Ready to scarf down another Indian-inspired savory chicken dish? This air fryer tandoori chicken recipe is straightforward and calls for no fancy ingredients, just low-cost items that can easily be found at your local store. The result is surprisingly rewarding — juicy and flavorful chicken drumsticks with lovely crisp char on the outside.
The air fryer is the perfect tool to make tandoori chicken at home, especially when you just need to prepare a meal for a table of four and don't want to spend hours doing so. As the chicken skin is char-browned over high heat, it seals the juice inside when frying, keeping the meat moist and tender, guaranteeing a similar taste to the original dish.
The chicken drumsticks are marinated in aromatic spices and yogurt just like the traditional version. You'll get the same authentic crisp exterior with a lot less work involved and much fewer dishes to clean.
What Is Tandoori Chicken?
Tandoori chicken, originally named “tandoori murgh”, is an Indian dish made by cooking chicken over super high heat using charcoal. The dish's name refers to the tandoor (a bell-shaped cylindrical clay oven) in which the chicken is grilled.
It was created by Kundan Lal Gujral - a Hindu refugee who came to Delhi and started his restaurant. Over time, it became a much-celebrated chicken dish on local menus and made its way into South Asia, the Middle East, and even the US and Canada. The original recipe is adapted into various versions, with vast differences in ingredients, cooking methods, and serving ideas.
Is Tandoori Chicken Spicy?
The Western version of tandoori murgh primarily uses turmeric powder and garam masala. As a result, the dish is usually less spicy and intense in taste than the original version. Our recipe is made to be just mildly spicy, while its signature bright red color remains uncompromised. If you prefer more heat, feel free to add more.
Is Our Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken Healthy?
Yes, it is.
When served as-is without the accompaniment of side items, tandoori chicken is a keto-friendly dish that's flavor-packed and protein-packed.
Tandoori chicken is a great alternative to barbecued meat, especially when it's made in the air fryer as it requires less oil and shorter cooking time. It's a healthy, flavorsome option for the dinner menu that the whole family can enjoy.
It's super easy to make and tastes like an authentic dish, but unlike restaurant versions, now you'll have full control over the ingredients as you're making it at home. You can get the color naturally with spices rather than food colorings.
Main Ingredients You Will Need
- Chicken drumsticks
If you prefer meats that stay moist during grilling, then chicken drumsticks and chicken thighs are the best choices. These cuts have enough fat to preserve their tenderness while cooking in high heat instead of drying out and becoming rubbery. Remember to pat dry the chicken drumsticks to avoid extra liquid. Choose drumsticks of similar size so they'll cook evenly.
For food safety, the internal temperature of chicken drumsticks should reach 165 °F. You might have to adjust the cooking time if your chicken pieces are smaller than ours. Make sure you check on them every 10 minutes.
- Spice mix
The secret to a smoky, spicy, succulent tandoori is a great marinade. For this recipe, we use garam masala, olive oil, turmeric, garlic, cumin, paprika, coriander powder, black pepper, salt, mustard, Greek yogurt, and lime juice.
However, if you let the chicken sit in the yogurt marinade for too long, it will get too soft and mealy. Therefore, if you’re short on time and want to prep ahead, we recommend no longer than 8 hours of marination.
Tips for Using the Air Fryer
- Air fryers come in different sizes and modes, so you might need to adjust the time from the original recipe. You may need to increase or decrease the air frying time. Check your food frequently to prevent it from burning. This is especially important during the last few minutes of cooking.
- Do not use aerosol spray cans to apply the non-stick spray to the basket. Aerosol spray cans usually contain harsh ingredients that are known to cause chipping in air fryer baskets.
- Do not place anything on top of your air fryer. This disrupts the airflow and will cause poor air frying results.
- If you air fry high-fat foods, pour out the fat droppings from under the inner basket. This will prevent excess smoke the next time it’s used.
How to Store and Reheat the Leftovers
The best way to store leftover tandoori chicken is in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 3 days in the fridge, and 3 months in the freezer.
When reheating the drumsticks, put them back in your air fryer and cook at 350 °F for no longer than 4 minutes.
What to Serve With
You can enjoy tandoori chicken either as an appetizer or as a main dish with a side salad. Since this chicken has so much bold flavor, pair it with something lighter to balance things out and keep the meal from being too overwhelming. We recommend a refreshing green salad, naan bread, coleslaw, rice, or even just a simple dip.
Can't get enough of Indian food? Neither do we. Hop on to these recipes to fill your kitchen and dining table with more of this cuisine's fragrant, flavorful goodness: Chicken Jalfrezi, Indian Butter Chicken, and Chicken Biryani.
Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken Recipe
Dinner nights have never looked better with this air fryer tandoori chicken recipe. With irresistible flavors and an enticing fragrance to boost, it will satisfy even the pickiest eater.
- cook TIME 30 mins
- prep TIME 10 mins
- total TIME 40 mins
- COURSE Main dish
- CUISINE Italian
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 493 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 40 oz skin-on bone-in chicken drumsticks (yielding 22 oz meat and skin, equals 8 drumsticks)
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp garlic (minced)
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp coriander (chopped)
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 3 tbsp Greek yogurt
- 1/2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 oz red onion (sliced)
- 3 cups cooked medium-grain white rice
INSTRUCTIONS
Use a paper towel to pat dry 40 oz chicken drumsticks. Make 3-4 slits across the thickest part of each drumstick.
Rub the chicken drumsticks with a spice mix of 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 2 tsp garlic, 1/2 tsp cumin powder, 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp mustard, 3 tbsp Greek yogurt, and 1/2 tbsp lime juice.
Allow the chicken to marinate for 5 minutes.
Line the marinated chicken in the air fryer basket, air fry at 350 °F for 15 minutes.
Flip the chicken drumsticks halfway and air fry for another 15 minutes.
Portion out the tandoori chicken. Sprinkle it with 2 tbsp chopped coriander. Enjoy with hot rice, sliced red onion with a side dish.
NUTRITION
Luna Regina
Writer, Author