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Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken

Making Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken is so quick and tastes sensational. Tender, juicy chicken with a charred crispy-smoky exterior, this is authentic Tandoori chicken that cooks in record time. Serve with salad, flatbread and pilau rice for an Indian style feast!!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Additional Time
30 mins
Total Time
56 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 404 kcal
Course: Main Course , Appetizer
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

For the marinade
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee (or see notes)
  • 2 tsp sweet paprika or
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp cayenne
  • 1 cup (250g) plain yogurt
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 4 garlic cloves , minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger , minced
  • ½ tsp beet root powder or couple drops red food color (optional)
For the Chicken
  • 8 chicken drumsticks , with skin or skinless as preferred
  • 4 chicken thighs , boneless and skinless
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper , to taste
  • fresh cilantro (coriander) to serve

Instructions

Make the marinade
    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat the oil or ghee in a saucepan and add all the spices. Stir over medium heat for a couple of minutes or until the spices turn fragrant. Set aside to cool.
  2. Combine the yogurt, lemon juice, minced garlic and ginger in a bowl or a lidded pyrex dish. Stir in the spice mixture, salt and food coloring, if using.
Marinate the chicken
  1. Make a few slashes on the thickest part of the chicken legs and thighs using a sharp knife to allow the marinade to infuse more deeply. Pat dry with kitchen paper.
  2. Add the chicken to the marinade, turning so that is covered all over. Leave for a minimum of 30 minutes or a maximum of 6 hours in the fridge.
Air fry the chicken
  1. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F / 200°C. Mist the basket with oil and place the chicken in it, spaced slightly apart (you will need to cook in batches unless you own a Ninja Foodi DualZone Air Fryer). Discard any leftover marinade.
  2. Air fry for 8 minutes, turn the chicken over and cook for a further 8 minutes or until the chicken is at least 165°F / 75°C. You can cook it for longer until the chicken is slightly charred. Rest the chicken for five minutes before serving. Season, to taste.
Serving suggestions
  1. Serve your tandoori chicken with pilau rice, naan bread, a quick cucumber, onion and tomato salad, cilantro and some cooling yogurt.

Notes

  • You can store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to three days, I even think that tandoori chicken tastes even better the next day! Reheat in the air fryer for a few minutes at 350°F / 180°C, shaking the basket a few times.
  • Leftover tandoori chicken can be used to make a wonderful Tikka Masala curry – take a look at my recipe here.
  • Keep your Tandoori chicken on the healthier side by using skinless chicken legs and thighs. You can also skip the step of heating the spices and simply add them directly into the marinade.
  • Use a spray bottle to limit how much oil you use but avoid using low calorie cooking sprays as they can damage your air fryer.

Nutrition Information

Calories 404kcal (20%) Carbohydrates 5g (2%) Protein 32g (64%) Fat 28g (43%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Polyunsaturated Fat 7g Monounsaturated Fat 10g Trans Fat 0.1g Cholesterol 172mg (57%) Sodium 959mg (40%) Potassium 498mg (14%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 2g (4%) Vitamin A 618IU (12%) Vitamin C 3mg (3%) Calcium 76mg (8%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 404

% Daily Value*

Calories 404kcal 20%
Carbohydrates 5g 2%
Protein 32g 64%
Fat 28g 43%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Polyunsaturated Fat 7g 41%
Monounsaturated Fat 10g 50%
Trans Fat 0.1g 5%
Cholesterol 172mg 57%
Sodium 959mg 40%
Potassium 498mg 11%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 2g 4%
Vitamin A 618IU 12%
Vitamin C 3mg 3%
Calcium 76mg 8%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.