Delicious tandoori chicken thighs fired over the grill. Prepared in a Kashmiri chili and yogurt marinade, these grilled chicken skewers are tender, juicy and loaded with incredible flavor.
Tandoori chicken, a beloved dish originating from the Punjab region, traditionally gets its name from the tandoor – a clay oven where it’s typically cooked. While we may not all have a tandoor at home, this recipe adapts the classic technique for your regular home grill and ensures you still achieve that coveted smoky flavor and tender texture.
I love the two-step marinating process for this recipe. The first marinade tenderizes the meat with lemon juice and salt, while the second infuses it with a rich blend of yogurt and spices. It makes the chicken ridiculously juicy, with a beautiful balance of spice that’s rounded off beautifully when cooked over fire.
For this recipe, I simply serve them in lightly toasted flatbreads with chopped fresh coriander, but they also go great with traditional side dishes like rice, naan, and raita.
Tandoori Chicken Explained
Tandoori chicken is a classic Punjab dish that gets its name from the tandoor, a traditional cylindrical clay oven in which it’s typically cooked. The oven imparts a distinctive smoky flavor to the meat that pairs brilliantly with its rich blend of spices.
The dish is characterized by its tender, juicy texture and vibrant flavor profile, achieved through a two-step marination process. First, a simple marinade of lemon juice and salt tenderizes the meat. Then, a second marinade infuses it with yogurt and a bold blend of spices, including garam masala, coriander, cinnamon, Kashmiri chili powder, garlic, and ginger. While traditionally prepared using whole chickens, our spin on it uses chopped boneless chicken thighs to make it easier (and quicker) to cook at home.
Admittedly, this recipe is by no means authentic, largely owing to the fact that I don’t have a tandoor. However, we can get quite close by using our home charcoal grill. Not only that, but by using a healthy dose of Kashmiri chili powder, we can get (quite) close to that iconic red hue that the dish is known for.
Quick Tips
- Use Metal Skewers: Metal skewers are best for grilling meat as they are great conductors of heat so ensure a more even cook (be careful then handling them though – they can get hot!). If using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in advance to keep them from burning.
- Pat the Chicken Dry: Use paper towels to give the chicken a pat down before marinating to prevent excess water from thinning out the marinade.
- The Longer, The Better: For the second marinade, marinate the chicken in the spiced yogurt for as long as possible (2 hours minimum and up to 24) to maximize the amount of flavor the chicken absorbs.
- Go for Indirect Heat: Most of the cook for this is done using indirect grilling, away from direct contact with the flames. This will keep the chicken tender and stop it from drying out, but is also important when it comes time to baste the chicken with butter, as it will help us avoid flare-ups.
Grilled Tandoori Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- metal skewers
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
First Marinade
- 4 lemons juice of
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
Second Marinade
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 inch fresh ginger
- 2 green chilis
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp salt
Baste
- 2 tbsp melted butter
For Serving
- fresh cilantro roughly chopped
- 4 flatbreads lightly toasted
Instructions
- Cut chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces, large enough to be skewered
- In a large bowl, make the first marinade by adding the lemon juice, salt, and Kashmiri chili powder. Combine well. Add the chicken and toss to coat evenly. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator, leaving to marinade for 1 hour.
- For the second marinade, blend the garlic, ginger and green chilies into a paste (I use an immersion blender but you can use a food processor).
- Add the paste to a small bowl and add the yogurt, garam masala, Kashmiri chili powder, ground coriander, ground cinnamon, and salt. Whisk well to combine.
- Remove the bowl containing the chicken and first marinade from the refrigerator. Uncover and add the second marinade to it. Combine well (I just use my hands), cover, and refrigerate for 2 more hours.
- Fire up your grill to 375-400°F (190-205°C), setting up for 2-zone cooking with a direct side with the coals and an indirect side without any. We will be using both sides during the cook.
- Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers, aiming for about 4-5 chicken pieces on each.
- Once the grill is at temperature, place the chicken skewers over indirect heat on the grill grates. Grill for 15-20 minutes, basting with melted butter and turning occasionally until cooked through.
- Serve with chopped fresh cilantro and toasted flatbreads.
