Ingredients

  • 1 kg (2-3 lbs) chicken thighs
  • ⅓ cup plain whole-milk yogurt
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 tbsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½–1 tsp cayenne (to taste)
  • 3 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp kosher salt

Directions

  1. Mix marinade in its own bowl or zip-top bag by whisking all ingredients together.
  2. Chicken: Add your thighs to the tandoori marinade. Massage to coat. Marinate at least 1 hour, ideally 4–24 hours.
  3. Cook the chicken: Air fry at 380 °F for 14–18 minutes, flipping once, until internal temp hits 175 °F (thighs are forgiving — don’t pull early). Alternatively, sheet-pan roast at 425 °F for 20–25 minutes on a wire rack.
  4. Rest chicken 5 minutes, then slice.

Notes

  • You can eat this with rice, or freeze it and use it in butter chicken.