Greek Yogurt Tandoori Marinade (with Roasted Tandoori Chicken)

Name: Greek Yogurt Tandoori Marinade (with Roasted Tandoori Chicken)
Prep time: 21 min
Cook time: 24 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: North Indian
Ingredients: 1 cup (240 g) full-fat plain Greek yogurt, cold from the fridge, stirred smooth; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained; 1 tablespoon (15 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 4 medium cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated or pressed; 2 teaspoons (4 g) garam masala; 1 tablespoon (7 g) sweet paprika or Kashmiri chili powder; 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin; 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground coriander; ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground turmeric; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) cayenne pepper, or to taste; use more for a spicier result (optional); 2 teaspoons (7 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), use 1¼ teaspoons (7 g) if using Morton kosher salt; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil (avocado or vegetable); 2 pounds (about 6 thighs) (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry and trimmed of excess fat; 1 whole (100 g) lemon, cut into wedges; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A thick, tangy Greek yogurt marinade packed with ginger, garlic, garam masala and paprika that clings to chicken and tenderizes it gently. Roasted hot and finished under the broiler, it gives juicy, deeply spiced chicken with tandoor-style charred edges, no clay oven needed.

Prep: 21 min
Cook: 24 min
Wait: 4 hr 5 min
Total: 4 hr 50 min
Makes: About 1⅓ cups (320 g) marinade, enough for 2 lb (900 g) chicken, serving 4

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the marinade
1 cup (240 g) full-fat plain Greek yogurt, cold from the fridge, stirred smooth
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained
1 tablespoon (15 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
4 medium cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated or pressed
2 teaspoons (4 g) garam masala
1 tablespoon (7 g) sweet paprika or Kashmiri chili powder
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground coriander
½ teaspoon (1 g) ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) cayenne pepper, or to taste; use more for a spicier result (optional)
2 teaspoons (7 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), use 1¼ teaspoons (7 g) if using Morton kosher salt
1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil (avocado or vegetable)
For the chicken
2 pounds (about 6 thighs) (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry and trimmed of excess fat
To serve
1 whole (100 g) lemon, cut into wedges
¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)

Equipment (6)

Medium mixing bowl
Large zip-top bag or shallow non-reactive dish (glass or ceramic), about 9×13-inch (23×33 cm)
Rimmed baking sheet, 18×13-inch (46×33 cm)
Wire rack that fits inside the baking sheet
Instant-read thermometer
Microplane or fine grater

Steps

Before you start

Use full-fat (5–10%) plain Greek yogurt. Low-fat or watery yogurt slides off the chicken and won't char.
Plan for at least 4 hours of marinating time, or up to 24 hours. Past 24 hours the lemon juice makes the chicken mushy.
Start the oven preheat about 20 minutes before the marinating time ends.
Line the baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup, then set the wire rack on top.

1
Prep the aromatics
- Peel the ginger and grate it on a Microplane to make 1 tablespoon (15 g).
- Grate or press the 4 garlic cloves.
- Squeeze and strain the lemon juice for the marinade (about 2 tablespoons / 30 ml), and keep the rest of the lemon for wedges later.
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Ready when: Ginger and garlic form a wet paste with no stringy pieces.
Tip: Freeze the ginger for 20 minutes first if it's fibrous; it grates much more easily.
2
Mix the marinade
- In a medium bowl, whisk the yogurt until smooth.
- Add the lemon juice, ginger, garlic, garam masala, paprika, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne (if using), salt and oil.
- Whisk for about 1 minute until the color is uniform, deep orange-red and no dry spice clumps remain.
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Ready when: Marinade is thick, spreadable like sour cream, and evenly colored.
Tip: Taste a tiny bit of the marinade. It should taste boldly salty and tangy, since it seasons the chicken.
3
Trim and score chicken
- Pat the chicken thighs very dry with paper towels.
- Trim any large pieces of fat.
- With a sharp knife, make 3 or 4 shallow cuts, about ¼ inch (6 mm) deep, across the thicker side of each thigh so the marinade can penetrate.
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Ready when: Surface of the chicken feels dry and has shallow slashes.
Tip: Wash your hands, board and knife with hot soapy water after handling raw chicken.
4
Coat and marinate
- Add the chicken to the bowl (or a zip-top bag) with the marinade and turn the pieces, massaging the marinade into the cuts until every surface is thickly coated.
- Cover the bowl or seal the bag, pressing out the air, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
- Flip or turn the bag once halfway if you can.
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Ready when: Each thigh is fully coated with a thick layer of marinade.
Tip: Do not rinse the marinade off. The thick coat is what chars into the tandoori-style crust.
5
Preheat and set upOven 450°F / 230°C
- About 20 minutes before cooking, arrange an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C).
- Line the baking sheet with foil and set the wire rack on top.
- Lightly grease the rack with oil spray.
- Lift each thigh out of the marinade, letting the excess drip off but leaving a thick coating, and lay the pieces on the rack with space between them.
- Discard the leftover raw-chicken marinade.
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Ready when: Oven reads 450°F (230°C) and chicken sits in a single layer without touching.
Tip: Never reuse marinade that touched raw chicken as a sauce unless you boil it for several minutes. It's safest to discard it.
6
Roast the chickenOven 450°F / 230°C
- Slide the baking sheet into the oven and roast at 450°F (230°C) for 18 to 20 minutes, until the marinade has set and darkened at the edges and the thickest part of a thigh reads 160°F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
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Ready when: Marinade is set and browning with dark spots; thickest thigh reads 160°F (71°C).
Tip: Don't open the oven door repeatedly; the heat loss slows browning.
7
Broil for charOven 500°F / 260°C
- Switch the oven to broil on high (about 500°F / 260°C) and keep the rack in the upper third.
- Broil for 3 to 4 minutes, watching closely, until the edges blacken in spots and the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part.
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Ready when: Blistered, dark-flecked surface and 165°F (74°C) internal temperature.
Tip: Yogurt and spices burn fast under a broiler. Stay at the oven and pull the tray as soon as charred spots appear.
8
Rest the chicken
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the chicken rest on the rack for 5 minutes so the juices redistribute.
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Ready when: Juices are no longer running when you press a thigh.
9
Slice and serve
- Slice the thighs into thick strips or serve whole.
- Squeeze lemon wedges over the top and scatter with chopped cilantro, if using.
- Serve with basmati rice, warm naan, sliced red onion and cucumber raita.
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Ready when: Meat is juicy, with no pink at the center.
Tip: Fresh lemon juice right before eating brightens the deep spices.

Good to know

Tips

Scoring the chicken and massaging the marinade into the cuts gives deeper flavor in the same marinating time.
A wire rack lets hot air circulate so the underside chars instead of steaming in the juices.
Don't skip the salt in the marinade; it seasons the meat and helps it stay juicy.
To grill instead, cook over medium-high direct heat for 5–6 minutes per side, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).

Make ahead

"Mix the marinade up to 3 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge, before it touches any raw meat. Chicken can marinate in it for up to 24 hours. The chicken can also be marinated and frozen in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before roasting."

Storage & reheating

"Cooked chicken: refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days. Freeze up to 3 months. Do not leave at room temperature more than 2 hours. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10 to 15 minutes, covered with foil, or in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C). Unused marinade (not touched by raw meat) keeps 3 days in the fridge or 2 months frozen."

Substitutions

full-fat plain Greek yogurt → Regular plain whole-milk yogurt, strained through a cheesecloth-lined sieve for 1 hour. Unstrained yogurt is too thin and drips off the chicken.
boneless, skinless chicken thighs → Bone-in chicken thighs, cauliflower florets, paneer, or large shrimp. Bone-in thighs need 35–40 minutes at 425°F (220°C) to reach 175°F (80°C). Shrimp need only 15–30 minutes of marinating and 6–8 minutes of roasting. Cook paneer or cauliflower until browned at the edges.
sweet paprika or Kashmiri chili powder → Kashmiri chili powder. Gives the classic red tandoori color with mild heat.
fresh lemon juice → Lime juice or 1 tablespoon white vinegar. Keep the acidity moderate so the texture of the chicken stays tender.