Air fryer recipe · Mains
Whole Tandoori Roast Chicken
A whole chicken coated in a double tandoori marinade and roasted in the basket until browned and tender. A good centrepiece for a Sunday meal.
- 75 minTotal time
- 180°CAir fryer
- 6Serves
- Non-vegetarianDiet
Nutrition per serving
- 265kcal
- 36.0 gprotein
- 5.6 gcarbs
- 11.2 gfat
- 0.6 gfibre
Per serving, about 6 servings. Figures are estimates from standard ingredient databases, not medical, dietetic, or nutritional advice.
Ingredients
- whole chicken1 kg
- thick yogurt1 cup
- ginger garlic paste3 tbsp
- kashmiri red chili powder2 tsp
- garam masala1.5 tsp
- lemon juice3 tbsp
- mustard oil2 tbsp
- salt1.5 tsp
Method
Prep the bird
Pat the chicken fully dry, then cut deep slashes across the breast, thighs and legs right down to the bone. A dry surface browns instead of steaming, and the slashes let the marinade reach deep into the meat so it is flavoured all the way through.
First marinade
Rub the chicken inside and out with half the ginger garlic paste, the lemon juice and the salt, working it into the slashes. Rest it for 30 minutes. This first layer seasons the meat itself and the lemon helps tenderise it before the yogurt coat goes on.
Second marinade
Mix the yogurt with the rest of the ginger garlic paste, chili powder, garam masala and mustard oil. Coat the chicken thickly and chill it for at least 6 hours. The thick yogurt clings to the skin and forms the classic charred tandoori crust as it cooks.
Preheat
Preheat the air fryer to 180°C and lay the chicken breast-side down to start. A hot basket sears the underside straight away, and starting breast down keeps that thick meat close to the heat so it cooks through without drying out.
Air fry
Air fry at 180°C for 45 min, turning the chicken twice, until the skin is browned, the thickest part of the thigh reaches 74°C and the juices run clear. Those two signs together mean the bird is safely cooked, with no pink at the bone.
