Too hot or too cold to grill outside? Try this Instant Pot Tandoori Chicken recipe. Tender, cooked to perfection chicken with a finger-licking marinade. You can finish off the cooking by optionally broiling the chicken for 5 mins.
Tandoori Chicken is traditionally cooked in a clay oven known as Tandoor. Here in the US, many of us use outdoor grills, indoor ovens in lieu of the Tandoor. And now I am thrilled to have his modern version using an Instant Pot that results in luscious and spicy Tandoori Chicken with a hands-free recipe.
Hope you had a great Memorial day weekend! We had a FUN long weekend - we got to hang out with our cousins, played soccer tournament, and ran a 5K race. Although it rained all day in the Northeast and was a bit chilly for the memorial day BBQ, we did not give up on our plans.
We decided to bring our cookout indoors. We had chicken marinating for 8+ hours, that I cooked in my InstaPot. The result was succulent, fall off the bone, moist and flavorful tandoori chicken, that we enjoyed with some spicy mint chutney and corn pulao!
Tandoori Chicken, marinade uses plain yogurt, mild and bright red Kashmiri chili powder, turmeric, fresh ginger, garlic and garam masala.
Marinating the chicken for a longer time adds more flavor to the final dish. Although you can use chicken breasts or thighs to make Tandoori Chicken, my favorite way is to cook with the drumsticks.
When you are ready to cook, add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot and put the trivet inside the pot. Place the chicken pieces over the trivet, layering the pieces if needed. Close the Instant Pot and pressure cook for 15 minutes followed by a 10-minute natural pressure release.
Before serving, you can broil the tandoori chicken in a preheated oven for 5 minutes. We can hardly resist the succulent, aromatic tandoori chicken right out of the Instant Pot and always skip the broiling.
Tips
Tips for the perfect Tandoori Chicken Instant Pot recipe:
- Pat dry the chicken before marinating to avoid access liquids.
- Marinate the chicken for at least an hour.
- Use plain full fat yogurt for the marinade.
- Use fresh garam masala. Homemade garam masala works the best!
Here is a quick video for an easy Tandoori Chicken recipe in Instant Pot:
Looking for a quick and fun dinner idea for the kids? Serve Tandoori Chicken with easy pasta in creamy tomato sauce and dinner is a big hit! The spicy tandoori flavor goes well with the creaminess of the pasta.
Tandoori Chicken - Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2 LB 8 Chicken drumsticks, skinned
- ½ cup plain yogurt Make It Dairy Free by using Coconut yogurt
- ½ tablespoon ginger grated
- ½ tablespoon garlic minced
- 1-2 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder or any mild red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1-2 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add yogurt, ginger, garlic, red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, salt, lemon juice and oil. Mix well.
- Dry skinned drumsticks with a paper towel. Put 2-3 slits on each drumstick and apply marinade all over the chicken. Allow the chicken to marinate up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Take the chicken out of the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking.
- Add 1 cup water to the Instant Pot insert. Lightly grease the trivet with cooking oil and place inside the pot. Arrange the marinated Chicken pieces on the trivet.
- Close Instant Pot with the pressure valve to sealing. Cook on Manual(Hi) for 15 mins followed by Natural Pressure Release. Open Instant Pot.
- Enjoy Tandoori chicken with lime wedges and chutney over steamed rice or Pulao.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Mona says
I'm planning to make this recipe this weekend (for a starving college kid!) but I have a question about the cook time. The description indicates that it should be pressure-cooked for 15 minutes followed by 10 minutes NPR, but the recipe itself says 15 minutes followed by NPR (not just 10 minutes NPR but how ever long it takes for the pressure to be released.) Could you please clarify? Thanks!
Archana says
The pin usually will drop in 10 to 15 mins. But 10 mins NPR is plenty. Hope he enjoys it as much as my boys do 🙂
Mini Samuel says
The recipe doesn't have any cilantro being added to the marinade but pic of ingredients shows cilantro. Should Cilantro be in the marinade? and how much?
Archana says
Cilantro is optional.Sometimes I make the same marinade and use half of it in Biryani which needs cilantro & mint. You can add 1 tablespoon chopped if you like.
stephanie g. says
Hi Archanna,
Your recipes are always a hit! You made cooking fun and easy. Thank you very much.
For this recipe, can I use chicken boneless thighs? What will be the cooking time?
Keep up the great work!
Stephanie G.
Toronto, Canada
Archana says
Hi Stephanie! Yes Boneless thighs will work good too. Follow same time as they will be cooked on the trivet so they won't be overcooked.
Himabindu says
Oh my goodness love your all yummy yummy recipes...always I cook ur recipes just awesome. Many days onwards I am trying to get ur book from Libby always on hold only God bless u and us too...looking forward for many more yummy recipes from you
Ria says
I don't have that kind of cooker. Can I use normal rice cooker. If yes what will be the cooking time
Archana says
Yes you can (about 2 whistles) or you can simply bake in the oven.
Regina says
This makes the chicker dry ..not juicy ?
Archana says
They cool on top of a trivet, so the extra juices are in the main pot. The chicken is cooked to tender perfection.
Namrata says
What’s the cook time if I use chicken breasts instead of the drumsticks?
Archana says
8 mins pressure cook time if you use whole breasts and 10 min natural pressure release
Neha Patel says
Hi Archana, recipe looks good! I want to make this for my husband but only have chicken wings at home. Can I use these and if so, should I adjust the pressure cook time?
Archana says
5 to 6 min pressure cook time is enough for wings
Spike says
Bone in thighs, nonfat yogurt and lime juice, 'cause that's what I had, but came out fantastic. Best recipe I've made in months.
Monica says
Can't wait to try. Can I use bone in thighs? Also how can I make it in the air fryer?
Archana says
Yes! Same time will work. Always check the internal temp with a digital thermometer
Rachel says
Hello, I want to make these for a large group. Do I just stack the drumsticks on the trivet? Or can I only make one layer at a time? Thanks.
Archana says
Yes! You can stack the chicken pieces