Tantalize your taste buds with Chef Tom's Tandoori Chicken! Richly marinaded in Greek yogurt and a shipload of spices, it's then grilled to perfection on Yoder Smokers' charcoal grill and served with homemade naan and marinated veggies.
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Deep score marks let the marinade actually penetrate. Slicing into the chicken before marinating means the yogurt-and-spice mixture reaches beneath the surface overnight, instead of just coating the outside.
- The raita reuses reserved marinade, not a separate seasoning. Blending a half cup of the same marinade into the avocado raita ties the two components together, so the cooling sauce echoes the same spice base as the chicken itself.
- Two-zone charcoal grilling builds char first, then finishes gently. Searing the chicken directly over the coals for color, then moving it to the indirect side to finish cooking, keeps the exterior from burning before the inside catches up.
- The vegetables get their own quick marinade too. Tossing the sliced tomato, cucumber, and onion in oil, lemon juice, and seasoning rather than serving them raw ties the whole plate together with a consistent flavor thread.
Tandoori Chicken
Tom Jackson
Rated 4.5 stars by 4 users
Category
Main Course
Cuisine
Indian
Servings
8
Prep Time
45 minutes
Calories
774
This Tandoori Chicken is one of Chef Tom's new favorites; and for good reason. Marinaded in greek yogurt and a shipload of spices, this chicken is grilled on the Yoder Smokers Adjustable Flat Top Charcoal Grill and combined with homemade naan. Mix it with marinated vegetables & a creamy avocado raita and you have yourself a delicious Indian delicacy.
Ingredients
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1 each (5 lb) whole chicken, cut into pieces
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2 cups Greek yogurt
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1/2 cup yellow onion, small dice
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1/4 cup Colonial Chile Oil
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1/4 cup lemon juice
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2 tbsp Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt
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2 tbsp Garam masala
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2 tbsp smoked paprika
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2 tbsp fresh cilantro stems, minced
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2 tbsp fresh ginger paste (grated on microplane)
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2 tbsp fresh garlic paste (grated on microplane)
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2 tsp ground cumin
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2 tsp ground coriander
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2 tsp cayenne pepper
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1 tsp ground turmeric
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1 cup plain Greek yogurt
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1/2 cup spinach, chopped
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1/4 cup cilantro (leaves and/or stems)
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1/4 cup reserved marinade
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2 tbsp lemon juice
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1 avocado
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1 clove garlic
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1/2 cup cucumber, grated
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1 each serrano pepper, minced
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Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt, to taste
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2 roma tomatoes, halved, seeded, sliced thin
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1 each cucumber, halved, seeded, sliced thin
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1/2 yellow onion, sliced thin
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1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
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1 tbsp lemon juice
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1 each clove garlic, grated on microplane
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2 tsp Cattleman’s Grill California Tri-Tip Seasoning
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Naan
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Basmati rice
Marinade
Avocado Raita: 2.5 Cups
Marinated Veg
Serve with
Directions
Combine all marinade ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup of the marinade for the Avocado Raita.
Remove the skin from your chicken pieces. Slice deep score marks into the chicken pieces.
Place the chicken in a medium sized mixing bowl. Pour the marinade over the chicken and massage into the meat. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to marinade overnight.
To make the Avocado Raita, combine the yogurt, spinach, cilantro, reserved marinade, lemon juice and avocado in a blender. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and add the cucumber and Serrano. Taste and season with salt as needed.
Light two chimneys of lump charcoal in the grate of the Yoder Smokers Adjustable Flattop Charcoal Grill. When hot, dump the charcoal on one half of the grate, leaving the other half of the grill open for indirect grilling.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the grate, directly over the charcoal. Grill until lightly charred in spots, then flip and grill the opposite side. When you have all of the color and char that you want on the chicken, move to the indirect side of the grill and continue cooking until the internal temperature of the breasts reaches 155ºF, and the thighs/legs/wings reaches 175ºF. Remove from the grill.
Dice and/or shred the chicken. Serve with warm naan, marinated veggies, avocado raita and basmati rice.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why score the chicken before marinating it?
Cutting deep score marks into the meat opens up more surface area, letting the yogurt-based marinade penetrate below the surface overnight instead of just sitting on top of the skin-removed chicken.
Why reserve some of the marinade for the avocado raita?
Blending reserved marinade into the raita ties the cooling yogurt sauce back to the same spice base used on the chicken, so the flavors feel connected rather than like two separate components.
Why cook the chicken over direct heat first, then move it to indirect?
Starting directly over the coals builds char and color quickly. Moving it to the indirect side afterward lets the chicken finish cooking through gently without burning the exterior before the inside catches up.
What internal temperature should the chicken actually reach?
This recipe lists 155°F for the breast, but USDA's minimum safe internal temperature for poultry is 165°F throughout, including the breast. The thigh/leg/wing target of 175°F is correctly above the minimum — cook the breast to at least 165°F as well.
Why marinate the vegetables instead of serving them raw?
A quick marinade of oil, lemon juice, garlic, and seasoning gives the tomato, cucumber, and onion the same flavor thread running through the chicken and raita, rather than leaving them as a plain, unseasoned side.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
3 out of 5 — the marinade, raita, and vegetables can all be made in any kitchen, but the char from live charcoal is central to the dish's flavor and difficult to replicate with a stovetop or oven.
Recipe Highlights
Deep scoring before marinating: Cutting into the chicken lets the yogurt marinade reach beneath the surface, resulting in more flavor throughout the meat rather than just on the exterior.
Reusing marinade in the raita: Folding reserved marinade into the avocado raita connects the cooling sauce back to the same spice profile as the chicken.
Two-zone charcoal cooking: Searing directly over the coals before finishing over indirect heat builds char without risking a burnt exterior on a longer cook.
A separately marinated vegetable side: Tossing the tomato, cucumber, and onion in their own quick marinade ties the whole plate together rather than leaving them as a plain garnish.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 1
- per serving
- Calories
- 774
- Fat
- 40 grams
- Saturated Fat
- 9 grams
- Cholesterol
- 255 milligrams
- Sodium
- 1677 milligrams
- Carbs
- 10 grams
- Fiber
- 3 grams
- Sugar
- 4 grams
- Protein
- 89 grams
