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 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 classics - Chicken Wings and Tandoori Chicken. It's absolutely delicious and an absolute family- and crowd-favorite!

As with most tandoori dishes, these chicken wings are marinated with creamy yogurt and Indian spices, then cooked for a crispy outside that's a little charred.

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.

Fun Fact: Historians are said to have found the first evidence of a meat preparation which 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.

It is also said that during the Mughal Era, the emperor Jehangir was so in love with tandoori cuisine, he requested that a tandoor be brought with him wherever he went.

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 technique 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 from the inside and crisp on the outside.

Easy Indian Chicken with a Twist

• 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

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 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 cornflour 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: give 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 best flavor. Lime juice helps tenderize the meat.

Step By Step Instructions for Tandoori Chicken Wings

• Prep the chicken wings: If not already cut, remove the tips of 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 1 to 4 hours (longer the better).

Oven Directions

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the wings, skin side up. Brush any leftover marinade over the wings. Bake in a pre-heated 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, 1-2 minutes on each side, until the skin is crisp and slightly charred.

Air Fryer Instructions

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 cook 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 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, 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 in even crisping of wings. If unavailable, use corn flour or rice flour.

Common Questions for Tandoori Chicken Wings

More Tandoori Recipes from my Kitchen

• Tandoori Chicken Sliders: Tandoori Chicken Sliders are mini-burgers made with marinated & grilled chicken, 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

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📖 Recipe

Tandoori Chicken Wings

Aneesha Gupta

These tandoori chicken wings are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and flavored with Indian spices. Made easily in the oven or air fryer.

4.89 from 17 votes

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Prep Time 11 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Marinate 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 41 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American, Indian

Servings 4

Calories 558 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  Air Fryer
• ▢
  Oven

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 lbs. chicken wings (roughly 16 wings)
• ▢ ½ cup plain yogurt or ⅓ cup plain greek yogurt
• ▢ 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 lime
• ▢ 1 tablespoon minced ginger 1-inch piece
• ▢ 1 tablespoon minced garlic 4 cloves
• ▢ 1 tablespoon besan or cornflour
• ▢ 1½ teaspoons salt
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ▢ 2 teaspoons garam masala
• ▢ 1 tablespoon coriander powder
• ▢ 1 tablespoon kashmiri red chili powder
• ▢ 2 teaspoon paprika
• ▢ 1 teaspoon chaat masala
• ▢ 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (Kasoori Methi) optional

For Finishing

• ▢ 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
• ▢ fresh lemon or lime juice

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

 

Marinate

• If not already cut, remove the tips of chicken wings and split at the joint. Pat dry with paper towels and trim off any excess loose fat using kitchen shears.
  
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, minced ginger, garlic, lime juice, salt and all the dry spices to make the marinade.
  
• Add the wings and toss till well coated. Refrigerate 1 to 4 hours (longer the better).
  

Oven Instructions

• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the wings, skin side up. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 425°F for 30 minutes.

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

Air fryer Instructions

• Preheat the air fryer for 2 minutes at 375°F. Place the chicken wings in a single layer. Cook for 22 to 25 minutes, removing the basket and shaking it twice in between, 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.

  Note: cooking time may vary with different air fryers
  

Serving Suggestion

• Garnish with chopped cilantro and fresh lime juice. Serve hot with cilantro Jalapeno sauce.

Video

Notes

• To make a big batch of these chicken 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, 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 in even crisping of wings. If unavailable, use corn flour or rice flour.

 

Note: The nutrition facts below are my estimates and are based on 4 chicken wings per serving. If you are following any diet plan, I recommend cross-checking with your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition

Calories: 558kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 179mg | Sodium: 1059mg | Potassium: 539mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2561IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 3mg

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