Sweet Tandoori Chicken

Ingredients

• 12–14chicken drumsticks
• 2.5 g (½ teaspoon)salt
• 1 g (½ teaspoon)ground black pepper
• 120 g (1 cup)cornflour
• as needednon-stick cooking spray
• 340 g (1 cup)honey
• 240 ml (1 cup)ketchup
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)white wine vinegar
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)tandoori spice seasoning blend
• 4 cloves, finely mincedgarlic
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon)cooking oil
• to tasteparsley, for garnish

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the oven

   Heat the oven to 230°C (450°F). Line a large baking tray with foil and place a cooling rack on top. Put the drumsticks in a bowl with the salt, pepper and cornflour, then toss until coated.

2. 2

   Arrange the chicken

   Coat the rack with cooking spray and place the drumsticks on it, leaving space between each piece so they do not touch or overlap.

3. 3

   Bake until crisp

   Bake for 40 minutes, then turn each drumstick with tongs. Return the tray to the oven for another 15 minutes. Remove the chicken when it is fully baked.

4. 4

   Cook the garlic

   While the chicken bakes, put the garlic and cooking oil in a large frying pan. Cook over medium heat until the garlic smells fragrant and is lightly golden.

5. 5

   Make the sauce

   Add the honey, ketchup, vinegar and tandoori seasoning to the pan. Stir and cook until the sauce starts to bubble, then turn off the heat while the chicken finishes baking.

6. 6

   Coat the chicken

   Add the cooked chicken to the pan and turn the heat to high. Toss the drumsticks in the sauce until coated, continuing until the sauce thickens and clings to the chicken.

7. 7

   Serve straight away

   Plate the chicken, garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

What is sweet tandoori chicken?

Tandoori cooking is associated with Indian cuisine and takes its name from the traditional clay oven, or tandoor. This home-cooked version uses an oven to bake drumsticks before coating them in a sweet, spiced sauce.

The method pairs tandoori seasoning with honey, ketchup and garlic. Baking the coated chicken on a rack gives hot air room to circulate around the pieces, while the sauce adds a sticky finish.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 539 calories, 27g protein, 72g carbs, 16g fat.

The chicken provides most of the protein, while the cornflour and honey contribute much of the carbohydrate. Honey and cooking oil also contribute to the fat, alongside the chicken itself. Balance a serving with vegetables or salad and a modest portion of plain rice.

The coating and spice

Cornflour: Toss it evenly with the seasoned drumsticks before baking. It helps create a dry coating that can crisp in the hot oven.

Tandoori seasoning: The blend brings the characteristic spiced flavour to the sauce. Since blends vary, check yours for salt before adjusting the seasoning.

Give the drumsticks space

Rack setup: Set a cooling rack over the foil-lined tray and spray it before adding the chicken. The rack lets air circulate beneath the drumsticks as they bake.

Spacing: Keep the pieces apart rather than crowding them together. If they touch, they are more likely to steam against each other instead of browning evenly.

Watch the garlic and sauce

Garlic: Cook it over medium heat until fragrant and lightly golden, not dark brown. Minced garlic can colour quickly, so keep an eye on the pan.

Sauce: Heat the honey, ketchup, vinegar and seasoning only until bubbling, then switch off the heat. Toss with the baked chicken over high heat at the end so the sauce thickens and sticks.

Check the bake and finish

Timing: Bake for 40 minutes, turn the drumsticks, then bake for a further 15 minutes as directed. Drumsticks can vary in size, so make sure the chicken is fully cooked before adding it to the sauce.

Finish: Once coated, serve the chicken straight away while the outside is at its stickiest. Parsley is used as a garnish in the method; add it just before serving.

What to serve alongside

A plain accompaniment such as rice can take up some of the sweet, spiced sauce. For a fresher contrast, serve with a crisp salad or cooked vegetables.

The drumsticks are rich and sticky, so keep sides simply seasoned. This lets the garlic and tandoori flavour remain the focus.

Recipe notes & tips

• Pat the drumsticks dry before coating so the cornflour is less likely to clump.
• Use a rack that fits inside the tray securely and leaves space around the chicken.
• Turn each drumstick carefully with tongs after the first 40 minutes.
• Stir the sauce as it heats so the honey does not catch on the bottom of the pan.
• Toss the chicken in batches if the pan is too crowded to coat the pieces evenly.

Variations

• Add chilli: Stir a little chilli powder into the sauce for extra heat.
• Use chicken thighs: Choose bone-in thighs and check that they are fully cooked before saucing.
• Adjust the sweetness: Use less honey and taste the sauce before adding the chicken.
• Add lemon: Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice for a sharper contrast.
• Try another garnish: Scatter over chopped coriander instead of parsley.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowded rack: The drumsticks can steam rather than brown; leave a clear gap between them.
• Uneven coating: Toss the chicken thoroughly with the cornflour so there are no thick dry patches.
• Burnt garlic: Keep the heat at medium and remove the pan from the heat once the garlic is lightly golden.
• Sauce cooked too long: Stop when it first bubbles, then thicken it around the chicken at the end.
• Saucing too early: Wait until the drumsticks have finished baking so the coating can crisp first.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout in an oven or microwave; the coating may soften after storage.

Frequently asked questions