Whole Tandoori Chicken (Air Fryer or Oven)
, Published Apr 01, 2026
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Roast a whole Tandoori Chicken in your air fryer or oven! This easy recipe uses a spiced yogurt marinade for tender, smoky chicken every time.
This easy Tandoori Chicken is packed with bold Indian flavors thanks to a spiced yogurt marinade that delivers incredibly juicy, tender, flavor-packed chicken with irresistible charred edges.
If you love big, bold flavors with minimal fuss, this authentic Tandoori Chicken recipe is about to become a staple. The marinade does all the heavy lifting, infusing the chicken with flavor and just the right amount of heat. I promise you restaurant-worthy results whether you air fry it for speed or oven-bake it for ease.
What’s Tandoori Chicken?
You can’t beat tandoori chicken for intense smoky flavor, slightly charred edges and vibrant red color. Authentic versions of this North Indian dish are cooked in a tandoor – a cylindrical clay oven that reaches extremely high temperatures of nearly 500°F (250°C).
I certainly don’t have a tandoor oven at home, but you know what? You can recreate authentic and restaurant-quality tandoori chicken at home using your air fryer or oven.
What You’ll Need
You can marinate the chicken overnight or even up to 48 hours – a little prepping ahead will reward you with best flavor ; )
- Chicken: A whole large chicken with the skin on or off.
- Plain yogurt or Greek yogurt: Full fat yogurt is the secret to tender chicken. The yogurt gently tenderizes the meat and also acts as a sort of protective shield during the cooking.
- Lemon juice: Adds brightness and helps balance the spices.
- Garlic and ginger paste: Blend fresh ginger and garlic in a food processor for best flavor.
- The spices: paprika, cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, and Kashmiri chili powder. Restaurants often use food coloring to achieve the signature vibrant red hue. Chili powder won’t give you color quite as intense, but it’s certainly more natural!
How to Make Tandoori Chicken
Marinate the chicken
- Combine the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, spices, salt and oil in a small bowl to make the tandoori marinade.
- Use a sharp knife to score the chicken then brush the marinade all over, including the cavity if you are using a whole chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 4-6 hours or, ideally, overnight.
Air Fry
- Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C). Brush the basket with a little oil so that the chicken won’t stick. Place a whole chicken breast-side down in the air fryer basket and cook for 25 minutes.
- Turn the chicken over and baste with the leftover marinade. Cook for a further 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is charred at the edges and registers at least 165°F (75°C) on a meat thermometer.
Roast in the oven
- Preheat the oven to 470°F (230°C) or 430°F (220°C) if using a fan-forced oven. Use a roasting pan with a rack, brushing the rack with oil first. If you are cooking whole chicken, place it breast-side down; if using smaller chicken pieces space them slightly apart on the rack.
- Roast for 60-70 minutes, brushing with the marinade or some melted ghee, butter or oil and turning over halfway through to keep it moist.
- If your chicken needs extra charring, turn the broiler on and place the chicken underneath for 3-5 minutes (but keep a close eye on it – you don’t want it to burn!).
Add that smoky finish! (optional)
- Heat a small piece of charcoal over a gas burner for about 10 minutes until it’s hot and glowing red (I hurried mine a bit). Place in a small metal container and position next to the chicken.
- Pour a little melted ghee over the coal – it will begin smoking instantly. Cover the chicken with a lid or clean towel to trap the smoke and rest for 5 minutes to allow the smoke to penetrate the meat and infuse it.
Lucy’s Pro Tip
Did you know?
This “charcoal trick” that gives chicken that authentic restaurant-style finish is known Dhungar method. The fat from the ghee creates a clean, fragrant smoke that clings to the yogurt-based marinade – you are basically recreating the clay tandoor effect at home. How cool is that? 😉
Serving Suggestions
Place the chicken on a platter and loosely cover with foil. Rest for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute. Serve with lime or lemon wedges, crushed fenugreek leaves and chopped cilantro (coriander).
Serve with warm garlic naan, fluffy pilau rice, or a fresh salad for a complete meal. It pairs beautifully with cooling sauces like raita or sweet chutney to balance the spices. You can also slice it up and use it in wraps, bowls, or meal prep lunches – this is one of those recipes that works hard for you all week.
Leftovers and Storage
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F (180°C) for a few minutes to bring back those crispy edges. Cooked leftover tandoori chicken can be added to my homemade masala sauce for a quick, easy and delicious curry.
You can also freeze cooked tandoori chicken for up to 3 months—just thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
If you try this Tandoori Chicken recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and a star rating below – it really helps others find the recipe. Follow me on Pinterest for more easy recipes and don’t forget to tag me on @Instagram or TikTok so I can see your creations.
Whole Tandoori Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Tandoori Marinade
- ½ cup (240g) Greek yogurt or plain yogurt, full-fat
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp ginger paste See Note 1
- 1 tbsp minced garlic or paste See Note 1
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder or deggi merch
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp turmeric
For the Chicken
- 4 lbs (1.8kg) whole chicken
- 2 tbsp ghee melted
For smoky finish (optional)
- 1 small coal
- 2 tbsp ghee melted
To serve
- 1 tbsp chopped cilantro (coriander)
- 2 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- lemon or lime wedges
Instructions
Marinate the chicken
- Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Use a sharp knife to score the chicken, then brush with the marinade all over, including the cavity. Cover and refrigerate for 4-6 hours or, ideally, overnight.½ cup (240g) Greek yogurt , 2 tbsp vegetable oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp ginger paste, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder , 2 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp turmeric, 4 lbs (1.8kg) whole chicken, 2 tsp sweet paprika
Air Fryer Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C). Brush the basket with a little oil so that the chicken won't stick. Place the chicken, breast-side down, in the air fryer basket and cook for 25 minutes.
- Turn the chicken over and baste with the leftover marinade and melted ghee. Cook for a further 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is charred at the edges and registers at least 165°F (75°C) on a meat thermometer.
Roast in the oven
- Preheat the oven to 470°F (230°C) or 430°F (220°C) if using a fan-forced oven. Use a roasting pan with a rack, brushing the rack with oil first. Place the chicken breast-side down on the rack.
- Roast for 30 minutes. Brush with the marinade or some melted ghee, turn over and cook for 30-40 minutes or until it registers 165°F (75°C) on a meat thermometer.2 tbsp ghee
- If your chicken needs some extra charring, turn the broiler on and place the chicken underneath for 3-5 minutes (but keep a close eye on it – you don’t want it to burn!).
Add that smoky finish! (optional)
- Heat a small piece of charcoal over a gas burner for about 10 minutes until it is red-hot and glowing (I hurried mine a bit – only the edges were glowing red).1 small coal
- Place the coal in a small metal container and position it next to the chicken. Pour the melted ghee over the coal – it will begin smoking instantly. Cover the chicken with a lid or clean towel to trap the smoke and leave for 5 minutes to allow the smoke to penetrate the meat and infuse it.2 tbsp ghee
Rest the chicken
- Place the chicken on a platter and loosely cover with foil. Rest for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute.
- Serve garnished with crushed fenugreek leaves and chopped cilantro (coriander) and lemon or lime wedges on the side. Pair with naan bread, fluffy rice or a fresh salad for a complete meal.1 tbsp chopped cilantro, 2 tsp kasuri methi, lemon or lime wedges
Notes
- Note 1: Make fresh garlic and ginger paste by blending 1 whole peeled garlic and 1/4 cup (40g) fresh chopped ginger with 2 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon coarse salt in a small food processor such as the Ninja Food Chopper. Any paste not used in this recipe can be frozen in ice cube trays to use later.
- If you are using chicken thighs or drumsticks you will need to cook for 20-25 minutes, turning over halfway. Chicken breasts usually cook in 12-14 minutes – it’s always best to rely on a thermometer though as the size and thickness of the chicken can affect the cooking time.
- Leftovers and Storage: Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F (180°C) for a few minutes to bring back those crispy edges. Cooked leftover tandoori chicken can be added to my homemade masala sauce for a quick, easy and delicious curry. You can also freeze cooked tandoori chicken for up to 3 months—just thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
