Tandoori is both a cooking style and method (cooking in a tandoor). This recipe doesn’t require a tandoor, but simply your favorite medium for cooking wings, be it your grill, oven, smoker, air fryer, or what have you. Although you may be used to tandoori chicken being bright red, this is typically achieved through the addition of red food coloring, which is not included in this recipe. However, it is full of what counts: flavor and heat!
Traditionally, tandoori marinades use dahi (curd) in India, but this recipe uses homemade kefir cheese, which we can make readily and easily using milk kefir grains. Kefir cheese is the strained-out solids from milk fermented with kefir grains. Check out my full guidance for acquiring and using milk kefir grains here.
Kefir cheese offers a very similar tangy richness and tenderizing benefits like curd, making it a perfect substitute. If you don’t have access to kefir cheese or curd, you can sub with full-fat plain yogurt! It is worth marinating for 4-6 hours if you have the time, but is also quite delicious prepared and cooked straight away.
This recipe first appeared in Insane in the Brine: The Official Cookbook, along with the green coriander chutney (dipping sauce) recipe which is out of this world!! What’s more, the cookbook even has a recipe on what to do with the leftover whey from making kefir cheese and how to use it in the best fish fry of your life!
Yield:
4-6 servings (depending on as a main or side/appetizer
Equipment
- Oven, grill, etc.
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Knife & cutting board
- Large mixing bowl & wooden spoon (or whisk)
- Gallon ziptop bag
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs. chicken wings
- ½ cup kefir cheese, or sub with whole milk yogurt or Greek yogurt
- 2 TBSP tandoori masala
- 1 TBSP garam masala
- 1 TBSP minced garlic
- 1 TBSP mustard oil
- 1 TBSP vegetable oil (can sub with corn, canola, or any neutral cooking oil)
- 1.5 tsp Indian chili powder
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp chaat masala
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- ¼ tsp ginger powder
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Garnishes:
- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
- ¼ red onion, thin sliced
- 1 lime cut into 6 slices, or cut into thin discs
- Juice of ½ lime (separate from lime above)
Directions
1.) In bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients and blend together until thick and evenly combined.
2.) Add the wings to the marinade and stir until they are evenly and fully coated. Cover the container and refrigerate. Wings are best marinated up to 4 hours but may also be cooked immediately with good results.
Baking: Preheat oven to 375F. Place wings in a single layer on a lightly oiled baking sheet and cover with aluminum foil. Cook for 30 minutes, remove foil and broil on low until golden with some blackened edges.
Grilling: Cook closed on medium-low heat for about 20 minutes. Open the grill and turn on high heat, turning chicken until the edges have blackened slightly.
3.) Remove chicken from oven or grill, and immediately add the cilantro, red onion, lime juice and lime slices. Stir several times until they are evenly distributed. Cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
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