I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Tandoori Chicken is the best meat dish to come out of the Indian subcontinent. I’m obsessed with how flavorful it is, the vibrant red color from spices alone, the bit of charred pieces, and its versatility. I became a huge fan of tandoori chicken as a child. There was an Indian restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona where I grew up for a few years where we’d always go to their buffet on the weekends. I’d load up my plate with tandoori chicken and chicken tikka masala with chawal (rice). If you don’t already know, the only meat I eat is chicken. But boyyy do I love Indian chicken dishes! This Tandoori Chicken Pizza is topped with homemade tandoori chicken, no tandoor necessary! It’s accompanied by homemade pizza sauce that’s spiced with tandoori masala. Lastly, it’s topped with plenty of cheese, red onion, and green bell pepper. Then, it’s baked in the oven at the highest heat possible so that it gets those charred bits which are reminiscent of tandoori chicken made in a tandoor.
What is Tandoori Chicken?
Tandoori chicken is a dry chicken dish made by roasting chicken in a tandoor, a clay oven, after marinating it in dahi (yogurt) and an assortment of spices that give it a vibrant red color. The dish itself originated from the region of Punjab in the Indian subcontinent, and dates back to before the independence of India and partition in the mid-1900s. It’s often served as an appetizer, or even as a main course along with naan or rice. It’s said to have inspired butter chicken and chicken tikka masala, as well as many other Indian chicken dishes which use yogurt and spices as a marinade. The best part is that because tandoori chicken is dry as opposed to Indian curries, it’s also versatile enough to add to just about anything, i.e. burritos, quesadillas, pizza, etc.
Ingredients - Notes and Substitutions
To make the actual pizza, you’ll need pizza dough (store-bought or homemade), cheese, pizza sauce, and your favorite toppings.
Pizza dough - I’ve kept the pizza dough open to your preference, whether you have a favorite pizza dough or purchase pre-made dough from the grocery store. Thin or thick crust work super well. If you like thin crust, you can try my homemade No-Yeast Pizza Dough. Feel free to use gluten-free crusts as well.Cheese - I think mozzarella cheese goes the best with Indian spices! It’s mild, yet tangy and delicious.Pizza Sauce - We’re making a homemade pizza sauce using San Marzano whole peeled tomatos and Indian techniques and ingredients. You can also substitute it with plain pizza sauce, but try adding a bit of tandoori masala to it for the extra burst of flavor.Toppings - The main toppings I’m recommending are red onion and green bell pepper, which is what tandoori chicken is typically served with at our family barbecues.
Tandoori Chicken
To marinate the chicken, I’ve denoted the spices which may require a trip to the Indian grocer with an asterisk* and included substitutions if you can’t find them. A lot of businesses also sell readymade tandoori chicken marinade, which will work just as well.
Chicken - I prefer to just buy chicken tender cuts so that the tandoori masala has more surface area to cover and bring flavor to. You can also cut chicken breasts into smaller sizes. Chicken thigh will work as well. A good vegetarian substitution would be to use cubed paneer and marinate it the same way.Ginger garlic paste - A must in every Indian dish. It’s equal amounts of garlic and ginger blended into a paste. Try this homemade ginger garlic paste recipe!Kasuri methi* - Or dried fenugreek leaves. This can be omitted, but imparts a bit of flavor. It can also be substituted with dried cilantro.Lemon juice - For freshness and acidityYogurt - Preferably dahi, or Indian curd yogurt. Plain yogurt, or Greek yogurt works as well. It adds a bit of tang, balances out any spiciness, and coats the chicken in the marinade.Tandoori masala* - An absolute must! I prefer store bought mix, but you can also make your own at home. The tandoori masala brings the vibrant red color to tandoori chicken. If it’s not red enough, add more Kashmiri chili powder. A lot of people also use red food coloring to get the red color. There’s really no substitutions for this masala. It’s a must.
How to make Tandoori Chicken
This is, admittedly, an abridged version of making tandoori chicken. But, rest be assured we are still getting the full impact of the flavor! We are just skipping a few steps (i.e. cutting slits and basting in chili oil) that I would generally do for maximum flavor and getting the vibrant red color. Also, 98% of people don’t have a tandoor at home, which feels like a must for tandoori chicken. An oven makes tandoori chicken super easy and accessible. Alternatively, if you have a grill, then grilled tandoori chicken is the next best alternative to a tandoor! If you have leftover shredded tandoori chicken, I highly recommend making this Cheesy Tandoori Chicken Garlic Bread!
How to Make Tandoori Masala Pizza Sauce
To make the pizza sauce, we combine making a classic pizza sauce with a few components from Indian cooking, namely ginger garlic paste and adding the masala. Start by heating olive oil in a large pot, and then adding in the diced onion and ginger garlic paste. Cook the onion until it’s translucent, and the ginger garlic paste should be aromatic. Next, add the whole peeled tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, black pepper, tandoori masala, sugar, and oregano. Smash the whole tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon. Allow the sauce to simmer for ideally around 30 minutes so it thickens up and is rich with flavor. Use an immersion blender so the sauce is silky smooth.
Assembling the Pizza
Before assembly, preheat your oven to 550°F, or as high as your oven will go. I don’t know about you guys, but it always causes the smoke alarm to go off in my tiny NYC apartment, so be sure to open your windows. To assemble the pizza, begin by prepping your toppings. My recommendations are thin slices of green bell pepper and red onion. Start by oiling your surface - if you’re using a cast iron skillet, rub a bit of olive oil on the bottom and sides. Other surfaces, like a pizza pan or pizza stones, may require using cornmeal to ensure your pizza doesn’t stick to the surface. If you’re using refrigerated store-bought pizza dough, let it come to room temperature for half an hour before use, otherwise it’ll be difficult to stretch. Once it’s at room temperature, transfer your desired amount of pizza dough to the skillet and begin using your fingertips to stretch it out evenly to the sides. Next, ladle in a serving of the tandoori-spiced pizza sauce we made into the middle of the pizza. Use the bottom of the ladle to spread the pizza sauce in a circular motion to the edges. Now, cover the pizza in fresh or shredded mozzarella, and then a layer of shredded tandoori chicken. Then, add the toppings. Transfer the pizza to the hot oven using oven mitts - be careful with the blast of hot air! Bake the pizza for 13-15 minutes. Immediately pull it out of the oven when it’s done. Use a pizza cutter to cut it into 6-8 slices.
The Best Toppings for Tandoori Chicken Pizza
Plain Tandoori Chicken is typically served with roasted green bell pepper, rings of red onion, and a wedge of lemon juice. It’s also served with raita, which is made out of dahi, to balance out any spicy flavors. For Tandoori Chicken Pizza, I recommend bell peppers (red or green) and red onions as your main toppings. Other toppings that would be great are cloves of garlic, diced tomato, jalapeños or serrano peppers, or mushrooms. I would also use mozzarella cheese as opposed to other cheeses. A spritz of lemon juice would also be delicious and compliment the chicken! If you like saucy pizza, I would highly recommend a side of raita for dipping or drizzling on the pizza. I also think brushing a garlic butter mixture on the crust while hot would be a serious game-changer.
More Indian Dinner Recipes to try
Recipe
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