Tandoori Chicken Pizza Recipe

Savor the Tandoori Chicken Pizza over the weekend with friends and family! This enticing pizza has a tandoori masala flavored tomato sauce. Piles of shredded mozzarella cheese. Then topped with crunchy red onion and succulent tandoori chicken pieces. The aromatic cilantro garnish adds a wonderful freshness. 

The highlight of the tandoori chicken pizza is the exclusive char on the chicken. The authentic marinade and cooking process makes the chicken taste incredible when cooked. Plus the authentic Indian Masala sauce adds some creamy spice to the mix.

What is Tandoori?

Different foods such as flat bread, meat, veggies, and cottage cheese can be tandoori dishes. This is when you prepare the meal in a tandoor oven. A tandoor is a cylinder-shaped clay oven with a charcoal fire burning at the base of the pot.

In the case of tandoori chicken, it is first coated with a thick yogurt-spice mixture. Then marinated for hours or overnight. After that it is skewered, and placed inside the tandoor. It results in a beautiful charred exterior. And a juicy and soft inside. Plus the chicken has a delectable smoky flavor.

Substitutions for Tandoori Chicken Pizza

Greek yogurt is basically the thick yogurt achieved after straining out the whey. You can substitute it with regular yogurt. To achieve the thick consistency, place the regular yogurt in a fine-mesh sieve or muslin cloth. Then place it on top of a mug or bowl and leave it overnight.

Besides making the dough from scratch, you can also buy pre-made pizza dough. This will eliminate the proofing time allowing you to focus on the tandoori chicken.

You could make this a deep dish pizza. Just use a deep dish pan and form the dough up the sides. Layer slices of cheese right on the dough. Then add the chicken and onions. Finally pour the masala sauce over the top. Bake for 20-25 mins or until the crust browns.

The tandoori chicken masala is prepared using 11-12 whole spices. Then they are dry-toasted and powdered. You may alternate it with tandoori paste or a tandoori tikka masala package. You can find these at most indian or asian markets.

Store and Reheat

After the pizza has cooled completely, transfer the leftover pizza slice into an airtight container lined with a paper towel. Place a paper towel between each pizza slice and on top of the final slice. Tightly close the lid and keep it in the refrigerator to last for 3-5 days. If you have excessive leftover pizza, transfer the containers to the freezer. It will last up to 6 months.

To reheat, warm a pan on the stove on medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Place a pizza slice on for a few minutes until the crust turns crunchy. Then reduce heat to low and drizzle 2-4 drops of water on the sides of the pan. Make sure it doesn’t touch the pizza slice. Finally, cover the pan for 1-3 minutes until the cheese melts.

Reheating in this manner saves the pizza slice from drying out. It also crisps up the crust without burning it on the bottom!

How to make Tandoori Chicken pizza

Tandoori pizza is easy to make. There are 5 tasks to complete, but the end result is worth it!

1. Marinate the chicken – Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl or Ziplock bag. Add the chicken and massage it in. Leave in fridge for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
2. Prepare the dough – Place the yeast in warm water for 10 minutes, or until foamy. Then combine all the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Slowly poor in the yeast water while mixing. Knead for 5-6 minutes then set aside to proof for 1 hour.
3. Cook the sauce – First, puree the tomatoes in a food processor. Add the garlic to a pan and cook for 15-30 seconds. Add in your pureed tomatoes and onion paste. Mix well. Toss in the seasonings and simmer for 20 minutes, partially covered. Set aside once desired consistency is reached.
4. Grill the tandoori chicken – Skewer the chicken pieces and grill on high, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes. Be sure to flip them every 2-3 minutes. Set aside in a cool bowl.
5. Assemble and bake – Roll out the proofed tandoori pizza dough into a 12-14″ crust. Spread on the Tikka-masala pizza sauce followed by the cheese. Evenly distribute the chicken pieces. Then bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and cheese has melted. Enjoy!

Tandoori Chicken Pizza Recipe

Recipe by Pizza Poster

4.5 from 2 votes

Course: Main, AppetizersCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Medium, Difficult

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

346

kcal

Proofing time

1

hour 

Yields

1

Pizza

Total time

1

hour 

45

minutes

The tandoori chicken pizza brings Indian flavors into an Italian favorite. With a rich tikka masala tomato sauce topped with charred chicken.

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Ingredients

• For the Tandoori Chicken

• 1/2 lb chicken breast (cut into small pieces)

• 2 Tbsp Greek Yogurt

• 1 1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste

• 1 1/2 tsp tandoori masala powder

• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional)

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 1/2 tsp olive oil

• For the Crust

• 1/2 cup warm water (100-110° F)

• 1 tsp active dry yeast

• 1/2 tsp sugar

• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp salt (or to taste)

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• For the Sauce

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp garlic paste

• 2 Tbsp onion paste

• 14 oz canned San Marzano tomatoes (or fresh ripe peeled tomatoes)

• 1 Tbsp tomato paste

• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

• 1/2 tsp dried basil

• 1 tsp tandoori masala

• 1/2 tsp sugar

• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1/2 tsp salt

• Toppings

• 1 cup mozzarella cheese (or any cheese of preference)

• 1 small red onion (sliced)

• Fresh cilantro (chopped for garnishing)

Directions

• Marinate the Chicken
• In a mixing bowl, combine the Greek yogurt with the ginger-garlic paste, tandoori masala, smoked paprika, salt, & olive oil. Add the chicken pieces and coat evenly.
• Cover and keep aside to marinate for 1 hour or overnight.
• Make the Dough
• Stir the dry yeast and sugar into the warm water. Keep aside for 10 minutes or until foamy.
• Mix the flour with salt & olive oil in a large bowl. Gradually add the foamy/yeast water and combine well.
• Once combined, knead for 5-6 minutes and shape into a smooth ball. Then cover and keep aside to proof for an hour at room temperature.
• Prepare the Sauce
• First, puree the fresh tomatoes in a food processor or blender and keep aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic paste and cook for 15 seconds by stirring continuously. Add the onion paste and pureed tomato. Mix well for a minute.
• Add the tomato paste and seasonings; dried oregano, dried basil, tandoori masala, sugar, smoked paprika, & salt. Mix nicely.
• Cover the skillet and let the pizza sauce simmer for 20 minutes on medium-low heat. Or until it thickens to the desired consistency.
• Cook the Tandoori Chicken
• Get the grill ready by pouring water on the drip tray and brushing the grates with oil.
• Preheat for 5 minutes on high.
• In the meantime place the marinated chicken pieces on a skewer. Then grill for 10-12 minutes. Flip every 3-4 minutes using tongs.
• To cook the tandoori chicken in the oven, set the oven broiler to high (500-550° F). Meanwhile, line a baking tray with an aluminum sheet. Place the marinated chicken pieces in a single layer leaving a little gap between each piece. Broil for 5 minutes, flip the chicken pieces and broil for 4 more minutes.
• Remove the cooked tandoori chicken pieces into a bowl and keep it aside.
• Assemble the Pizza
• Preheat the oven to 450° F. Ensure the pizza stone is placed inside.
• Roll out the proofed pizza dough into a lightly flour-dusted surface. Aim for a 10-12” crust.
• Spread the sauce on the raw crust. Layer the mozzarella cheese. Then distribute the prepared tandoori chicken pieces & onion slices on top.
• Using a pizza peel, carefully transfer the pizza to the hot pizza stone. Bake for 15 minutes at 450° F. Or until the crust edges brown and the tandoori chicken pieces are more charred.
• After removing from the oven, slice into 4 pieces using a pizza cutter. Serve immediately garnished with fresh cilantro leaves.

Equipment

• Ninja pro food processorBuy now!
• Ooni 12” pizza stoneBuy now!
• Ooni bamboo pizza peelBuy now!

Recipe Video

Nutrition

• Serving = 1 slice
  Calories: 346 | Protein: 14.81g | Fat: 13.07g | Carbs: 43.44g | Fiber: 3.9g | Sugar: 7.2g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 1082mg | Potassium: 664mg

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