We've all had those days when a restaurant-style meal is calling our name, but stepping out or ordering in isn't quite what we want. And if you're trying to eat healthier or stay on track with your fitness goals, dining out often means giving up control over the ingredients, oil and cooking methods used. Recreating your favourite dishes at home lets you enjoy the same bold flavours while choosing wholesome ingredients and cooking them in a way that suits your lifestyle.
Vipul Tiwari, a food blogger known for sharing high-protein, lower-calorie recipes on social media, has shared a healthier take on restaurant-style tandoori chicken legs. Made in an air fryer with minimal oil, the recipe delivers all the smoky, flavour-packed goodness of the classic dish without the excess grease. In an Instagram video shared on July 10, he walks viewers through the ingredients and step-by-step method to recreate it at home.
Check out the full recipe below!
Ingredients
- 2 whole chicken legs (skinless)
- 100 g hung curd
- 1 tbsp besan
- 1 tbsp mustard oil
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
Method
- Prepare the chicken: Using a sharp knife, make deep slits all over each piece of chicken. This allows the marinade to penetrate deeper into the meat, resulting in juicier, more flavourful chicken.
- Make the marinade: In a large bowl, combine the hung curd, besan (gram flour), mustard oil, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice and all the spices. Mix everything thoroughly until you have a smooth, thick marinade with no lumps.
- Marinate the chicken: Add the chicken legs to the marinade and coat each piece generously, ensuring the mixture gets into all the slits. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least two hours. For the best flavour and tenderness, let the chicken marinate overnight.
- Preheat the air fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 180°C for a few minutes before cooking to ensure the chicken cooks evenly.
- Air fry the chicken: Arrange the marinated chicken legs in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving a little space between each piece. Cook at 180°C for 15 minutes, then increase the temperature to 200°C and cook for another 12 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and develops a beautifully charred exterior. Turn the pieces halfway through the cooking time for even browning, if needed.
- Rest and serve: Let the chicken rest for two to three minutes after removing it from the air fryer. Serve hot with onion rings, mint chutney and a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Approx nutrition
- Calories: 470 kcal
- Protein per leg: 55 g
Check out the full recipe below!
Ingredients
- 2 whole chicken legs (skinless)
- 100 g hung curd
- 1 tbsp besan
- 1 tbsp mustard oil
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
Method
- Prepare the chicken: Using a sharp knife, make deep slits all over each piece of chicken. This allows the marinade to penetrate deeper into the meat, resulting in juicier, more flavourful chicken.
- Make the marinade: In a large bowl, combine the hung curd, besan (gram flour), mustard oil, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice and all the spices. Mix everything thoroughly until you have a smooth, thick marinade with no lumps.
- Marinate the chicken: Add the chicken legs to the marinade and coat each piece generously, ensuring the mixture gets into all the slits. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least two hours. For the best flavour and tenderness, let the chicken marinate overnight.
- Preheat the air fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 180°C for a few minutes before cooking to ensure the chicken cooks evenly.
- Air fry the chicken: Arrange the marinated chicken legs in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving a little space between each piece. Cook at 180°C for 15 minutes, then increase the temperature to 200°C and cook for another 12 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and develops a beautifully charred exterior. Turn the pieces halfway through the cooking time for even browning, if needed.
- Rest and serve: Let the chicken rest for two to three minutes after removing it from the air fryer. Serve hot with onion rings, mint chutney and a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Approx nutrition
- Calories: 470 kcal
- Protein per leg: 55 g
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
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