Why go out for Indian takeaway when you can make this classic favourite at home?
This Easy Tandoori Chicken proves that enjoying Indian food does not have to mean ordering takeaway, spending a fortune or eating something overwhelmingly hot.
With half a chicken, a spoonful of Patak’s Tandoori Paste, sour cream and fresh lemon juice, you can prepare two generous portions of beautifully flavoured tandoori chicken for under $10.
It is aromatic and savoury rather than fiercely hot, making it a wonderful introduction to Indian food for anyone who is cautious about chilli or believes all Indian dishes are heavily spiced.
The marinade takes only a few minutes to prepare. Leave the chicken overnight to absorb the flavour, then roast it in the Ninja until the outside is golden and lightly crusted while the meat remains tender and juicy.
Served with steamed basmati rice, a fresh lettuce and tomato salad and cooling mint yoghurt, it becomes a colourful and satisfying Indian-inspired meal made easily in your own kitchen.
Serves: 2
Cooking Method: Ninja Roast/Bake
Preparation Time: 10 minutes, plus overnight marinating
Cooking Time: Approximately 25–35 minutes
Skill Level: Kitchen 101 – Beginner
Best For: A mild introduction to Indian food, an affordable dinner for two or a homemade alternative to takeaway
Budget Guide: Two portions of tandoori chicken for under $10
Indian food is often mistaken for food that must be heavily spiced or hot with chilli.
Tandoori flavour is aromatic, savoury and gently spiced. Combined with sour cream and lemon, the paste creates a balanced marinade that is approachable for people who are new to Indian food.
Although the marinade takes only minutes to prepare, leaving the chicken overnight makes an enormous difference.
The seasoning has time to develop, while the sour cream helps the marinade cling to the chicken and form a flavoursome coating as it roasts.
Avoid overcrowding the Ninja cooking bowl. Space around the chicken allows the hot air to circulate and helps the outside roast and crust rather than steam.
Turning the chicken ensures that both sides receive direct heat and develop those delicious caramelised edges.
Breast and Maryland portions may not cook at exactly the same rate. Check each piece and remove it once it is completely cooked rather than assuming they will all finish together.
Takeaway can be convenient, but making this dish at home gives you control over the flavour, chilli level, serving size and accompaniments.
You can prepare two generous portions of tandoori chicken for under $10, using only a few readily available ingredients.
Add rice, salad and mint yoghurt, and you have a complete meal that is fresh, colourful and far more affordable than ordering a similar dinner for two.
You also gain something takeaway cannot provide: the confidence to recreate the dish whenever you like.
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Arrange the chicken on a lined baking tray or roasting rack and cook until golden and completely cooked through, turning once during cooking.
Cook the marinated chicken over medium heat with the barbecue lid closed where possible.
Turn the pieces regularly to prevent the marinade from burning before the chicken is cooked through.
The barbecue is particularly good for creating smoky, charred edges similar to those associated with traditional tandoori cooking.
Prepare and marinate the chicken the evening before you plan to serve it.
The mint yoghurt can also be made several hours ahead and refrigerated. Stir it before serving and add an extra squeeze of lemon if it needs freshening.
Prepare the lettuce and tomato close to serving time so the salad remains crisp.
Marinating is more than simply adding sauce to the outside of an ingredient.
Allowing the chicken to rest in the tandoori mixture gives the seasoning time to flavour the meat, while the sour cream creates a protective coating that helps keep the chicken tender during cooking.
The same basic technique can be used with many other marinades, flavours and proteins.
Spoon the steamed basmati rice onto one side of the plate and arrange the lemon-dressed lettuce and tomato beside it.
Place the roasted tandoori chicken partly over the rice and finish with a generous spoonful of mint yoghurt.
A few fresh mint leaves and a wedge of lemon will add extra colour and freshness.
Serve everything together so each mouthful can include warm, aromatic chicken, fragrant rice, crisp salad and cooling yoghurt.
Why pay takeaway prices when you can create this colourful Indian favourite so easily at home?
This recipe uses a quality prepared paste to give you a reliable flavour base, while the sour cream, lemon and overnight marinade make it your own.
It is mild enough for anyone beginning their journey into Indian food, affordable enough for regular family cooking and simple enough for a Kitchen 101 cook to prepare with confidence.
Two portions of beautifully roasted tandoori chicken for under $10—that is good food, good value and another useful skill to add to your home-cooking repertoire.
Chef Ian