Chef John's Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori chicken gets its name from the clay oven it is traditionally cooked in, the tandoor. The chicken is marinated in yogurt and an incredibly complex mix of spices, and then roasted in the extremely hot tandoor oven. Don't worry if you don't have a tandoor clay oven sitting in the backyard; a grill will work just fine.

• Preparation Time: 5 mins
• Cooking Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 20 mins
• Calories: 215 Calories

Ingredients

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• ½ lime, juiced
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 ½ tablespoons plain yogurt
• 1 ½ tablespoons tandoori masala powder

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.

Step 2

Remove chicken from the bag and transfer to a plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels. Pat chicken pieces dry with more paper towels.

Step 3

Whisk lime juice, yogurt, tandoori powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Pour mixture into a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Step 4

Grill chicken on the preheated grill with the lid open for 2 minutes. Close lid and continue to grill chicken for 6 minutes.

Step 5

Turn chicken, close lid and grill until well-browned and meat is no longer pink in the center, about 6 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).