
It is served as a starter or as the main event at barbecues and parties, usually with sliced onion, lemon and mint chutney. Leftover pieces are the traditional base for butter chicken. A charcoal grill gets closest to the tandoor, but a very hot home oven with a wire rack and a quick finish under the grill gives a convincing char. The marinade also works well with fish, paneer and whole cauliflower.
At a glance
| Region | Punjab |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Punjabi |
| Diet | Non-vegetarian |
| Course | Main course |
| Prep time | 20 minutes |
| Cook time | 40 minutes |
| Total time | 60 minutes |
| Serves | 4 |
| Spice level | Medium |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Gluten-free | Yes |
| Key ingredients | chicken / yogurt / lemon / mustard oil |
Ingredients
For the first marinade
- 1 kg chicken legs and thighs, skinless, bone-in
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
For the second marinade
- 3/4 cup thick hung curd
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
- 1 tsp kasuri methi, crushed
- 1/2 tsp chaat masala
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
To finish
- 2 tbsp melted butter for basting
- Chaat masala and lemon wedges
Method
- Make 2 to 3 deep slashes in each piece of chicken, down to the bone.
- Rub with lemon juice, salt and chilli powder, working it into the cuts. Set aside 30 minutes.
- Heat the mustard oil until it smokes, then cool. Mix it with all the other second-marinade ingredients into a thick paste.
- Squeeze excess liquid from the chicken and coat thoroughly with the yogurt marinade. Cover and refrigerate 6 hours to overnight.
- Bring the chicken to room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to its highest setting, 240 to 250 C, with a wire rack set over a foil-lined tray.
- Arrange the pieces on the rack with space between them. Roast 20 minutes on the upper-middle shelf.
- Turn the pieces, baste with melted butter and roast another 12 to 15 minutes until the edges are charred and the juices run clear when pierced near the bone.
- Switch to the grill or broil setting for the last 3 to 4 minutes for extra char. Sprinkle with chaat masala and serve with lemon.
Tips
- Hung curd is essential – thin yogurt drips off and steams the chicken instead of roasting it.
- Cooking on a rack lets heat reach all sides, imitating a tandoor.
- For a charcoal grill, cook over medium-hot coals, turning every 4 to 5 minutes, for about 25 minutes.
Serve with
Sliced onions with lemon, mint chutney and tandoori roti.