Embark on a flavourful journey with this Air Fryer Whole Chicken recipe.
Tandoori chicken has always been a family favourite and it’s now even easier to prepare in your air fryer, even as a whole chicken. All it takes is 5 minutes of your time to prepare the marinade, leave it to marinate then just pop it in your air fryer. What’s not to love?
If you do not have an air fryer, you can follow this Tandoori Roast Chicken Recipe to oven bake.
There is really no missing out on flavour and just look how crispy it is too!
About this Air Fryer Whole Chicken recipe
Tandoori chicken is a popular indian dish marinated in lots of aromatic flavours, then traditionally cooked in a tandoor oven.
You will find lots of variations of tandoori chicken and some are quite difficult to prepare. This recipe is as easy as it gets.
This simple recipe gives you all the flavour for a delicious family feast and its cooked in the air fryer!
Do I need to marinate the chicken?
Marinating the chicken is crucial for infusing it with the signature tandoori flavor. Ideally, marinate the chicken for at least 2 to 4 hours.
What size chicken should I use for tandoori chicken in the air fryer
It’s best to use a medium-sized whole chicken for air frying, typically weighing around 1.4 to 1.8 kg (3 to 4 pounds). This size ensures thorough cooking without overcrowding the air fryer basket.
If you have a big enough air fryer for a large chicken, you may need to add extra time to ensure thorough cooking.
For every additional pound (0.45 kg) you want to add approximately 5 to 7 minutes to your cooking time. The chicken needs to reach an internal temperature of 75C/165F.
Do I need to flip the chicken during cooking in the air fryer?
Flipping the chicken in the last 10-15 minutes of the cooking process can help ensure even crispiness on all sides. This recipe tells you just when to do that after the first part of the cooking process.
What should I serve with this Tandoori Air Fryer Whole Chicken?
Turning this roast chicken into a feast is the right idea. You can serve this Air Fryer Whole Chicken alongside lots of delicious recipes already on the blog. Serving Basmati Rice or Mushroom Fried Rice is easy.
You could serve naan bread to wrap the chicken in with salad and yoghurt sauce. Why not try one of these naan bread recipes? Instant naans, Peshwari naans, stove top naans, keema naans, garlic naans, tandoor naans (if you have a tandoor oven), or if you’re cooking outdoors, karahi naans.
You might also like to serve this tandoori roast chicken with a good and easy tarka dal or slowly simmered dal makhani.
If you would like to add even more to your air fryer Indian feast. Why not try this delicious Air Fryer Samosa recipe or you can prepare these Air Fryer Onion Bhajis. Alternatively how about fried shop bought poppadoms or if you’re feeling ambitious, make your own poppadoms from scratch and serve them with coriander chutney, red onion chutney, and/or tamarind chutney.
Doesn’t tandoori marinade have to include yoghurt?
Typically yes. Most tandoori chicken marinades include yoghurt and if you want to add it, go ahead and add a few tablespoons to the marinade ingredients. You use yoghurt or butter milk in tandoori marinades because it is a natural tenderiser. The farmed chicken we find in the West is already very tender so it just isn’t needed.
How to use up the leftovers
If you have leftover chicken, this will last in the fridge for up to 3 days. Serve it cold in salads or heat it back up for a delicious round two of your Indian feast.
Make sure you don’t waste the bones and use them instead to make a delicious homemade chicken stock. Boil the carcass when you are finished with some onions, carrot and your favourite spices for a very tasty chicken stock that can be made into soups or added to your chicken curries. It is simply too good to waste.
Don’t you need to remove the chicken skin?
Traditionally, you remove the skin when preparing tandoori chicken. In this case, I decided to leave it on. It’s up to you.
There is an advantage to removing the skin. The marinade will soak deeper into the flesh and it is of course healthier to do so.
I like crispy chicken skin and you will get just that with this air fryer chicken recipe.
Step by step photographs…
Prepare your ingredients before you start. You will save time this way.
Add all the marinade ingredients in a bowl.
Mix the marinade ingredients together.
Make shallow incisions into the chicken breast, legs and thighs.
Rub the marinade all over the chicken including inside the chicken.
Allow to marinate for 1 to 4 hours.
When ready to cook, preheat the air fryer to 180C/350F then place the chicken in the basket breast side down. Air fry for 50 minutes.
Now that the chicken has been cooking for 50 minutes, turn over the chicken with a pair of tongs and cook for a further 10-15 minutes to make the skin on the top crispy.
Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. You are going to love this recipe!
If you like this Tandoori Air Fryer Whole Chicken Recipe then you might like to try these some of there other air fryer recipes…
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Air Fryer Whole Tandoori Chicken
Whole Tandoori chicken in the air fryer. It does not get any easier than this. All the flavour without the hassle. You will love this recipe.
Ingredients
- 1.5kg (3lb 5oz) whole chicken
- 70ml (1⁄4 cup) melted ghee mixed with 1 tsp salt
- FOR THE TANDOORI MARINADE
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp tandoori masala
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder (more or less to taste, or mild paprika)
- 2 tbsp garlic, ginger and chilli (Please see note)
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
- 4 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
- Red food colouring powder (optional)
Instructions
- Whisk together all of the marinade ingredients, adding just enough water to make a smooth paste – about 3 tablespoons. I use a little red food colouring, too, but it adds no flavour so it is optional.
- Add the marinade all over the chicken including inside and underneath the skin if you like to add more flavour. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 1 to 4 hours. If you add yoghurt, you can leave it to marinate for up to 24 hours.
- When ready to cook, preheat your air fryer to 180C/350F. Place the chicken in the air fryer basket breast side down. Cook for 50 minutes. Baste the chicken from time to time with the melted ghee until it is all used up.
- After 50 minutes of air frying, flip the chicken over with a pair of tongs and continue cooking for a further 10-15 to make the skin nice and crispy. Make sure the internal temperature is 75°C (165°F) before removing from your air fryer.
- Allow the chicken to rest for 5 to 8 minutes before carving.
Notes
Garlic, ginger and chilli paste is just as it sounds. Blend equal amounts of garlic and ginger with a little water into a paste. Then add chillies to taste (I use two) and blend them in.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 404Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 2982mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 4gSugar: 6gProtein: 18g