Tandoori chicken
Chicken thighs marinated in spiced yogurt and roasted hot until charred at the edges.
- Hands-on
- 15 min
- Total time
108 min, show breakdown
- Prep 75 min
- Cook 25 min
- Clean up 8 min
- Pans
- 1
- Ingredients
- 9
- Cost/serving
- $2.37
Per serving
- Calories
- 309
- Protein
- 43 g
- Fiber
- 0.8 g
- Net carbs
- 3.5 g
- Fat
- 12 g
High in (% Daily Value per serving): Selenium 90%, Niacin (B3) 72%, Vitamin B12 56%, Vitamin B6 51%, Riboflavin (B2) 38%, Zinc 32%
Whole recipe (): . Full nutrition facts, vitamins and minerals. All nutrition is estimated; check your own labels.
Everything else is scaled from this.
Nutrition per serving is the whole batch divided by this.
Already egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free.
Ingredients for 4
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You changed this recipe. Nutrition and cost include your changes. This combination hasn't been tested.
800 g chicken thighs, boneless skinless
Same amount as: 1.75 lb, about 6½ thighs.
½ cup plain Greek yogurt, 2% (122 g)
Same amount as: 120 mL.
2 tbsp lemon juice (30 g)
Same amount as: 30 mL, ¾ lemon squeezed from fresh lemons.
4 cloves garlic, smashed (12 g)
Same amount as: 4 tsp fresh minced garlic, 2 tsp jarred minced garlic, ½ tsp garlic powder.
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated (6 g)
Same amount as: 15 mL, ¼ tsp ground ginger.
2 tsp garam masala (4 g)
Same amount as: 10 mL.
2 tsp paprika (4.6 g)
Same amount as: 10 mL.
1 tsp ground cumin (2.1 g)
Same amount as: 5 mL.
1 tbsp olive oil (14 g)
Same amount as: 15 mL.
- salt, to taste
Use the menu next to each ingredient to skip it, halve it or add more. Nutrition updates as you go. The main ingredient changes with servings instead.
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Healthier swaps
Optional. Nutrition and cost update as you choose; the recipe was written with the original.
Optional
Adds about 0 kcal per serving.
Quantities are for 4 servings. Prep time includes 1 hour in the fridge. Use a second sheet pan if the pieces touch.
Nutrition Facts
4 servings per recipe
Serving size 1 plate (249 g raw)
| Nutrient | Per serving | % DV* | Whole recipe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 309 | ||
| Total fat | 12 g | 16% | |
| Saturated fat | 2.9 g | 14% | |
| Cholesterol | 190 mg | 63% | |
| Sodium | 348 mg | 15% | |
| Total carbohydrate | 4.3 g | 2% | |
| Dietary fiber | 0.8 g | 3% | |
| Total sugars | 1.5 g | ||
| Net carbs† | 3.5 g | ||
| Protein | 43 g | 86% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.2 mcg | 1% | |
| Calcium | 70 mg | 5% | |
| Iron | 2.6 mg | 14% | |
| Potassium | 579 mg | 12% | |
| Vitamin A | 50 mcg | 6% | |
| Vitamin C | 4 mg | 4% | |
| Vitamin E | 1.3 mg | 9% | |
| Vitamin K | 7.8 mcg | 6% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.21 mg | 17% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.49 mg | 38% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 11 mg | 72% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.87 mg | 51% | |
| Folate | 19 mcg | 5% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.3 mcg | 56% | |
| Magnesium | 58 mg | 14% | |
| Zinc | 3.5 mg | 32% | |
| Selenium | 50 mcg | 90% |
Estimated, not verified. These numbers are calculated from typical ingredient data and haven't been checked against a lab or your brands. Check the labels of what you buy and confirm anything that matters to you, especially sodium, sugar and allergens.
* % Daily Value shows how much one serving adds to a 2,000-calorie day. † Net carbs is not on US labels; it is total carbs minus fiber, allulose, erythritol and half of other sugar alcohols. "To taste" amounts are counted as written. Counted items (eggs, cloves, spoons) use the rounded amount shown in the ingredient list. Vitamins and minerals are from raw ingredients; cooking lowers some, especially vitamin C and folate. How this is calculated.
Steps
Cut 2–3 shallow slashes across each thigh. Grate the garlic.
In a large bowl, mix the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, garam masala, paprika, cumin and salt.
Add the chicken and turn it until every piece is coated. Rub the marinade into the cuts.
Done looks like: Every piece is covered in a thin orange-red layer. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours.
Heat the oven to 230 °C / 450 °F. Brush the sheet pan with the oil. Lay the chicken on it with space between pieces. Leave thick clumps of marinade in the bowl.
Roast 20–25 minutes, until charred at the edges. Check the thickest piece with a thermometer.
Done looks like: Dark spots at the edges. Thermometer reads 74 °C / 165 °F or higher.
Equipment
Rimmed sheet pan (half sheet) $12–25
What to look for
- Heavy aluminum that does not warp in a hot oven
- Rim all the way round so juices stay in
Skip: Dark non-stick sheet pans; they burn the bottoms of vegetables.
Instant-read digital thermometer $10–30
What to look for
- Reads in 5 seconds or less
- Thin probe tip
- Shows °C and °F
Skip: Dial thermometers that take 20+ seconds.
Chef's knife, 20 cm (8 in) $15–50
What to look for
- Comfortable handle that does not slip when wet
- Blade you can sharpen, or a cheap one you replace every few years
Skip: Knife blocks with 12 knives. A chef's knife and a small paring knife cover almost everything.
Cutting board $10–30
What to look for
- At least 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in), so food stays on it
- Wood or plastic; plastic goes in the dishwasher
Skip: Glass or stone boards. They dull knives fast.
What goes wrong
| What | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Pale, wet chicken with no char | Too much marinade on the pieces, or pieces touching, so they steam. | Let the extra drip off before laying the chicken out. Leave space between pieces. |
| Soft, mealy texture | Marinated much longer than 24 hours. | Cook within a day of marinating. |
| Chicken sticks to the pan | Pan not oiled. | Brush the pan with oil, or line it with baking paper. |
Versions
| Version | Changes | Per serving |
|---|---|---|
| Original | As written. Hands-on 15 min, total 108 min. | 309 kcal 43 g protein 0.8 g fiber 3.5 g net carbs 12 g fat |
| Dairy-free | Coconut milk instead of yogurt. Hands-on 15 min, total 108 min. | 316 kcal 40 g protein 0.8 g fiber 2.7 g net carbs 15 g fat |
| Vegetarian | Paneer instead of chicken thighs. Hands-on 12 min, total 68 min. | 470 kcal 30 g protein 0.8 g fiber 8 g net carbs 36 g fat |
Notes
Allergies: removing an allergen from the recipe does not remove it from your kitchen or from other products. Check labels for "may contain" warnings.
Pregnancy: Cook chicken to at least 74 °C / 165 °F in the thickest part. Use pasteurized yogurt.