Tandoori Chicken
Tandoori chicken is marinated in lemon juice, yogurt, onion, garlic, ginger, garam masala, cayenne, and cilantro, giving the chicken a tangy, warmly spiced flavor and vivid color. It is cooked on the grill for a home-friendly take on the classic clay-oven dish, and is well suited to serve with basmati rice, grilled vegetables, roasted corn, or cucumber salad.
- Prep25 mins
- Cook20 mins
- Serves4
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Tandoori Chicken, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactPoor
- 39 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 15 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 92 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 59
- Heart Health
- 64
- Metabolic
- 24
- Digestive
- 37
- Inflammatory
- 59
- Performance
- 48
- General Wellness
- 1
Gather all ingredients.
- 2
Remove and discard the skin from the chicken pieces. Cut slits into the meat and place the pieces in a shallow dish. Season the chicken on both sides with lemon juice and salt. Let sit for 20 minutes.
- 3
Mix yogurt, onion, garlic, garam masala, ginger, and cayenne pepper together in a medium bowl until smooth, then stir in food coloring.
- 4
Spread the yogurt mixture over the chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours (the longer, the better).
- 5
When ready to cook, preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate. Remove the chicken from the marinade. Discard the remaining marinade.
- 6
Cook the chicken on the preheated grill until it is no longer pink and the juices run clear. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
- 7
Garnish with cilantro and lemon wedges.
- 8
Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the remaining marinade.
- 9
Cook the chicken on the preheated grill until it is no longer pink and the juices run clear.
- 10
An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should show 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
- 11
Garnish with cilantro and lemon wedges.
- Calories 314.98 kcal Moderate 16%
- Protein 57.14 g Good Source 114%
- Carbohydrate 11.38 g 4%
- Total Fat 4.46 g Moderate 6%
- Saturated Fat 0.78 g Low Source 4%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 145.41 mg High 48%
- Sodium 192.99 mg Moderate 8%
- Dietary Fiber 1.89 g Low Source 7%
- Total Sugars 6.63 g --
- Added Sugars 0.04 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 155.9 mg Moderate 12%
- Iron 1.57 mg Low Source 9%
- Potassium 251.06 mg Low Source 5%
- Vitamin A 14.59 mcg Low Source 2%
- Vitamin C 15.69 mg Moderate 17%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Citrus 🍊
- Milk 🥛
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
- Food Dyes 🎨
About This Recipe
Tandoori Chicken is an Indian dinner recipe made with 15 ingredients. It takes about 45 mins, serves 4, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Cayenne Pepper, Chicken Breast, Fresh Cilantro, and Fresh Ginger. Each serving provides about 314.98 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Tandoori Chicken?
- It is an Indian recipe made with 15 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch.
- What is Tandoori Chicken made of?
- The main ingredients are Cayenne Pepper, Chicken Breast, Fresh Cilantro, Fresh Ginger, Garam Masala. The full list of 15 is above.
- What goes well with Tandoori Chicken?
- Explore these Indian side-dish recipes.
- How long does it take to make Tandoori Chicken?
- About 45 mins in total: 25 mins to prepare and 20 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 314.98 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Tandoori Chicken easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 15 ingredients and 11 steps.
- Is Tandoori Chicken healthy?
- Tandoori Chicken has an easyChef Pro health score of 49/100. Per serving, it provides 314.98 calories and 57.14 g of protein, or 114% of the Daily Value. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 192.99 mg (8% of the Daily Value). It contains Citrus, Milk, Garlic, Onions and Food Dyes, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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