Easy Tandoori Chicken. Marinated in yogurt, lime juice, and spice,s then grilled until juicy and tender! All you need is 7 ingredients and 10 minutes of prep to make this flavorful chicken at home!
Love chicken thighs as much as I do? Then give my Honey Sriracha Chicken and Peruvian Chicken with Green Sauce a try!
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Kelley’s Tips
Before You Get Started
- Use bone-in, skin on chicken thighs for optimal juiciness. If you use boneless chicken thighs I recommend reducing the cooking time to about 6 minutes per side.
- Invest in a digital instant read thermometer and take all the guess work out. They are fairly inexpensive and you will never need to worry about over or under cooking chicken again!
- Use a large ziplock for easy clean up. I like to marinate chicken in a plastic freezer bag so I don’t need to dirty a dish.
What is Tandoori Chicken?
Tandoori Chicken is an Indian dish that consists of bone in chicken being marinated in yogurt and spices then cooked in a clay oven. Even if you don’t have a clay oven it’s easy to make this dish at home. All you need is an oven or a grill to get the same crispy golden brown chicken!
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs: Either boneless skinless or bone in. Chicken legs would also work!
- Garlic: Fresh is best! However in a pinch garlic powder can be used.
- Ginger: Again fresh is best! However in a pinch onion powder can be used.
- Yogurt: You can also substitute buttermilk
- Paprika: Is used for a little kick and to give the chicken its traditional red color.
- Lime Juice: Any kind of citric will work. This helps to tenderize the meat and adds some acidity.
- Garam Marsala: A blend of Indian spices that usually consists of cumin, cloves, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and coriander. You can make your own Garam Marsala spice blend at home or purchase the pre made spice blend.
How to make Tandoori Chicken
- Add all of the ingredients to a large ziplock bag. Marinate for at least an hour or overnight. The longer you marinade the chicken the more tender, juicy and flavorful it will be!
- When you are ready to eat preheat grill to 400 degrees. Spray the grill with nonstick cooking spray.
- Grill for 5 minutes, flip and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes or until fully cooked and crispy on the outside.
- Allow the chicken to rest for a couple minutes then serve immediately with extra lime wedges for serving if desired!
How to make Tandoori Chicken in the oven
This recipe can also be made in the oven! Simply preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place chicken on a greased baking pan and bake for 30-40 minutes or until chicken reaches 165 degrees. For extra color and crispiness I like to broil the chicken on high for the last couple minutes of cooking.
What to serve with Tandoori Chicken
- Biryani Rice
- Garlic Naan
- Grilled Vegetables
- Raita
- Tomato Cucumber Salad
- Mango Chutney (I love the sweet and spicy combo)
Here are more delicious chicken recipes to try!
- Easy Chicken Marsala
- The BEST Chicken Parmesan
- Easy Chicken Shawarma
- Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
- Easy One Pan Bourbon Chicken
- Easy Thai Chicken Satay
Tandoori Chicken
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Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs, either boneless skinless or bone in chicken thighs
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1/2 tablespoon ginger, minced
- 1 cup yogurt or buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a large ziplock bag. Marinate for at least an hour or overnight.
- When you are ready to eat preheat grill to 400 degrees. Spray the grill with nonstick cooking spray.
- Grill for 10 minutes, flip and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until fully cooked and crispy on the outside.
- Allow the chicken to rest for a couple minutes then serve immediately with extra lime wedges for serving if desired!
Nutrition Information
Did You Make This?
I’d love to hear your feedback! Leave a review and make sure to share your pictures on social media! Don’t forget to follow @thechefsavvy.
Jon
Followed directions throughly, marinated for 20 hours. Very very bland and no taste at all.
Kelley Simmons
I am so sorry to hear you didn’t like this recipe! We have enjoyed this many of times so I am not sure why it didn’t turn out well for you. The only thing I can think of is maybe the brand of garam marsala? Some might be more potent than others? Thank you for making me aware though!
Britt
So flavorful and easy!