Tandoori chicken is the dish that put the clay oven on the map, and it is one of the six guest favourites at Indian Tales. The marinade does the heavy lifting: hung yogurt for tang, ginger-garlic for depth, Kashmiri chilli for colour without punishing heat, and a squeeze of lemon to keep everything bright.
After a long rest the chicken goes onto skewers and into the tandoor, where fierce dry heat seals the outside in minutes. It comes out with blistered, smoky edges and stays succulent underneath — the version guests in Whitehorn, Temple and Rundle come back for after work.
Why the Tandoor Matters
A tandoor runs far hotter than a home oven, so the marinade sets almost instantly and the juices stay locked in. Nothing is deep fried and nothing is finished in gravy — the flavour comes from the marinade, the char and the smoke. That also makes tandoori chicken one of the lighter ways to enjoy an Indian dinner in NE Calgary.
How to Build a Tandoori Platter
Sides
Laccha onion, mint chutney and a wedge of lemon are the traditional accompaniments.
Breads
Garlic naan or roti with desi ghee turns the starter into a full meal.
Add a curry
Follow the tandoori course with butter chicken or kadhai paneer and a plate of jeera rice.
