15 Minute Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken Recipe

Source video by Latifs Inspired on YouTube. This recipe was adapted with strict source-fidelity rules.

This is a home-style boneless tandoori chicken made entirely with store cupboard spices, no fresh ginger or garlic needed. The chicken thighs are marinated in yogurt, lemon, vinegar, mustard oil and a Bangladeshi-influenced spice mix, then cooked in the air fryer at 200°C for 15 minutes. It is served with a quick mint yogurt sauce and a fresh tomato, red onion and green chilli salad. No artificial food colouring is used, so the finish is a natural deep red rather than the bright restaurant red.

Ingredients

• 500 gboneless chicken thighs
• 2 tbspnatural yogurt
• 1 tspcooking salt
• 1 tspginger powder
• 1 tspgarlic powder
• 1 tspkasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• 1 tspEnglish mustard (Colman's)
• 1 tspmint sauce
• 1 tspKashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tspgaram masala
• 0.5 tspcumin powder
• 1 tspsmoked paprika
• 2 tbsplemon juice
• 2 tbspmustard oil
• 1 tbspwhite vinegar
• 1 tbsptomato puree, heaped
• oil, for brushing the air fryer basket

• 4 tbspGreek yogurt
• mint sauce
• 1.25 tspsugar
• salt

• 2 wholesmall tomatoes, sliced, seeds removed (add late)
• 1 wholesmall red onion, finely chopped
• 1 wholegreen chilli, chopped
• 1 wholegarlic clove, finely chopped
• fresh coriander, chopped
• 0.5 tspsalt

Method

1. In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, salt, ginger powder, garlic powder, kasuri methi, English mustard, mint sauce, Kashmiri chilli powder, garam masala, cumin, smoked paprika, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard oil and tomato puree. Mix into a smooth marinade and taste.

   ~5 min

2. Add the boneless chicken thighs and coat thoroughly. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours, ideally overnight.

   ~5 min

3. For the mint sauce, mix the Greek yogurt with mint sauce, sugar and a pinch of salt. Set aside in the fridge.

   ~2 min

4. For the salad, combine the chopped red onion, coriander, garlic and green chilli with the salt and mix well with your hands. Add the sliced tomatoes but do not mix them in until just before serving.

   ~5 min

5. Preheat the air fryer. Lightly brush the base of the basket with oil so the chicken does not stick.

   ~3 min

6. Place the marinated chicken thighs in the basket in a single layer (around 3 pieces per batch). Cook at 200°C for 15 minutes, turning or checking at the 7 minute mark.

   ~15 min

7. Rest the chicken briefly, then plate up with the mint sauce and the freshly mixed tomato salad.

   ~3 min

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