Tandoori Chicken: Authentic Indian Spices, Best Oils, and How to Get It Right

When you think of tandoori chicken, a vibrant, smoky Indian grilled chicken dish marinated in yogurt and spices, traditionally cooked in a clay tandoor oven. Also known as tandoori murgh, it's one of the most popular Indian dishes worldwide—not just for its color, but for the deep, layered flavor that comes from simple, powerful ingredients. This isn’t just grilled chicken with red food coloring. Real tandoori chicken gets its punch from cumin, coriander, garam masala, garlic, ginger, and a touch of Kashmiri chili for color without overwhelming heat. The yogurt isn’t just for tenderness—it’s the base that lets the spices cling and slowly penetrate the meat over hours, sometimes even overnight.

The secret to great tandoori chicken starts with the oil, a cooking medium that must handle high heat without burning, while helping carry flavor and keep the chicken moist. Also known as high smoke point oil, the right choice—like mustard oil, sunflower oil, or refined coconut oil—makes a real difference. Too light, and the chicken dries out. Too strong, and it overpowers the spices. That’s why guides on best oil for tandoori chicken, the ideal fat that balances flavor, heat stability, and health. Also known as Indian cooking oil, it’s a key part of the recipe that many skip over. And while tandoori chicken often gets confused with tikka, a similar but distinct Indian dish where chicken pieces are marinated and grilled, often with thicker sauce and more tomato-based seasoning. Also known as chicken tikka, it’s the cousin that shares the same oven but not the same soul. Tikka sauce leans into cream and tomatoes; tandoori sauce is all about dry spices, yogurt, and smoke. One is a sauce-drenched bite, the other is a charred, spiced experience.

You’ll find these same spices showing up in chicken curry, a rich, saucy Indian dish where chicken simmers in a spiced gravy, often with onions, tomatoes, and cream or coconut milk. Also known as chicken masala, it’s the comfort food cousin to tandoori chicken. But while curry is slow-cooked and saucy, tandoori chicken is about quick, high-heat cooking and bold surface flavor. Both rely on the same spice foundation, but the method changes everything. That’s why understanding the difference matters—if you’re making tandoori chicken, you don’t want to treat it like a curry. You want the char, the smokiness, the crisp edges.

And if you’ve ever wondered why your tandoori chicken turns out dry or bland, it’s not just the spice mix—it’s the marinating time, the oil you use, and how hot your grill or oven really is. The posts here don’t just give you recipes. They show you why certain oils work better, how to tweak the spice blend without losing authenticity, and how to avoid the most common mistakes that turn a vibrant dish into a dull one. You’ll see how tandoori chicken connects to everything from the right yogurt to the perfect chutney to serve with it. No fluff. Just what works, tested in real kitchens, across India and beyond.