Recipes

Tandoori Chicken with Flatbread and Raita

Smoky, spice-packed, and cooked to perfection over live fire, this tandoori chicken is a masterclass in flavor. Marinated in yogurt and a vibrant blend of Indian spices, the chicken is seared over charcoal and wood to mimic the intensity of a traditional tandoor. The result is tender, charred, and deeply satisfying—proof that great grilling is a global affair.

By Stephanie Banyas, Culinary Experience Manager
Serves 4
Image of Tandoori Chicken with Flatbread and Raita
Ingredients
Directions
Ingredients

FOR THE CHICKEN AND MARINADE:

  • 8 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs or drumsticks
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons Ginger-Garlic paste 
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried fenugreek leaves
  • 1 heaping teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 heaping teaspoon ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne powder (more if you like it spicier)

FOR SERVING:

Directions

We aren’t fooling around when it comes to our Tandoori Chicken; smoky, charred, tender, and flavorful are just some of the adjectives required to describe it. This famous Indian dish requires the intense, dry heat of the Hybrid Fire Grill and a well-spiced marinade. Combining charcoal and wood mimics the heat and smoke of a traditional tandoori oven. Cooking the chicken indirectly prevents burning and overcooking, ensuring a flavorful and authentic experience.

Your Indian pantry will need several key spices, and you’ll need to plan ahead. The best flavor comes from at least 12 hours of marinating, but I say 48 hours is even better. A typical tandoori spice blend (link to online spice store) includes ingredients like turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger, garlic, Kashmiri chile powder, cayenne pepper, and garam masala. These spices, combined with thick, whole milk yogurt, not only impart vibrant color and rich flavor but also contribute to the tenderization of the chicken while marinating. It is helpful to use skinless dark meat chicken and make deep cuts into the meat to allow the marinade to penetrate.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Use a sharp knife to make a series of deep cuts into the chicken. This allows the marinade to penetrate the meat. Combine the chicken, lemon juice, and ginger-garlic paste in a bowl. Massage the mixture thoroughly into each piece of chicken, being sure to get the mixture into the slits. Let it sit for 15 minutes.

Whisk together the remaining marinade ingredients (yogurt, salt, chili powder, fenugreek, garam masala, coriander, cumin, turmeric, black pepper, and cayenne) in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Add the chicken pieces and rub well with the marinade making sure to get the marinade into the slits. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 72 hours. Marinating for 72 hours will create the most flavor.

Prepare the Hybrid Fire Grill for indirect roasting at 700°F air temperature. 

  • For the K750 and K1000 Hybrids, load a single layer of charcoal with a few chunks of wood into the drawer(s) above the left and right burners. Leave the drawer(s) above the center burner(s) empty to create your indirect roasting zone. 
  • For the K500, load a single layer of charcoal with a few chunks of wood above either the left or right burner, leaving the drawer empty above the other burner to create your indirect roasting zone.

Light all main burners on HIGH, close the lid, and heat until the temperature on the lid thermometer reads 700°F. This will take about 35 to 45 minutes. Be patient.

Turn off the burner(s) for the indirect zone. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the cooking grate in the indirect zone. Close the lid and roast for 7 minutes. Turn the pieces over, close the lid and continue grilling 7 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer registers 175°F. 

Remove the chicken to a platter and loosely tent with foil for 10 minutes before serving. Grill the flatbreads while the chicken is resting.

Serve with Grilled Yogurt Flatbread and Raita on the side. If desired, squeeze lemon over the chicken on the serving platter.