This is my new favorite way to “roast” chicken and I think it’s about to be yours too! Air Frying a Whole Tandoori Chicken may sound a little out there, but I’m here to tell you why you NEED to try this method. In under an hour you get perfectly juicy chicken glazed with a flavor-packed marinade that gets caramelized and crispy all over. And I’m never going back!
This is essentially my homemade Indian-spiced rotisserie style chicken and it’s been a game-changer! It has totally replaced the convenience of store-bought rotisserie and is better in every way. The exquisite crispy-spicy coating from the Air Fryer is unforgettable!!
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What Is Tandoori?
Tandoori is a style of cooking from the Indian subcontinent that refers to cooking food in a clay oven, which is also called a Tandoor. Most traditional Tandoori chicken is marinated in yogurt and vibrant spices before it is roasted in the clay oven.
Since most of us don't have clay ovens, there are other ways we can replicate the cooking methods with our own kitchen appliances. I love making tandoori chicken in the Instant Pot.
This recipe will show you how to make perfect tandoori chicken in the air fryer.
Air Frying Whole Chicken
The Many Reasons to Love this Air Fryer Whole Tandoori Chicken:
- Cooking time is essentially hands-off! The superb marinade of ground spices, garlic paste, ginger paste, and lemon gets rubbed under and over the skin. Then the Air Fryer does the work. Bonus--no need to let the marinade soak in for hours or even overnight so there’s no need to plan ahead. You can decide to make Tandoori Chicken and an hour later it’s ready to eat!
- Meal Prep has never been so easy! I like to Air Fry the whole chicken and use it throughout the week to top salads, make wraps, or add protein to grain bowls. It also makes amazing lettuce wraps!
- Air Fryer Whole Chicken Tandoori is special event-ready! This will be the centerpiece of our Thanksgiving feast around which we will build the rest of the menu. We don’t even need the oven for this dish so we have plenty of room in there for pies, casseroles, and cornbread. It makes entertaining so easy!
- Buying a whole chicken is more cost effective.
- The results are consistent: perfectly cooked through, so very moist, and completely delicious.
Tandoori Marinade
Here are the main ingredients and spices I like to use for marinating whole tandoori chicken:
- Kashmiri red chili powder - A mild chili powder that adds a brilliant hue to the chicken without adding too much heat
- Ground cumin - Adds nutty warm flavors
- Ground coriander - Paired with cumin adds an earthy flavor
- Ground turmeric - The bright, healing spice that adds a peppery-woody taste and a deep golden color to the marinade
- Garam masala - “warm spice mix” adds warmth and depth, added with other spices makes for a perfect homemade tandoori masala
- Fresh Ginger & Garlic Paste - Must have in Indian cuisine, fresh ginger and garlic adds authentic taste, flavor, and nutrition
- Lemon juice - helps tenderize the meat and the acidity balances the spices
Tips for BEST Air Fryer Whole Tandoori Chicken
- This recipe is tested in Cosori 5.8 QT so if your airfryer is smaller you may want to buy a smaller chicken and reduce the cooking time accordingly.
- Cooking time will vary depending on your air fryer. Check the chicken for doneness at the 40 minute mark using a digital thermometer. Adjust time as needed
- Depending on how big your air fryer is you may wish to use a bigger or smaller whole chicken. Just be sure to adjust your spice and oil mix, and the cooking time.
- If you find that the chicken is a bit too tall and the top starts to burn, cut the strings tied on the chicken and press it down so it takes more space horizontally and to prevent the top from burning.
- Use a digital thermometer to take the guesswork out
- Adjust the Tandoori spice mix to your taste. If you like it more spicy, substitute half of the Kashmiri chili with hot chili powder.
Versatile Recipe
I have used this air frying whole chicken technique with different types of marinades as well as dry rubs. Use your favorite spices to marinate and get perfectly cooked tender juicy rotisserie style chicken every single time!
How to air fryer whole chicken
Here are step by step instructions with photos on how to air fryer whole tandoori chicken. Full list of ingredient quantities and a printable recipe card can be found at the end of this post:
- In a bowl mix all the marinade ingredients.
- Prep the Chicken - Remove the bag of giblets from inside the chicken. Rinse the chicken with water and then pat dry from outside and inside with paper towels. You can also trim any excess fat from the chicken using kitchen shears.
- Make 3 small slits on each of the chicken breasts. Using a silicone spatula or your hands evenly apply the marinade all over the chicken including the insides. Make sure to also apply the marinade under the skin without tearing the skin too much.
- Tie the legs with a cooking twine
- Preheat the Air Fryer to 360 F. Lightly brush the air fryer basket with oil
- Place the chicken breast side down in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 360F for 50 minutes
- Using a pair of silicone tongs, flip the chicken. Lightly coat the top side with more marinade and air fry for 10 more minutes.
- Make sure that the Internal temperature of the breast is 165F. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
What to Serve with Whole Tandoori Chicken
I often make whole Tandoori chicken as a mealprep. Serve it on Lettuce Cups for a low carb meal or serve it with Potato Wedges, Jeera Rice, Quinoa Salad or Cucumber Salad.
For a Holiday or Special Occasion pairing, choose from Cranberry Apple Sauce, Roasted Carrots with Herb Chutney, Sweet Potato Casserole, Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts or Kale Salad with Almonds.
Storing
Store any leftover tandoori chicken refrigerated in an air tight container for up tp 5 days. For longer shelf life you can also freeze the leftovers.
Did you enjoy this air fryer recipe? Here are some more Indian Air Fryer Recipes to try:
Air Frying Tips
- You may need to increase or decrease the air frying time depending on your air fryer. Check your food frequently to prevent it from burning. This is especially important during the last few minutes of cooking. Air fryers come in different sizes, so your food might not fit the same way that recipes online show.
- Do not use aerosol spray cans to apply the non-stick spray to the basket. Aerosol spray cans usually contain harsh ingredients that are known for causing chipping in air fryer baskets.
- Shake the basket during cooking times for smaller things like chicken wings, fries, and small veggies. Do this every few minutes or halfway through cooking.
- Be careful not to press the basket release button while you are carrying the baskets. This will cause the inner basket to pull out and the outer basket will drop, which might damage it.
- Do not place anything on top of your air fryer. This disrupts the airflow and will cause poor air frying results.
- If you air fry high-fat foods, pour out the fat droppings from under the inner basket. This will prevent excess smoke while it cooks next time.
Recipe
Air Fryer Whole Tandoori Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- (1) 4½ to 5 lbs whole chicken
Marinade:
- 2 tablespoons kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1½ tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 2 tablespoons ginger paste
- 2 tablespoons garlic paste
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons oil
Instructions
- Prep the Chicken - Remove the bag of giblets from inside the chicken. Rinse the chicken with water and then pat dry from outside and inside with paper towels. You can also trim any excess fat from the chicken using kitchen shears.
- In a bowl mix all the marinade ingredients. Using a silicone spatula or your hands evenly apply the marinade all over the chicken including the insides. Make sure to also apply the marinade under the skin without tearing the skin too much. Make 3 small slits on each of the chicken breasts.
- Preheat the oven to 360 F. Lightly brush the air fryer basket with oil.
- Place the chicken breast side down in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 360F for 50 minutes
- Using a pair of silicone tongs, flip the chicken. Lightly coat the top side with more marinade and air fry for 10 more minutes.
- Make sure that the Internal temperature of the breast is 165 degree F. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- This recipe is tested in Cosori 5.8 QT so if your air fryer is smaller you may want to buy a smaller chicken and reduce the cooking time accordingly.
- Cooking time will vary depending on your air fryer. Check the chicken for doneness at the 40-minute mark using a digital thermometer. Adjust time as needed Depending on how big your air fryer is you may wish to use a bigger or smaller whole chicken. Just be sure to adjust your spice and oil mix, and the cooking time.
- If you find that the chicken is a bit too tall and the top starts to burn, cut the strings tied on the chicken and press it down so it takes more space horizontally and to prevent the top from burning.
- Use a digital thermometer to take the guesswork out Adjust the Tandoori spice mix to your taste.
- If you like it spicier, substitute half of the Kashmiri chili with hot chili powder.
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