Tandoori chicken wings (Oven & Air Fryer Recipe)

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. 

What is Tandoori

Tandoori is a style of cooking 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 and also shared how to make them in the Airy Fryer too

Ingredients

• Chicken Wings - I recommend Bell Evan's brand 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.
• Ginger and Garlic - fresh homemade ginger paste and garlic paste adds a nice kick and flavor to the wings
• Yogurt - plain full-fat yogurt or plain greek yogurt
• Spices - Kashmiri red chili powder, fenugreek leaves, garam masala, turmeric, and salt
• Lemon juice - helps tenderize the meat and helps marination

How to Bake/Grill 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.

Tips to Make the 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

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Tandoori chicken wings

Spicy tandoori chicken wings that are grilled to perfection with yogurt, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, garam masala, red chili powder, and turmeric.

Prep Time1 hour hr

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 6

Calories: 219kcal

Author: Archana Mundhe

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

Tips for making the best Tandoori Chicken Wings:

• 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

Calories: 219kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 505mg | Potassium: 242mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 940IU | Vitamin C: 3.9mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1.4mg

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