Yogurt-marinated chicken cooked at high heat until smoky and charred — North India's most iconic restaurant dish, refined.
⭐Inspired by Vikas Khanna · 🇮🇳 IndiaThis recipe is inspired by Chef Vikas Khanna's Michelin-starred work at Junoon in New York and his refined approach to Indian fine dining. Tandoori chicken — yogurt-and-spice-marinated chicken cooked at extreme heat in a clay tandoor — is one of India's most internationally recognised dishes. Khanna's restaurant approach refined this home/restaurant tradition for fine dining without abandoning its soul. We've adapted the recipe so it can be made in a domestic oven (or grill) while preserving the deep-marinade and high-heat principles that make tandoori chicken what it is.
Serves 4
Make 2–3 deep slashes across each chicken piece — these are essential for the marinade to penetrate to the bone.
Mix the lemon juice with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the chili powder. Rub into the chicken and rest 30 minutes. This pre-cure tightens the meat and primes it for the yogurt.
Mix the Greek yogurt with the ginger-garlic paste, remaining chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, ajwain, kasuri methi, mustard oil and remaining salt. Add the chicken and massage thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate AT LEAST 6 hours — overnight is much better.
The long marinade is the difference between mediocre and great tandoori chicken.
Preheat the oven to 240°C / 465°F (max if using grill). Arrange the chicken on a wire rack over a tray. Roast 22–25 minutes, basting with melted butter halfway through, until the surface is charred and blistered in spots and the juices run clear (74°C internally).
For the signature charred edges, finish under the broiler (grill) on high for 2–3 minutes — watch carefully so it doesn't burn.
Pile the chicken onto a warm platter. Scatter with sliced red onion and fresh coriander. Serve with lemon wedges, mint chutney, naan and a cooling cucumber raita.
Marinate AT LEAST 6 hours — 24 is ideal.
Kashmiri chili powder is essential for the deep red colour without harsh heat. Substitute paprika + cayenne if needed.
Score deeply — the marinade must reach the bone.
Chicken Tikka: cut the chicken into boneless cubes, thread on skewers, grill the same way — popular as a starter.
Tandoori Wings: use the same marinade on chicken wings — perfect for parties.
Marinated raw chicken keeps 24 hours. Cooked: 3 days refrigerated.
Tandoori chicken was popularised globally by the Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi in the 1940s, which adapted the centuries-old Punjabi clay-oven (tandoor) tradition for restaurant service. It is widely regarded as one of India's defining dishes. Vikas Khanna's Michelin-starred Junoon in New York refined tandoori cooking for American fine dining.
Mustard oil (sarson ka tel) is essential to authentic North Indian tandoori marinades — it has a sharp, pungent note that cuts through the richness of the yogurt and creates the characteristic flavour profile. If you can't find it, use neutral oil and add 0.5 teaspoon of mustard powder.
Yes — a hot oven (240°C) or a high-heat outdoor grill produces excellent results. The key is the high heat and the long marinade. A real clay tandoor adds smoky depth that's hard to replicate at home but isn't required for great results.
Kashmiri chili gives the deep red colour without harsh heat — it's about colour and aroma, not spiciness. Substituting regular cayenne or chili powder produces a pale or aggressively hot result. If unavailable, mix paprika (for colour) + a pinch of cayenne (for warmth).
Mustard oil (sarson ka tel) has a sharp, slightly bitter pungency that cuts through the richness of yogurt and creates the characteristic North Indian flavour. The oil is heated until smoking before use to mellow the bitterness — a technique seen across Punjabi and Bengali home cooking.
Yes — a high-heat outdoor grill with a lid produces excellent results. Smoke chips can be added for the tandoor-like aroma. The key is consistent high heat and the long marinade — tandoor itself is helpful but not strictly required.
Per serving (280g / 9.9 oz) · 4 servings total
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