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Tandoori Chicken Drumsticks

Tandoori Chicken Drumsticks reads umami 6.5, richness 5.6 and citrus 5.4 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Indian main, about 4 hr 32 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.1 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.0 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 7.0 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.9 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.0 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.2 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.5 · Richness 5.6 · Citrus 5.4 · Sourness 5.4 · Allium 4.4 · Salinity 4.1 · Warm Spice 3.6 · Heat 3.3 · Herbaceous 3.2 · Earthy 2.4 · Bitterness 1.9 · Funk & Ferment 1.8 · Sweetness 1.7 · Floral 1.6 · Nutty 1.3 · Fruity 1.2 · Smoke 0.9

What's in it (13)

• chicken thighs — 1134 g
• nonfat plain yogurt — 237 g
• lemon juice — 44 g
• garlic — 18 g
• ginger — 30 g
• sweet paprika — 30 g
• cayenne pepper — 5 g
• garam masala — 10 g
• cumin — 10 g
• turmeric — 5 g
• salt — 7 g
• oil — 27 g
• cilantro — 15 g

Time & effort: about 4 hr 32 min (27 min active) · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 140.4 kcal, 14.6 g protein, 7.9 g fat, 3.8 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (7 steps)

1. Pat 8 drumsticks dry with paper towels, then slash each piece 2-3 times through to the bone at its thickest part so the marinade can penetrate and season the meat, not just the skin.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, paprika, cayenne, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, and salt until smooth and evenly colored; the thick yogurt is what keeps a heavy spice coating clinging to the chicken instead of sliding off in the marinade bowl.
3. Add the drumsticks to the marinade, turning and pressing the marinade into the slashes to coat completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, up to 24 hours, so the yogurt's acid tenderizes the meat and the spices penetrate to the bone.
4. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to take the chill off. Set an oven rack 6 inches from the broiler element and preheat the broiler to high; line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, set a wire rack on top, and brush the rack with the oil.
5. Lift each drumstick from the marinade, letting the excess drip off so a thin coating remains, and arrange on the rack an inch apart. Broil until deeply charred in spots and beginning to blacken at the edges, 8-10 minutes.
6. Flip each drumstick and broil the second side until similarly charred and an instant-read thermometer inserted at the thickest part, not touching bone, reads 165°F, 7-9 minutes more.
7. Transfer to a platter and let rest 5 minutes so the juices redistribute, then squeeze fresh lemon over the top, scatter the cilantro, and serve hot with extra lemon wedges.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Spiced Lamb and Rice Stuffed Cabbage — Middle Eastern
• Ground Beef Kofta Stuffed Pitas — Middle Eastern
• Jerk Pork — Jamaican
• Chicken Tikka Masala — British
• Pork Chile Colorado — Mexican

Keep reading: what umami, richness, citrus mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.