Air Fryer Recipe
Tandoori Chicken Skewers
Tandoori Chicken Skewers are bright, full-flavoured and inspired by classic Indian cooking, with the air fryer making them easy to cook at home.
Ingredients
- 500g chicken breast or thighs, cut into chunks
- 3 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons tandoori masala
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
Method
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the yoghurt, lemon juice, tandoori masala, ginger-garlic paste, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt. Stir until everything is well combined.
- Add the chicken chunks to the marinade and turn them until they are thoroughly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
- Preheat the air fryer to 200°C (400°F) for 5 minutes.
- Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto the soaked skewers, leaving a small gap between each piece.
- Place the skewers in the air fryer basket, making sure they are not touching. Lightly brush with vegetable oil.
- Cook for approximately 15 minutes, turning halfway through.
Why this works in an air fryer
The yoghurt and lemon gently tenderise the chicken while helping the spices cling; in the air fryer, fast convection dries the surface quickly so the marinade chars at the edges rather than steaming. Small gaps between pieces let hot air reach all sides for tandoor-style browning.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5–6 litre basket that fits 20 cm skewers in one layer; in a single-drawer model cook in batches if needed, while dual-zone air fryers may need 2–3 extra minutes because each drawer has less airflow and the skewers should be swapped or shaken halfway.
Common pitfalls
- Wet, pale chicken at minute 10? The marinade layer is too thick or the basket is crowded; scrape off excess marinade before cooking and leave visible gaps between pieces.
- Charred spice coating but chicken still undercooked? The chunks are too large or packed tightly on the skewer; cut to roughly 3 cm pieces and check the thickest piece reaches 75°C.
- Dry, fibrous breast meat? It has gone past doneness; use thighs next time or start checking breast pieces from minute 12 with a probe thermometer.
- Wooden skewer ends scorching or catching on the element? They are too long or not soaked enough; trim to fit the basket and wrap exposed ends loosely in foil if necessary.
Variations & substitutions
- Use boneless chicken thighs for a juicier result; they tolerate the 200°C heat better and may need 1–2 minutes longer than breast.
- Swap plain yoghurt for Greek yoghurt for a thicker coating; scrape off excess before air frying or the spices can cook into a paste rather than char.
- Add 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder for deeper colour and mild heat; it browns quickly, so watch the last few minutes for over-darkening.
- Thread peppers or onion between the chicken pieces; cut them to similar size and expect slightly more moisture in the basket, so add 1–2 minutes if they look wet.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooked skewers chilled for up to 3 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 180°C for 4–6 minutes until piping hot, turning once.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
