Boldy spiced tandoori chicken wings are a game-night staple in our home. Served with cooling coriander-cumin spiced yogurt or tangy blue cheese dressing these wings are a crowd-pleaser.
This healthier version is adapted from the FoodBabe recipe that I had come across a few years ago. Once you try this recipe, you will probably never go back to any other kind of wings. As the Food Babe calls them, they truly are "The best chicken wings ever."
Tandoori
Style of cooking that is based on the use of a clay oven AKA Tandoor. As most of us do not have access to a tandoor clay oven, I prefer this oven cooking method.
I love these Tandoori flavors so much that I have also included an Instant Pot version of this recipe in my The Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook.
Tips
Here are my best tips for making best Tandoori Chicken Wings:
- Use plain full-fat yogurt for the marinade
- Pat dry the chicken wings to avoid extra liquids in the marinade
- Marinate chicken for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours
- Discard any leftover marinade or brush on the chicken before cooking
- Homemade garam masala brings out the authentic flavors
- Any mild red chili powder can be substituted for Kashmiri red chili powder
- Fenugreek leaves are optional but add wonderful flavor and aroma
Most recently, I tried this recipe using Mealthy CrispLid which is a new gadget that can turn your smart pressure cooker into an air fryer. So before I show you the oven/grill recipe here is another option to cook the wings.
Air frying
I love to make the Tandoori Chicken Wings using Mealthy CrispLid Airfryer with these easy steps:
- Spray the stainless steel wire mesh basket with cooking spray. Line the marinated chicken wings, 10-12 at a time in a single layer in the basket.
- Place the raised trivet in the inner pot of the pressure cooker and then place the basket with wings on top of the trivet. Spray oil over the wings.
- Place the Crisplid on top of the inner pot and set it to 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Depending on the size of the wings you may need additional 5 minutes or so. Always check for doneness using a thermometer and make sure that the thickest part of the wings reaches 165 degrees F.
Baking
Step by step Recipe for Baked/Grilled Tandoori Chicken Wings:
- Trim as much fat/skin off the wings using kitchen shears. Add yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, Kashmiri red chili powder, fenugreek leaves, homemade garam masala, turmeric, lemon juice, and salt over the chicken wings. Mix it well and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line the wings on a lightly greased grill tray. Keep another tray underneath the grilling tray to collect all the drippings.
- Note: In my small convection oven the wings are usually done in 20-25 minutes. When the edges begin to char I turn the oven off. These may take up to 45 mins in a non-convection oven.
- Serve hot with coriander-cumin spiced yogurt or tangy blue cheese.
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Tandoori chicken wings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds raw chicken wings **
- ¾ cup plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 to 2 teaspoons garam masala **
- 1 to 2 tablespoons Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves optional
- 1 tablespoon ginger grated
- 1 tablespoon garlic pressed
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped, optional for garnish
Instructions
- Trim as much skin off of the wings as possible. I use kitchen sheers for this.
- Combine all ingredients (except cilantro) in a bowl and marinate wings for at least 1 hour or longer.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line up wings on a greased grilling rack. Place the rack on top of the baking tray to catch all the drippings.
- Bake the wings for about 20-25 mins (in a convection oven) or up to 40 mins otherwise. Wings can also be cooked on a preheated outdoor grill.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.
Notes
- I like Bell Evan's wings that are already cut in half. If you have whole wings make sure to cut them into half (wingettes and drumettes) and discard the tips.
- Add more or less garam masala and red chili powder depending on how spicy you like them.
- Use plain full-fat yogurt for the marinade
- Pat dry the chicken wings to avoid extra liquids in the marinade
- Marinate chicken for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours
- Discard any leftover marinade or brush on the chicken before cooking
- Homemade garam masala brings out the authentic flavors
- Any mild red chili powder can be substituted for Kashmiri red chili powder
- Fenugreek leaves are optional but add wonderful flavor and aroma
- Depending on the size of the wingettes and drumettes you may need to adjust the cooking time. I like to use a digital thermometer to make sure that the internal temperature of the thickest part is at least 165°F (75°C)
Nutrition
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smitha says
Can I use greek yogurt for the marinade?
Archana says
yes you can use greek yogurt
Protima says
Can I use frozen wings for this recipe or must they be thawed wings?
Archana says
Yes, you can use frozen wings. Just add more cook time and use a digital thermometer to check the internal temp of 165 F for doneness