Oven Tandoori Chicken is bursting at the seams with flavor. Skin-on, bone-in chicken drumsticks (or try it with thighs) marinate in a mixture of pureed onion, garlic with greek yogurt, lime juice, homemade tandoori and garam masala. Baked and continuously brushed with reserved marinade until a crust forms. Serve with rice, naan and the most amazing mint yogurt sauce!
I’ve been in a dinner rut. Who’s with me? Like how many times can I get away with making tacos or chicken wraps before my family wants to choke me? The answer is 0. I blame daylight savings and the fact it’s dark by 5:30-6pm. That and we’re gone 3 nights a week with sports. By the time it’s Friday I wanted something easy and with flavor. Punch you in the face flavor. This oven tandoori chicken fit the bill.
Have you ever had Tandoori chicken before? It’s so good! Anytime chicken marinates in yogurt and spices it usually is. Add some char and you’ve got something magical. Since I don’t own a tandoor in my kitchen, the closest thing I have is my oven. Like most people. It gets the job done.
The prep is easy. Cooking is easy. Cleanup is easy.
Most of the work is done while the chicken marinates in your fridge. I really cannot think of a reason why you shouldn’t to make this.
To Make This Oven Tandoori Chicken You Will Need:
- bone-in, skin-on drumsticks or thighs (or a combination of both)
- yellow onion
- garlic
- Greek yogurt
- lime
- homemade garam masala and tandoori spice
- annatto [for color]
- paprika
- kosher salt
- white pepper
- cayenne.
Next, throw the roughly chopped onion into a food processor along with the peeled garlic cloves and then pulse until finely minced.
Measure and add in 1 cup of [whole milk] Greek yogurt, the juice from 1 lime, 2 tablespoons garam masala, 1 tablespoon each of the tandoori spice, annatto and paprika, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon white pepper. For some heat, add anywhere from 1/4 to more cayenne pepper.
If you Google tandoori chicken it’s typically a bright red, either from red chili powder or food dye. So feel free to add more of either to achieve that level of red. I like the earthy color it is, but that’s me.
Place the chicken into a resealable bag and pour half of the marinade over the chicken.
Reserve the remaining half of the marinade by pouring it into a container and refrigerate both the chicken and the reserved marinade overnight.
Then right before cooking, pull the chicken out 30 minutes out in advance.
Preheat your oven to 375℉ (or 190℃).
Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a oven-safe wire rack on top. Spray the rack with olive oil spray and arrange the chicken on the wrack and slide the whole pan into your preheated oven for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Bake then brush with reserved marinade.
Use tongs to turn the chicken over (so the underneath side is facing up) and brush with more sauce, before baking for 10 minutes.
Do this one more time; baste, turn chicken (so top side is back to facing up), baste some more. Then spritz with olive oil spray and cook for 1o more minutes. Next, for some extra char, flick on the broiler and watch carefully so the crust on the chicken doesn’t burn and rotate the pan for even browning, about 1 or so minutes.
Lastly, to counterbalance the heat and for another added layer of delicious flavor, this mint yogurt sauce will tame the spice while adding a contrasting brightness to the robust spices of the chicken.
To make the Mint Yogurt Sauce You Will Need:
- 1/2 cup of yogurt
- 1 heaping tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves (I eyeball it)
- about a teaspoon of fresh-squeezed lemon juice (again, I eyeball it)
- a little olive oil
- kosher salt.
Add to a bowl, whisking until combined. This can be made and serve immediately, but does taste better if given time in the fridge to develop those flavors a bit.
Along with the mint yogurt sauce, serve the oven tandoori chicken with lemon or lime wedges, cilantro leaves, basmati rice and toasted naan bread.
As the oven tandoori chicken bakes, you slather the reserved sauce over it and a delicious crust (so to speak) of spice and yogurt develops. It’s pure magic. And when I first made this I was a little leery about leaving the skin on and then basting it with the yogurt based sauce.
However trust me when I say it’s amazing.
Of course, you can remove the skin and it would still be amazing. But give it a try with the skin on, as a chicken [and turkey] skin lover, it’s my favorite part.
I’m not sure if or what the correct way to eat tandoori chickens. But I personally cut the chicken (and skin) away from the bone, then I top a hunk of naan with basmati rice and top with with chicken, yogurt sauce a small squeeze of lemon and a few cilantro leaves.
Prepare to fall in love.
Enjoy! And if you give this Oven Tandoori Chicken recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Oven Tandoori Chicken with Mint Yogurt
Ingredients
FOR THE OVEN TANDOORI CHICKEN:
- 8 chicken drumsticks, skin on and bone-in
- 1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 cup whole milk, plain Greek yogurt
- 1 large lime, juice
- 2 tablespoons garam masala
- 1 tablespoon tandoori spice
- 1 tablespoon paprika, regular or smoked -- or a little of both
- 1 tablespoon ground annatto, for color (optional)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, for heat and color (optional)
- olive oil spray
FOR THE MINT YOGURT:
- 1/2 cup whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1 heaping tablespoon chopped mint
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- kosher salt, to taste
TO SERVE:
- homemade naan, or store-bought
- basmati rice
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a resealable bag.
- In your regular or mini food processor, add onion and garlic and pulse until very finely chopped. Next add in the yogurt, lime juice, garam masala, tandoori spice, paprika, annatto, salt, pepper and cayenne (if using). Blend until relatively smooth.
- Pour half of the marinade over the chicken and refrigerate the reserved marinade in a container with a tight-fitting lid.
- Seal the bag, squeezing out most of the air and toss the chicken to coat. Refrigerate the chicken overnight.
- Remove the chicken 30 minutes prior to cooking.
- Preheat your oven to 375℉ (or 190℃).
- Line a rimmed, metal baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack inside. Spray the rack with olive oil spray and place the chicken onto the rack. Slide the pan into your preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- Next, remove the pan and baste with the reserved sauce. Use tongs to turn the chicken over (so the underneath side is facing up) and brush with more sauce, before baking for 10 minutes.
- Remove the pan one last time, brush with the marinade, turn the chicken, baste and spray with olive oil before sliding the chicken back into the oven for 10 to 15 minutes. For some extra char, flick on the broiler and watch carefully so the crust on the chicken doesn't burn and rotate the pan for even browning, about 1 or so minutes.
FOR THE MINT YOGURT:
- Stir together the Greek yogurt with chopped fresh mint leaves, lemon juice, olive oil and season with a pinch of kosher salt. Chill until ready to serve.
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