Tandoori Chicken
AI-generated image
Gluten-free Indian

Tandoori Chicken

Juicy chicken thighs marinated in yogurt, lemon, garlic, ginger, and warm Indian spices, then grilled until charred at the edges and fully cooked. Serve with cooling cucumber, herbs, and lemon.

45 min 4 servings Medium
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How to prepare

1
Pat the chicken dry and cut three deep slashes into the thickest part of each thigh without cutting all the way through. Set aside on a tray.
2
In a large bowl, mix the yogurt, lemon juice, oil, garlic, ginger, Kashmiri chili powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala, and salt until smooth and evenly colored.
3
Add the chicken and turn each piece until thoroughly coated, pressing the marinade into the slashes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
4
Take the chicken from the refrigerator 20 minutes before cooking. Heat a grill to medium-high, about 220°C, and oil the grates lightly.
5
Shake off excess marinade and grill the chicken over direct heat for 5 to 6 minutes per side, turning when the surface is deeply browned and releases easily from the grates.
Tandoori chicken grilling with charred edges AI-generated image
6
Move the chicken to a cooler part of the grill if needed and continue cooking until the thickest part reaches 74°C on an instant-read thermometer, about 3 to 6 minutes more.
7
Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and rest for 5 minutes so the juices redistribute. Serve hot with lemon wedges and the accompaniments of your choice.
Finished tandoori chicken with lemon, onion, cilantro, and raita AI-generated image

Why this recipe works

Yogurt tenderizes the chicken while carrying the spices into every cut. Kashmiri chili provides vivid color without excessive heat, and high-heat grilling creates the smoky, lightly charred edges that define tandoori chicken.

Storage and reheating

How to store it

Refrigerate cooked chicken in a covered container for up to 3 days. Refrigerate raw chicken in its marinade for no more than 24 hours.

How to reheat it

Reheat covered in a 180°C oven until steaming hot throughout, or warm gently in a skillet with a splash of water. Do not reuse leftover marinade unless it is boiled for at least 1 minute.

Nutrition / serving

508kcal
58.26 gprotein
6.60 gcarbs
27.37 gfat
P
Pantryvale editorial kitchen
Recipe prepared for publication with complete ingredients and ordered cooking steps.
Published 20 Aug 2026 · updated 20 Aug 2026