Grilled Tandoori Chicken

Grilled chicken always makes a delicious main course for dinner. But when you add a creamy yogurt marinade flavored with Indian spices, you have a dinner recipe that will take your next meal over the top. This easy grilled tandoori chicken is simple to make, but that doesn’t mean that it’s short on flavor! And when you marinate your chicken ahead of time and store the ingredients in the freezer, you can speed up the prep time on your next meal.

Chicken marinades are such a fast way to get dinners in your freezer. Our Chicken Tinga, Chicken Curry, Jamaican Jerk, or Lemon Pepper Chicken are other easy ones you could whip up at the same time as you’re assembling this one.

Grilled Tandoori Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

• 8 to 10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 3/4 cup plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons ginger, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Assembly Instructions:

1. Place the chicken thighs in a large resealable freezer bag.
2. Add the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, paprika, ginger, garlic, salt, curry powder, and chili powder to the bag. Seal the top and squish the ingredients together to mix the marinade into the chicken.
3. Remove excess air from the bag, seal it, and place the chicken thighs in the freezer until you’re ready to start cooking.

Cooking instructions:

1. Place the chicken thighs in the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
2. To cook on the grill: Heat the chicken over medium high heat until the chicken is cooked through, flipping the thighs halfway through the cook time.
3. To cook on the stovetop: Place the chicken thighs in a skillet and cook over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through, flipping the chicken halfway through the cook time.

What Is Tandoori Chicken?

Tandoori chicken is an Indian dish featuring chicken marinated overnight in yogurt seasoned with herbs and spices. After marinating, the chicken is then cooked in a cylindrical clay oven called a Tandoor.

Most people don’t have a Tandoor at home, but that doesn’t mean you can’t prepare your own Indian-inspired cuisine. Simply replace the clay oven with a traditional grill or grill pan to prepare your own tandoori chicken at home for your family.

What to Serve with Tandoori Chicken?

This delicious grilled chicken recipe is the perfect main dish to serve your family. But if you want to make it a meal, you’ll need a few side dishes to round out dinner. Try serving your grilled chicken with these delicious recipe ideas:

• Naan
• Jasmine rice
• Mango lassi
• Grilled vegetables
• Mashed potatoes
• Mint chutney

How Do I Know When My Grilled Chicken is Done?

It can be difficult to know exactly when your chicken thighs are finished cooking on the grill. That’s why it’s a good idea to have a meat thermometer on hand. Chicken should always be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees to ensure it’s fully cooked and safe to eat.

Can I Make Grilled Tandoori Chicken with Breasts?

Chicken thighs are great for grilling because the added fat in the dark meat helps keep the chicken moist as it cooks. But if you prefer white meat chicken, you’ll be happy to know that this simple recipe can also be prepared with chicken breasts.

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are the best option for grilling using this tandoori marinade. The sauce will help keep the chicken from drying out as it cooks over the high heat of the grill.

Can You Marinate Chicken in the Freezer?

Prepping chicken with marinade ahead of time is a great way to add flavor to your dinner without a ton of extra work. But if you’re planning on prepping your main course more than 24 hours in advance, it’s a good idea to keep the chicken in the freezer until the day you want to cook it.

Although the marinating process will stop once the sauce and chicken are frozen, your meat will have plenty of time to soak in the seasonings while the chicken thaws in the refrigerator after you remove it from the freezer. That’s why prepping your grilled chicken in advance and store it in the freezer is a great time-saver!

How Do I Make Tandoori Chicken Kabobs?

Using this marinade to make kabobs is another delicious way to prepare this easy tandoori chicken recipe. If you plan on making chicken skewers or kabobs with your marinated meat, it’s a good idea to slice the chicken before freezing.

Cut the chicken into one inch pieces and place them in the freezer bag with the marinade ingredients. The chicken can then be stored in the refrigerator to marinate or in the freezer for more long term storage.

When you’re ready to start grilling, remove the marinated chicken from the bag and thread the pieces onto a skewer. After that, grill them until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Can I Cook Tandoori Chicken on the Stovetop?

If you’re not in the mood to grill your chicken, you can also use your stove to prepare this flavorful dish. After the chicken has marinated, cook it in a large skillet over medium heat. Flip the chicken halfway through the cook time, and continue cooking until both sides are browned and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Print

Tandoori Chicken

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

40 mins

 

Course: Main Course

Servings: 4

Calories: 216 kcal

Ingredients

• 8 to 10 chicken thighs boneless, skinless
• 3/4 cup plain yogurt
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp ginger minced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp chili powder

Instructions

Assembly Instructions:

1. Place the chicken thighs in a large resealable freezer bag.
2. Add the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, paprika, ginger, garlic, salt, curry powder, and chili powder to the bag. Seal the top and squish the ingredients together to mix the marinade into the chicken.
3. Remove excess air from the bag, seal it, and place the chicken thighs in the freezer until you’re ready to start cooking.

BBQ Cooking instructions:

1. Thaw.

2. Heat the chicken over medium high heat until the chicken is cooked through, flipping the thighs halfway through the cook time.

Stovetop Cooking instructions:

1. Thaw.

2. Place the chicken thighs in a skillet and cook over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through, ensuring it reaches an internal temperature of 165°, flipping the chicken halfway through the cook time.