In my quest to look for new recipes that fit to my high protein meal plans, I made this air fryer roast chicken in a curry powder-yogurt marinade and it turned out to be the most hassle-free yet best tasting roast chicken ever!
After sharing a number of air fryer chicken recipes using all different types of marinades, this time I was a little confused about what to share next that will be different as well as exciting!
Air fryer has proved to be my savior so many times in the last 2 years that I have literally lost count of it. That’s why I keep searching for new & innovative air fryer recipes to keep my repertoire updated real time.
So here comes the air fryer roast chicken which is unlike any roast chicken recipe that I have shared till date! It is also a beginner-friendly recipe with just a handful of ingredients.
This air fryer roast chicken is a must-have for your collection as you can easily churn it out in under 40 minutes; a perfect weeknight dinner for the whole family!
What is Air Fryer Roast Chicken in Yogurt-Curry Marinade?
This roast chicken in yogurt-curry marinade is my successful attempt to bring together all the quintessential Indian flavors in an air fryer roast chicken recipe without the hassle of remembering a long list of spices!
I can absolutely understand that making Indian dishes can be confusing as most of the time it involves a host of ingredients. But not this one!
This air fryer roast chicken is a spot-on recipe for all Indian food lovers across the world who love our food but are intimidated by the length of the ingredient list!
So here I have a 5-ingredient air fryer roast chicken recipe which is so easy to make using a magically popular ingredient that everyone can make it at home with ease & comfort!
All you need is a good quality curry powder which may already be available in your pantry. Curry powder combines most of the spices which are typically used in Indian cooking, hence making our lives quite easy!
Ingredients for Air Fryer Roast Chicken in Yogurt-Curry Marinade
Chicken legs: Whole chicken legs make the perfect air fryer roast chicken when you can’t decide whether to use drumsticks or chicken thighs!
I used skinless chicken legs to cut down on the calories but trust me it didn’t turn the meat dry or tough. If you prefer skin-on chicken, feel free to use it.
You can also replicate the same air fryer roast chicken by using only drumsticks or only chicken thighs; this amount of marinade would be good for 8 drumsticks or 10-12 thighs.
Curry powder: This is the star of the air fryer roast chicken! You most probably already know that curry powder is a mix of spices which are typically used in Indian dishes.
This spice mix has also become an universal choice for cooking Indian food among non-Indians! But I can’t deny that this is one controversial ingredient as I have seen many Indians disapprove of it!
Typically for making any Indian curry, we make our own spice mix using the basic spice powders like turmeric, cumin, coriander, red chilli powder and more.
A standard curry powder contains all of the above and sometimes a few more; it also comes in spicy & mild versions depending on the amount of chilli powder used in it.
You can pick up whichever suits you best and any good quality curry powder will work wonderfully in this air fryer roast chicken!
Hung curd / Greek yogurt: Curd or yogurt has an amazing tenderizing property that helps chicken retain its tenderness and at the same time helps the spices to penetrate deep into the meat.
I make hung curd every week to keep it handy whenever I need it as it is that magic ingredient which can be used for marinade as well as salad dressing and even as a sandwich spread!
Onion puree: I have made many roast chicken recipes, but adding onion puree was an unique idea that I picked up from EatingWell and it worked wonderfully!
The onion and curd mixture created a thick coating, which is infused with all the beautiful flavors of curry powder, over the chicken legs and made an incredible combination for our taste buds.
Mustard oil: I do most of my Indian cooking with mustard oil which is the primary oil used in most of the Bengali households as the pungency of this oil complements the spiciness beautifully.
I would definitely recommend using mustard oil but if it’s too strong for you then you can replace it with the liquid gold of Indian cuisine which is none other than ghee (aka clarified butter)!
Red chilli powder: For us Indians, no Indian recipe is complete without a dash of red chilli powder. The curry powder I used was mild and hence I used chilli powder to add that kick to my roast chicken.
You can absolutely skip this if you are not fond of too much spiciness. The curry powder itself will add a lot of flavors to your chicken; so skipping this one won’t compromise the taste!
Salt: Season your air fryer roast chicken with salt to taste. You can skip black pepper in this recipe.
How to make Air Fryer Roast Chicken in Yogurt-Curry Marinade?
Step 1: Wash and pat dry the whole chicken legs. Make a couple of deep cuts using a sharp knife over the meaty part of each of the chicken legs.
Step 2: Now prepare the yogurt based marinating mixture. In a large mixing bowl, add hung curd/Greek yogurt, onion puree, curry powder, red chilli powder, mustard oil and salt.
Step 3: Give everything a good mix using a wire whisk to make a uniform spicy yogurt mixture where all the spices & seasonings are evenly distributed & mixed in.
Step 4: Now drop the chicken legs into the prepared yogurt-curry marinade. Using a spatula thickly coat the legs with the marinating mixture on all sides.
Step 5: Once you are happy with the mixing, leave them to marinate and absorb all the flavors for at least 2 hours.
Step 6: When you are ready to air fry, start preheating your air fryer at 190 C and set the timer to 25 minutes.
Step 7: After your air fryer is nicely preheated, place the marinated chicken legs inside the basket in a single layer (as you see in the video!).
Step 8: Start air frying the chicken legs and flip them over halfway through. Brush some of the leftover yogurt marinade on top of the chicken legs and let the other side roast for the remaining time.
Step 9: After about 25 minutes, check the doneness of the chicken. You may need to adjust the cooking time based on the size and thickness of the chicken legs you are using.
Pro tip: Poke the meaty part of the chicken leg with the edge of a sharp knife; if it cuts easily and the chicken is not pink any more, it is cooked thoroughly. If you see any trace of pink, air fry them for 5 to 7 minutes more.
Step 10: Your air fryer roast chicken is ready! Serve them up with a drizzle of lemon juice and crunchy onions on the side! Enjoy!
More delicious air fryer chicken recipes from Flavor Quotient
- Whole chicken legs - 4, skinless & bone-in
- Hung curd / Greek yogurt - 1 cup
- Onion puree - 1 cup
- Mustard oil - 4 tbsp
- Curry powder - 4 tbsp
- Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
- Salt to taste
- Wash and pat dry the whole chicken legs. Make a couple of deep cuts using a sharp knife over the meaty part of each of the chicken legs.
- Now prepare the yogurt based marinating mixture. In a large mixing bowl, add hung curd/Greek yogurt, onion puree, curry powder, red chilli powder, mustard oil and salt.
- Give everything a good mix using a wire whisk to make a uniform spicy yogurt mixture where all the spices & seasonings are evenly distributed & mixed in.
- Now drop the chicken legs into the prepared yogurt-curry marinade. Using a spatula thickly coat the legs with the marinating mixture on all sides.
- Once you are happy with the mixing, leave them to marinate and absorb all the flavors for at least 2 hours.
- When you are ready to air fry, start preheating your air fryer at 190 C and set the timer to 25 minutes.
- After your air fryer is nicely preheated, place the marinated chicken legs inside the basket in a single layer (as you see in the video!).
- Start air frying the chicken legs and flip them over halfway through. Brush some of the leftover yogurt marinade on top of the chicken legs and let the other side roast for the remaining time.
- After about 25 minutes, check the doneness of the chicken. You may need to adjust the cooking time based on the size and thickness of the chicken legs you are using.
- Your air fryer roast chicken is ready! Serve them up with a drizzle of lemon juice and crunchy onions on the side! Enjoy!
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