Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori chicken is widely credited to Kundan Lal Gujral, who popularized the dish at his Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi around 1947. Gujral was a Punjabi Hindu who fled Peshawar after Partition and established Moti Mahal in Daryaganj, Delhi.

The traditional red color comes from a combination of spices including Kashmiri red chili powder, which imparts a deep red hue without excessive heat. Some commercial preparations also use food coloring to achieve the bright red appearance many diners expect.

A traditional clay tandoor oven can reach temperatures of around 480°C (900°F) or higher, fueled by charcoal or wood. The chicken is skewered and lowered into the vertical oven, where the intense radiant heat cooks it quickly while keeping the interior moist.

Yes, home cooks can approximate tandoori chicken using a very hot grill, broiler, or oven set to its highest temperature, around 260°C (500°F). While you won't get the exact smoky char of a clay tandoor, a preheated pizza stone or cast iron can help replicate the intense direct heat.