Tandoori Malai Chicken
Tandoori Malai Chicken (ไก่ทันดูร์ครีม)
Bone-in chicken in a cream-led marinade, charcoal-roasted slowly. The gentlest, mildest dish off our tandoor.
Get directions ↗ · 2 min walk from Grand Mercure
Last orders 30 minutes before closing
Dine-in · takeaway · GrabFood and LINE MAN nearby · or order direct on WhatsApp — over ฿1,000 we deliver anywhere in Bangkok, free
About Tandoori Malai Chicken
Tandoori malai chicken is the bone-in, cream-led cousin of the boneless malai tikka, and it occupies the gentle, Mughlai-influenced corner of the tandoor menu where dairy carries the dish. Malai means cream, and the preparation was developed as a soft, rich roast that sets it apart from the sharply spiced red tandoori chicken. Keeping the chicken on the bone is a deliberate choice, since the bone holds moisture through the roast and gives the meat more depth. At BHARAT we marinate bone-in chicken portions in fresh cream, processed cheese, ground cardamom, mace and a hint of nutmeg.
No red chilli goes into this dish, so the pieces stay pale, and we use no food colouring of any kind. Please note this dish contains dairy. Our chicken is halal-marked and bought daily from Makro, and the kitchen keeps no pork. Roasting is done in a genuine charcoal-fired clay tandoor at around 480 °C rather than a gas unit, and our chef from Uttarakhand sets the pieces so the cream firms without scorching. The very high heat sears the surface in seconds and locks the moisture into the meat on the bone, while the cream forms a soft, pale crust that does not brown hard.
The flavour is rich and fragrant, led by cream and cheese and lifted by warm aromatics rather than heat, and the texture stays tender and juicy near the bone. It is finished with butter and a squeeze of lime. We serve it with sliced onion, lemon and mint chutney. Its mild, creamy character makes it a good choice for those who avoid spice, and it pairs comfortably with a plain naan.
Two minutes walk from Grand Mercure Bangkok Atrium; free parking at the Bangchak gas station right next door.
Everything off the same charcoal oven is gathered on our tandoori page, and why we kept charcoal instead of gas explains what that fight was about. It sits in our Non-Veg Starters menu, and regulars often order it alongside Butter Chicken.
รายละเอียด Tandoori Malai Chicken (ไก่ทันดูร์ครีม)
เนื้อไก่หมักครีมสดเข้มข้นกับเครื่องเทศอ่อนโยนนาน 12 ชั่วโมง ย่างในเตาทันดูร์ดินเผาจนสุกหอมไหม้ อิทธิพลอาหารโมกุล เนื้อนุ่มลิ้นครีมมี่ เหมาะสำหรับผู้ไม่ทานเผ็ด
Frequently Asked Questions
How does this differ from Murg Malai Tikka?
While Murg Malai Tikka uses boneless chicken chunks, Tandoori Malai Chicken is prepared using larger bone-in pieces (like half or full chicken portions) roasted in the tandoor.
Is the flavour profile very rich?
Yes, the use of thick cream, cheese, and sometimes nut pastes makes this a very rich, medium, and filling dish.
Does the tandoor cooking dry out the creamy marinade?
Not at all; the high heat of the tandoor sears the outside, locking in the creamy moisture and imparting a filling smoky aroma.
Can this be considered a spicy dish?
No, the malai (cream) base ensures the spice level is very mild, focusing instead on fragrant aromatics and a rich mouthfeel.
Does this dish contain nuts?
Our marinade uses cashew paste to thicken the cream and add sweetness, so it is not suitable if you have a nut allergy.
