Air Fried Tandoori Chicken Bowls
Dive into a deliciously satisfying meal with our Air Fried Tandoori Chicken Bowls! Experience tender, marinated chicken bursting with vibrant tandoori spices, perfectly paired with aromatic curry-infused yellow rice. A creamy feta yogurt drizzle ties it all together for a refreshing finish—your taste buds are in for a treat!
Prep
15
min
Cook
40
min
Serves
5
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 900 g chicken thighs
- 1 spoonful cilantro
- 100 g feta
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) garlic paste
- 120 g greek yogurt
- 1 whole lemon lemon
- 60 ml milk
- 1 whole sweet onion
- 1 ½ Tbsp (22 ml) tikka masala
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 270 g basmati rice
- 540 g chicken bone broth
- curry powder (to taste)
- ginger paste (to taste)
- oil (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- salt/garlic powder (to taste)
- smoked paprika (to taste)
- turmeric (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Marinate the chicken thighs in a bowl with Greek yogurt, garlic paste, ginger paste, salt, tikka masala, smoked paprika, and lemon juice. Mix well and refrigerate.
- 2
In a pan, heat oil or ghee and sauté diced sweet onion until brown. Add basmati rice, turmeric, and spicy curry powder, then pour in chicken bone broth.
- 3
Cook the marinated chicken in an air fryer at 400°F for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- 4
For the feta yogurt sauce, combine crumbled feta, fat-free milk, Greek yogurt, garlic powder, salt, lemon juice, and minced cilantro in a bowl.
- 5
Assemble the bowls by layering yellow rice, air-fried chicken, and topping with feta yogurt sauce.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Marinate chicken thighs for minimum 4 hours or overnight because yogurt's lactic acid needs time to break down proteins and tenderize the meat while the fat content prevents over-tenderizing.timing4+ hours minimum
- ✓Pat chicken completely dry before air frying and lightly brush with oil because excess moisture creates steam that prevents the Maillard reaction needed for tandoori's characteristic char.technique
- ✓Preheat your air fryer to 400°F for 3-5 minutes before adding chicken because the initial high heat shock creates better surface searing and locks in juices.equipment400°F, 3-5 minutes preheat
- ✓Use chicken thighs at 165°F internal temperature but let them reach 175-180°F for tandoori because the higher collagen content needs extra heat to break down into gelatin for optimal texture.technique175-180°F final temp
- ✓Toast your spices (tikka masala, paprika) in a dry pan for 30-60 seconds before adding to marinade because heat activates volatile oils and intensifies flavor compounds by up to 300%.ingredient30-60 seconds, 300% flavor increase
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
40
min
Serves
5
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Air Fried Tandoori Chicken Bowls
Dive into a deliciously satisfying meal with our Air Fried Tandoori Chicken Bowls! Experience tender, marinated chicken bursting with vibrant tandoori spices, perfectly paired with aromatic curry-infused yellow rice. A creamy feta yogurt drizzle ties it all together for a refreshing finish—your taste buds are in for a treat!
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 900 g chicken thighs
- 1 spoonful cilantro
- 100 g feta
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) garlic paste
- 120 g greek yogurt
- 1 whole lemon lemon
- 60 ml milk
- 1 whole sweet onion
- 1 ½ Tbsp (22 ml) tikka masala
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 270 g basmati rice
- 540 g chicken bone broth
- curry powder (to taste)
- ginger paste (to taste)
- oil (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- salt/garlic powder (to taste)
- smoked paprika (to taste)
- turmeric (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Marinate the chicken thighs in a bowl with Greek yogurt, garlic paste, ginger paste, salt, tikka masala, smoked paprika, and lemon juice. Mix well and refrigerate.
- 2
In a pan, heat oil or ghee and sauté diced sweet onion until brown. Add basmati rice, turmeric, and spicy curry powder, then pour in chicken bone broth.
- 3
Cook the marinated chicken in an air fryer at 400°F for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- 4
For the feta yogurt sauce, combine crumbled feta, fat-free milk, Greek yogurt, garlic powder, salt, lemon juice, and minced cilantro in a bowl.
- 5
Assemble the bowls by layering yellow rice, air-fried chicken, and topping with feta yogurt sauce.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Marinate chicken thighs for minimum 4 hours or overnight because yogurt's lactic acid needs time to break down proteins and tenderize the meat while the fat content prevents over-tenderizing.timing4+ hours minimum
- ✓Pat chicken completely dry before air frying and lightly brush with oil because excess moisture creates steam that prevents the Maillard reaction needed for tandoori's characteristic char.technique
- ✓Preheat your air fryer to 400°F for 3-5 minutes before adding chicken because the initial high heat shock creates better surface searing and locks in juices.equipment400°F, 3-5 minutes preheat
- ✓Use chicken thighs at 165°F internal temperature but let them reach 175-180°F for tandoori because the higher collagen content needs extra heat to break down into gelatin for optimal texture.technique175-180°F final temp
- ✓Toast your spices (tikka masala, paprika) in a dry pan for 30-60 seconds before adding to marinade because heat activates volatile oils and intensifies flavor compounds by up to 300%.ingredient30-60 seconds, 300% flavor increase