Air Fryer Recipe
Tandoori Chicken Wings
A delicious and easy-to-make tandoori chicken wings recipe, perfect for air frying.
Ingredients
- 1 kg chicken wings
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp tandoori masala
- 1 tbsp cumin powder
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- Salt to taste
- Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
Method
- Clean and pat dry the chicken wings with a paper towel.
- In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, tandoori masala, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala, garlic, ginger, and salt to create the marinade.
- Add the chicken wings to the marinade, ensuring they are thoroughly coated.
- Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for best results.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (350°F).
- Arrange the marinated wings in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Cook the wings for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until cooked through and crispy.
- Remove the wings from the air fryer and garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve hot with your choice of chutney or dipping sauce.
Why this works in an air fryer
The yoghurt’s acidity and calcium help tenderise the wing surface while spices cling in a thin paste. Patting dry and cooking in a single layer lets convection evaporate marinade moisture, then renders chicken fat so the skin browns instead of steams.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5–6 litre basket: 1 kg wings usually needs two loose single-layer batches unless the wings are small. In a single-drawer air fryer, place larger drumettes around the hotter outer edge and turn them halfway; in a dual-zone model, split evenly between drawers and check the smaller flats 3–5 minutes earlier.
Common pitfalls
- Wet, pale wings after 15 minutes mean too much marinade is pooling and steaming; scrape off excess yoghurt before cooking and leave small gaps between pieces.
- Dark spice patches but undercooked meat indicate the heat is too aggressive for the yoghurt solids; drop to 170°C and continue until the thickest wing reaches 75°C.
- Rubbery skin with cooked meat means the surface never dried enough; pat the wings before marinating, shake off surplus marinade, then finish with 3–5 minutes at 200°C if needed.
- Tips burning while drumettes lag behind is uneven sizing; tuck wing tips under where possible or remove the flats early and give large pieces extra time.
Variations & substitutions
- Use Greek yoghurt for a thicker coating; it clings well but needs excess scraped off or it can form chalky patches in the basket.
- Swap lemon juice for lime juice for sharper acidity; the marinade penetrates similarly, so cooking time stays the same.
- Use Kashmiri chilli instead of standard red chilli powder for deeper colour with less heat; browning may look more intense before the chicken is overcooked.
- For boneless chicken thigh chunks, cook in a single layer for about 14–18 minutes, turning once, as they brown faster than bone-in wings.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooled wings refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheat in the air fryer at 180°C for 5–7 minutes, turning once, until hot through.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
