Tandoori Chicken Copenhagen: Clay Oven Cooked at Indian Bites

Searching for authentic tandoori chicken in Copenhagen? Indian Bites at Pustervig 4 uses a real clay tandoor oven — the same traditional cylindrical oven used across North India for centuries — to cook chicken that has been marinated overnight in yoghurt and spices. The result is the characteristic char, smoke, and juicy tenderness that define genuine tandoori cooking. With a 4.7-star rating on Google from over 533 reviews and full halal certification, Indian Bites is one of the best places in Copenhagen to experience authentic North Indian cooking in its most dramatic form. Open daily from 11:00 to 20:30.

The Tandoor Oven: Why It Matters

The tandoor is not just a cooking vessel — it is the defining technology of North Indian cuisine. A traditional tandoor is a cylindrical clay oven, typically buried in the ground or set into a counter, that is heated using charcoal or wood to temperatures between 400°C and 480°C. At these extreme temperatures, food placed inside the tandoor cooks in minutes, exposed simultaneously to the radiant heat of the clay walls, the convective heat of the rising hot air, and in some dishes, the direct flame at the bottom.

The effect on chicken is transformative. The intense heat sears the surface immediately, creating the characteristic blackened char marks that are the visual signature of tandoori cooking. The interior of the chicken, meanwhile, cooks in the steam trapped by the marinade — juicy, tender, and fully infused with the spices that have had time to penetrate deeply during the marination process. No conventional oven can replicate this. The combination of char, smoke, tenderness, and spice depth is unique to the tandoor.

At Indian Bites, the tandoor is the heart of the kitchen. It is used not only for tandoori chicken but also for cooking the naan bread — a fact that explains why the Garlic Naan at Indian Bites has that distinctive blistered exterior and soft, pillowy interior that only comes from a real tandoor.

The Tandoori Chicken at Indian Bites: Marinade and Method

The tandoori chicken at Indian Bites begins its journey the day before it reaches your plate. The chicken is marinated overnight in a mixture of full-fat yoghurt, freshly ground ginger and garlic paste, Kashmiri chilli powder (which gives the characteristic deep red colour), cumin, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, and lemon juice. The yoghurt tenderises the meat and acts as a carrier for the spices, allowing them to penetrate the chicken rather than just coating the surface.

After marination, the chicken is cooked in the tandoor at high heat. The yoghurt marinade chars and caramelises on the surface, forming a crust that seals in the juices while the interior cooks through completely. The Kashmiri chilli in the marinade gives the exterior its vivid red-orange colour — a moderate heat that adds warmth without overwhelming the palate — and the saffron notes come through in the finish.

The result is served hot from the oven, finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon, fresh coriander, and thinly sliced raw onion. It is one of the most visually impressive and aromatically compelling dishes in North Indian cuisine.

Tandoori Chicken and the Dishes It Powers

The tandoor does more than produce a standalone dish — it is the source of the smoky, charred chicken that elevates several of Indian Bites’ best-loved curries. The chicken in Butter Chicken (145 DKK) is first cooked in the tandoor before being simmered in its velvety tomato-cream sauce. The same is true of Chicken Tikka Masala (145 DKK) — the smokiness that gives this dish its distinctive character comes directly from tandoor cooking. Even the Biryani (155 DKK) uses chicken that has been touched by the tandoor before being layered with aromatic basmati rice.

Understanding this helps explain why the curries at Indian Bites taste different from Indian restaurants that use chicken cooked in a pan or pot. Tandoor cooking imparts a depth of flavour — smoky, charred, and caramelised — that changes the entire character of a curry.

Halal-Certified: All Chicken is Halal

Indian Bites is fully halal-certified. All chicken served at the restaurant — including the chicken used for tandoori cooking and in all curry dishes — meets halal standards. This makes Indian Bites one of the most trusted destinations in Copenhagen for Muslim diners seeking authentic, high-quality Indian food. The restaurant also has a wide selection of vegetarian dishes for guests who do not eat meat.

What to Order Alongside Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori chicken is best accompanied by a Garlic Naan (30 DKK) — baked in the same tandoor oven and brushed with garlic butter. The combination of charred chicken and pillowy, garlicky naan is one of the great pairings in North Indian cuisine. A Mango Lassi (45 DKK) provides the ideal cooling counterpoint to the spiced, smoky chicken. If you are ordering for a group, add a Dal Tadka (125 DKK) or Palak Paneer (135 DKK) to round out the meal with a vegetarian dish that complements the boldness of the tandoori chicken.

Location, Hours, and How to Order

Indian Bites is located at Pustervig 4, 1126 Copenhagen K — a 5-minute walk from Nørreport Station in the heart of Indre By. The restaurant is open daily from 11:00 to 20:30, seven days a week. Dine in without a reservation, call +45 53 69 91 77 to order takeaway for collection, or order Indian food delivery in Copenhagen through Wolt. The full menu is at indianbites.dk.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is tandoori chicken and how is it cooked?

Tandoori chicken is chicken marinated overnight in yoghurt and spices including Kashmiri chilli, cumin, coriander, ginger, and garlic, then cooked in a clay tandoor oven at temperatures exceeding 400°C. The high heat creates the characteristic charred exterior and smoky flavour while keeping the interior juicy and tender. At Indian Bites, a real clay tandoor is used to produce authentic results.

Where can I find authentic tandoori chicken in Copenhagen?

At Indian Bites, Pustervig 4, 1126 Copenhagen K — a 5-minute walk from Nørreport Station. The restaurant has a real clay tandoor oven, holds a 4.7-star Google rating from 533+ reviews, and is fully halal-certified. Open daily 11:00–20:30. See the full menu.

Is tandoori chicken halal at Indian Bites?

Yes. Indian Bites is a fully halal-certified restaurant. All chicken — including tandoori chicken — is halal. Indian Bites is one of Copenhagen’s top-rated halal Indian restaurants with 4.7 stars from over 533 Google reviews.

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