Tandoori Chicken Wings

These flavorful tandoori chicken wings are marinated in yogurt and Indian spices, then cooked to perfection with crispy skin and juicy chicken inside. Made easily in the oven or air fryer, these fusion wings are perfect for a family dinner and can be made in a big batch for a crowd.

I love making fusion recipes that combine my Indian heritage with modern, American food. This chicken wing recipe marries two popular classics - Chicken Wings and Tandoori Chicken. They're absolutely delicious and a sure-shot family and crowd favorite!

As with most tandoori dishes, these chicken wings are marinated in creamy yogurt and Indian spices and then cooked for a crispy exterior with a slight smoky char.

Made with warming and aromatic seasonings like earthy turmeric and garam masala, tangy chaat masala, and Kashmiri red chili powder for a little heat, these chicken wings are a mix of the tandoori classic with a unique twist.

Jump to:

• What is Tandoori Chicken Wings?
• Why You'll Love This Recipe
• Ingredients- Notes & Substitutions
• How To Make Tandoori Chicken Wings
• Serving Suggestion
• Recipes Tips & Notes
• FAQ
• More Tandoori Recipes from my Kitchen
• 📖 Recipe

Fun Fact: Historians are said to have found the first evidence of a meat preparation that looked like Tandoori Chicken in the ruins of Harappa. Tandoor-like clay ovens and chicken bones with char marks dated 3000 BC are said to have been unearthed at the excavation sites.

What is Tandoori Chicken Wings?

A tandoor is an Indian clay oven that cooks food over a charcoal fire. These ovens have been used for 3,000 years, and are an important part of Indian history. As a result, food that is cooked in a tandoor is called Tandoori, which means, 'grilled in a tandoor'.

Tandoori Chicken (also called tandoori murgh) is one of the most popular foods cooked in a tandoor. This fusion recipe combines the flavors and cooking techniques used for Tandoori chicken and applies it to chicken wings, hence the name- Tandoori Chicken Wings!

To mimic the cooking style of a tandoor, we cook the chicken at a moderate temperature until it cooks through, then crisp it until the skin gets slightly charred. In the end, you get chicken that is succulent and juicy on the inside and crisp on the outside.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• This recipe achieves the same restaurant-quality tandoori flavors and taste, yet is surprisingly easy to make in your air fryer or oven (no traditional tandoor required)!
• A short marination time of one hour ensures deliciously tender and juicy chicken on the inside.
• This recipe is great for breaking the routine for weeknight dinners by combining it with simple sides like saffron rice or spicy mac and cheese.
• It's a crowd-pleaser that can be prepared in a big batch to feed a crowd. A super hit dish for game day parties or Indian dinner parties.

Ingredients- Notes & Substitutions

Here are the ingredients you'll need for this Tandoori Chicken Wings recipe:

1. Chicken Wings: You can use either fresh or frozen. If frozen, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator. Remove the tips of chicken wings and split at the joint, then pat dry with paper towels and trim off any excess loose fat using kitchen shears.
2. For the tandoori chicken wings marinade, you need:
   1. Besan: Also called gram flour, besan is made from chickpeas, and can be found at Indian grocery stores, online, or in your grocery's international section. It can be substituted with an equal quantity of corn flour or rice flour.
   2. Yogurt: Use whole or reduced-fat plain yogurt, not the flavored kinds. If unavailable, use ⅓ cup of plain Greek yogurt instead.
   3. Tandoori spice mix: Any good tandoori dish starts with a flavorful marinade. The traditional spice mix consists of:
      • Turmeric powder: gives a vibrant color to the marinade.
      • Garam masala: I prefer to use homemade, but you can also use a good quality brand, like 24 Mantra or Everest.
      • Kashmiri red chili powder: Made from dried Kashmiri (north Indian) chilis, this is like a spicier cousin of paprika. It can be found at Indian grocery stores and online, but if unavailable, substitute with an equal quantity of paprika (regular) plus a pinch of cayenne. Skip the cayenne if you prefer it mild.
      • Chaat masala: A blend of Indian spices, chaat masala can be found in specialty stores or online. It gives a tangy flavor to the chicken, so it can be substituted with a little lemon juice.
      • Dried fenugreek leaves: Also called Kasoori Methi, this dried herb gives an earthy and fragrant touch to the marinade. Fenugreek leaves are milder than the seeds and should be fairly easy to find in your local Indian store or online, but they are optional if you can't find them.
   4. Lime juice: Fresh is always better for the best flavor. Lime juice helps tenderize the meat.

Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.

How To Make Tandoori Chicken Wings

Here are the step-by-step instructions and photos for this Indian fusion chicken wings made in the oven or air fryer:

• Prep the chicken wings: If not already cut, remove the tips of the chicken wings, then split them at the joint. Pat dry with paper towels and trim off any excess loose fat using kitchen shears. (pic 1)
• Mix the ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, minced ginger, garlic, lime juice, salt, and all the dry spices to make the marinade. (pic 2)
• Combine everything: Add the wings to the marinade. (pic 3)
• Toss and chill: Use tongs to toss the chicken wings in the yogurt mixture until they are well coated, then refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours (the longer the better).

Oven Instructions

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the wings, and skin side up. Brush any leftover marinade over the wings. Bake in a preheated oven at 425°F for 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and brush the wings lightly with oil. Switch the oven to 'Broil'. Broil the chicken wings in the oven, for 1-2 minutes on each side, until the skin is crisp and slightly charred.

Tandoori Chicken Wings - Air Fryer

Preheat the air fryer for 2 minutes at 375°F. Place the chicken wings in a single layer in the basket, then cook for 22 to 25 minutes.

Remove the basket and shake it twice during the cooking time, about every 8 minutes. Now increase the heat to 400°F and cook for 2 to 4 minutes, until the skin is crispy and golden brown.

Serving Suggestion

Serve with Cilantro Jalapeno Sauce, Cilantro Chutney or Mint Chutney, along with thinly sliced onions sprinkled with chaat masala.

To make a meal, pair with Saffron rice or lemon rice along with Cucumber Raita or Avocado Raita. Another great pair is this Indian spiced Mac and Cheese.

Recipes Tips & Notes

• To make a big batch of these chicken tandoori wings, I recommend using the oven. For just the four of us in my family, I prefer the air fryer. It does take two batches to go through a pound of chicken wings, but they turn out so crispy that it's worth the extra step.
• Pat dry the chicken wings to enable even marination and cooking.
• For a milder spice level, cut garam masala and chili powder in half.
• Since the wings have skin on them, marinate them for a minimum of 1 hour for the flavors to seep in.
• For an extra flavor boost, brush the leftover marinade (if any) over the chicken wings before cooking.
• Fenugreek leaves are optional, but highly recommended as they add an earthy and floral aroma and flavor to the marinade.
• Adding besan (chickpea flour) soaks up the excess moisture and enables even crisping of wings. If unavailable, use corn flour or rice flour.

FAQ

More Tandoori Recipes from my Kitchen

• Tandoori Chicken Sliders: Tandoori Chicken Sliders are mini-burgers made with marinated & grilled chicken, and buttery-soft slider buns, and dressed with a tart & spicy cilantro-chutney spread.
• Instant Pot Whole Tandoori Chicken: Tender, juicy, and packed with flavor, here's a fail-proof pressure cooker recipe for Whole Tandoori Chicken, a classic Indian style Roasted Chicken.
• Tandoori Fish Tikka: Tender fish marinated in a classic Indian tandoori masala and crisped to perfection.
• Tandoori Chicken Recipe (Drums): This easy Tandoori Chicken recipe is for a vibrant and flavorful Indian spiced roast chicken that makes for an incredibly succulent meal. 
• Paneer Tikka: Marinated chunks of paneer, peppers and onions get grilled till crisp.
• Paneer Naan Pizza: This colorful Paneer Naan Pizza is a fusion of flavorful pizza toppings with flatbread that's generously topped with yogurt-marinated paneer and fresh veggies.
• More Popular India Fusion Recipes on the blog

📖 Recipe