What is tandoori chicken?
A chef's guide from our Richmond tandoor kitchen
Short answer
Tandoori chicken is chicken marinated in yoghurt, lemon and ground spices, then cooked on skewers at around 450–500°C in a clay tandoor oven. It is smoky and aromatic rather than hot, it is grilled rather than sauced, and it is traditionally served with rice, naan, raita and a lemony salad.
Where the dish comes from
The tandoor is a clay oven used across Punjab, Kashmir and Bangladesh for centuries. Tandoori chicken as most people know it was popularised in Peshawar and then in Delhi in the 1940s, and it travelled to Britain with the first generation of South Asian restaurateurs. The colour comes from Kashmiri chilli and paprika, not from heat.
How spicy is it?
Mild to medium. The marinade is built on yoghurt, so the spices are rounded rather than sharp. If you are ordering for children or for guests who avoid heat, tandoori chicken is usually the safest dish on the menu. Ask us and we will adjust the chilli up or down.
Our method, step by step
- First marinade: Score the chicken to the bone, then rub with lemon juice, salt and ginger-garlic paste. Rest for 30 minutes so the acid opens up the meat.
- Second marinade: Mix thick natural yoghurt with cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala and Kashmiri chilli. Coat the chicken and refrigerate for at least 8 hours — we marinate for 24.
- Bring to room temperature: Take the chicken out 30 minutes before cooking so it cooks evenly rather than steaming from cold.
- Cook in the tandoor: Cook on skewers in a clay tandoor at around 450–500°C for 12–15 minutes, turning once. At home, use the hottest oven grill setting on a wire rack.
- Finish and rest: Brush with a little butter or oil, squeeze over fresh lemon, and rest for 5 minutes before serving with rice, naan and raita.
The two-stage marinade is the part most home cooks skip. Salt and acid first, dairy and spice second — that is what keeps the meat juicy under tandoor heat.
What to serve with tandoori chicken
- Pilau rice or plain basmati to soak up the juices
- Garlic naan or a plain roti straight from the tandoor
- Cucumber and mint raita to cool the spice
- Kachumber salad with red onion, tomato and lemon
- Tarka dal or saag for a fuller table
- Mint chutney and tamarind chutney for dipping
Tandoori chicken vs chicken tikka
Tandoori chicken is cooked on the bone in larger joints. Chicken tikka uses boneless cubes with a similar marinade and a shorter cook. Chicken tikka masala takes those cubes and finishes them in a spiced tomato and cream sauce, which is why it tastes far richer than either grilled dish.
Frequently asked questions
What is tandoori chicken?
Tandoori chicken is chicken marinated in yoghurt, lemon juice and ground spices, then cooked at very high heat in a clay tandoor oven. The yoghurt tenderises the meat while the tandoor chars the outside, giving the dish its smoky flavour and deep red-orange colour.
Is tandoori chicken spicy?
Tandoori chicken is aromatic rather than hot. The marinade uses cumin, coriander, garam masala, ginger, garlic and paprika or Kashmiri chilli, which give warmth and colour without strong heat. At Jaflong Tandoori we can make it milder or hotter on request.
What is in tandoori chicken?
Chicken on the bone or as tikka pieces, natural yoghurt, lemon juice, ginger and garlic paste, cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, Kashmiri chilli or paprika for colour, and salt. Some kitchens add mustard oil for extra depth.
What do you serve with tandoori chicken?
Classic pairings are pilau or basmati rice, naan or roti, a raita to cool the palate, kachumber salad with lemon, and mint or tamarind chutney. A dal or saag alongside turns it into a full meal.
What does tandoori chicken taste like?
Smoky and charred on the outside, juicy inside, with tangy yoghurt and lemon, warm earthy spice and a light savoury finish. It tastes grilled rather than saucy, so it is a good choice if you find creamy curries heavy.
Is tandoori chicken healthy?
It is one of the leaner Indian dishes. The chicken is grilled rather than fried and the marinade is yoghurt-based, so it is high in protein and lower in fat than cream or butter based curries.
Is your tandoori chicken halal and gluten-free?
Yes. All our meat is halal-sourced from trusted suppliers, and tandoori chicken is naturally gluten-free when served with rice or salad rather than naan.
Taste ours in Richmond
Our tandoor runs every evening at 16 Ashburnham Road, Richmond TW10 7NF. Collection orders get 10% off; delivery across TW9, TW10, TW11 and KT1–KT2.