5 Chef Tips For Restaurant-Worthy Tandoori Chicken

A restaurant-prepped tandoori chicken offers gently spiced meat that has been yogurt-tenderized to perfection. The dish is a pillar of Indian cuisine and an internationally recognized icon. Yet, to an unknowing chef at home, it's hard to envision how you'd even begin to replicate such a careful balance of techniques and ingredients. The truth is that many recipes online just don't fit the bill. Tasting Table embarked on a passionate pursuit of answers, turning to Indian chef Varun Inamdar who offers some golden tips. 

As the chef and owner of New Light in Kashmir, Anokhi in Shanghai, and 27° West in Singapore, Inamdar is a bit of an international icon himself, hailed as "Mumbai's favorite celebrity chef" by Time Out. Inamdar frequently cooks for world-famous clientele, including former president Obama. At Tasting Table, there's no gatekeeping; he told us his top five tandoori chicken tips and we're ready to spill the beans. Let's transform your tandoori chicken recipe into a dish so delicious that your favorite Indian restaurant will be demanding your secrets.

The reason why it pays to marinate a cut of meat in yogurt (or hung curd, which is simply thick Indian yogurt), is because this simple strategy yields colossal results. Rather than a harsh acidity (think lemon or vinegar), yogurt has a lower pH of 4 or 5. The result for your chicken is gentle tenderization, slowly breaking apart the connective tissues near the meat's surface for a melt-in-your-mouth effect. The coating also protects the protein's moisture throughout the cooking process and adds a slight tang to its flavor. That's not all, though: Inamdar has some bonus words of wisdom, especially on how to enable sufficient absorption.

"Use hung curd or Greek yogurt — it helps coat the chicken without making the marinade watery," he explains. "Also, adding bhuna besan (roasted gram flour in oil) does help in the marinade to stick well." In short, if the marinade slides off rather than coating the chicken effectively, it can't properly soak in. With all these factors considered, a thick yogurt or curd-based marinade is clearly a priority when whipping up any tandoori chicken variation.

"Score the chicken deeply — this allows the spices to penetrate," Inamdar explains succinctly. There you have it; add chicken to the list of foods you should always score before cooking, according to chefs. Deep slices boost the surface area, preventing the marinade from solely sticking to the surface and aiding the diffusion pathway. This simple strategy is an effective way to get more flavor into the chicken. Got a timer? The total marination time for chicken ranges from 30 minutes to overnight; it just depends on how intense you'd like that final result and how far ahead you begin planning your meal.

After scoring the meat, the order of soaking is equally essential. "Some marinate the chicken only in salt, red chilli powder and malt vinegar, known as first marination," says chef Inamdar, "The curd and other ingredients follow as second marination." Marinating in salt first gives the process a head start for about 30 minutes, breaking down tougher muscle fibers and leaving cuts easier to flavor in that second round, which should be the longer marination. "I use this [double-marinade] technique at 27 Degrees West in Singapore," Inamdar adds.

Balance of flavor is absolutely key. Too much spice leaves tandoori chicken tasting harsh (and frankly cough-worthy), but equally, blandness is everyone's worst nightmare. Nobody wants mismatched ratios or drowned-out individual spices. 

It's okay to not know measurements off the top of your head; just pay attention to a trusted recipe and pick the spices carefully. "Balance the spices — a mix of Kashmiri chili, garam masala, and black salt enhances flavor," Inamdar advises. His mention of salt is particularly important: A bitterness quasher and natural harmonizer, salt is the glue that holds an excellent tandoori chicken together. Also, note the addition of garam masala. Among other spice components, the spice blend usually contains cumin, coriander, and black pepper. These are all the fundamental spices you'd usually add to a tandoori dish, but purchasing garam masala instead means they're already balanced in palatable proportions. It's a savvy shortcut.

Alternatively, you can prepare your own spice blends; they last six months to a year when stored correctly in airtight conditions. And if you're looking to bulk buy, Costco could be your first stop for building an Indian spice collection.

Did you know that a low cooking temperature is the mistake you need to avoid when making tandoori chicken? A gentle blast might feel like a safer bet, yet that couldn't be further from the truth. Low temperatures risk dry results, and nobody wants that. Learn the exact positioning of that temperature dial to achieve a perfected texture and charred (not burned) finish. Inamdar says, "Cook on high heat — use a tandoor, charcoal grill, or oven at 250°C+ for that signature char." Inamdar's 250°C is roughly 480 degrees Fahrenheit. Preheating is vital whether using an oven or a grill; allow 15 to 20 minutes to guarantee the right high temp from the get-go. 

The heat sparks powerful chemical reactions, causing aesthetic developments like that bright red color. And to fine-tune that finish even further? Don't just stick to a basic oven approach. A brief spell on a broiling setting is a clever hack, achieving a more traditional result through easier charring. The unique broiling method for successful tandoori chicken at home essentially blackens the edges after letting the oven do the legwork, using a little extra fat — butter works well. Don't have a broiler? Swap this step for grilling, a straightforward alternative when curating a smoky and charred effect.

There's always time for a final touch, and Inamdar has some sage words of wisdom. "Brush with butter just before serving for an added layer of richness," He advises. It's a small extra step, but it has the potential to take your tandoori from zero to hero. A buttery finish conveys a restaurant-worthy attention to detail and imparts a real flavorsome complexity. Interested in taking things further? Research the best ways to add flavor to butter. Garlic is always a popular addition and could give the chicken an added taste kick. Some people also incorporate the butter into a sauce of its own, using wet staples like passata and cream. It's your call. 

We all recognize the creamy-rich flavor of melted butter. However, the benefits of this step aren't all taste-related. Dripping over the surface of the tandoori chicken, the brushed-on-butter creates a protective barrier. After all the marinating efforts to prevent a dried-out dish, the last thing you want is instant moisture evaporation — especially when planning on reheating leftovers later. Brushing the meat with butter allows the juiciness to stay intact. It keeps your tandoori chicken tender and tasty, exactly how you want it.