Grilled Tandoori Chicken Recipe
How to make the most flavorful Tandoori Chicken in a yogurt marinade, cooked on a grill!
How to Make the Best Grilled Tandoori Chicken
This Grilled Tandoori Chicken is a showstopper that brings the bold, aromatic flavors of Indian cuisine right to your backyard grill. The magic lies in the yogurt-based marinade, which tenderizes the chicken while infusing it with a blend of warm spices like cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cardamom. The result is incredibly juicy, flavorful chicken with a beautiful charred crust.
Tandoori chicken traditionally gets its name from the tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven used in Indian cooking. While most home cooks don’t have a tandoor, a hot grill does a fantastic job of replicating those characteristic smoky, charred flavors. The key is letting the chicken marinate as long as possible—the yogurt and spices work together to create layers of flavor that penetrate deep into the meat.
Serve this alongside cooling cucumber raita, warm naan bread, and fragrant basmati rice for an authentic Indian feast. The contrast between the spiced, smoky chicken and the cool, creamy raita is absolutely divine. This recipe is perfect for summer grilling or anytime you’re craving bold, satisfying flavors.
Grilled Tandoori Chicken
How to make the most flavorful Tandoori Chicken in a yogurt marinade, cooked on a grill!
Ingredients
Chicken
Marinade
Instructions
Marinating
- In a medium bowl whisk all marinade ingredients together until well combined (or use a blender). Add the chicken and let marinate for at least 20 minutes or up to 24-48 hours in the fridge. The longer, the better.
- If using wood skewers, soak wood skewers in water at least 30 minutes to prevent burning.
Grilling
- Pre-heat grill to med-high heat. Make sure the grate is cleaned and very well greased.
- Sear the chicken for 4-5 minutes or until good grill marks appear. Resist the urge to move them early, or too much or you will lose the lovely yogurt crust.
- Once the chicken has nice deep grill marks it will naturally release itself a little from the grill. Use a metal spatula to help preserve that golden yummy crust.
- Once both sides have grill marks, turn the grill down, or move to a cooler part of grill and cover – or alternatively, finish cooking in a 350°F oven until meat is cooked through.
Serving
- Serve the Grilled Tandoori Chicken with Raita, grilled naan bread or basmati rice and grilled veggies.
Notes
- You can substitute chicken breasts for the thighs if preferred.
- For a spicier version, increase the cayenne to 1 teaspoon or more.
- You can substitute 1½ tablespoons granulated garlic for the fresh garlic cloves.
