Ever had that one dish you just couldn’t get out of your head? For me, it was Tandoori Grilled Chicken. Seriously addictive stuff. So, I tinkered around until I could recreate that magic on my trusty grill because this recipe originally is cooked in a tandoori oven – one of the staples in Indian cuisine. And let me tell you, this recipe is the real deal. We’re talking juicy chicken legs bathed in creamy Greek yogurt and a medley of spices that’ll force you to make this recipe again and again.
Plus, here’s a nifty trick: marinate the chicken legs in the morning, and they’ll be grill-ready by dinnertime, or pop them in the fridge overnight for juicy flavors. Ready to fire up those grills? Let’s dive into the best grilled tandoori chicken recipe!
This recipe is: Low Carb and Gluten Free
Table of Contents
6 Reasons to Love This Recipe
Wondering why this tandoori styled grilled chicken recipe deserves a spot in your low carb menu? Well, let me give you these irresistible reasons:
- Grilled chicken is delicious!
- No need for a tandoori oven!
- Get all the flavor without the food coloring!
- Easy to prepare and perfect for weeknight dinners!
- Natural yogurt marinade!
- Incredibly juicy and tender chicken!
Is Tandoori Grilled Chicken Low Carb?
Yes, tandoori grilled chicken can be made low carb if you are using the right ingredients. For a recipe to lie under low carb radar, it is important that the ingredients, spices and oils aligns with your daily carb count. This tandoori chicken recipe is low in carbs, with only 1.5 grams per serving. Plus, each serving is just one chicken leg, which is a nice-sized portion. It’s a tasty choice to mix into your low carb meals!
Tandoori Grilled Chicken Ingredient List
To make this Grilled Indian Chicken, you will need the following ingredients:
- 10 chicken legs
- 1 Cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, cut in wedges
Ingredient Substitutions
Are you missing out on some of the ingredients above? Don’t worry, here are some easy swaps you can use:
- Chicken legs: Instead of chicken legs, you can use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for tandoori chicken. They work just as well!
- Plain Greek yogurt: If you don’t have plain Greek yogurt, regular plain yogurt without any added sugar will do the trick. Find more substitution ideas for Greek yogurt.
- Fresh ginger: Use about ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger for every tablespoon of fresh ginger.
- Smoked paprika: No smoked paprika? No problem! Just use regular paprika for that delicious flavor.
- Minced garlic: Substitute it with garlic powder. A good rule of thumb is to use about ⅛ teaspoon of garlic powder for each clove of fresh garlic.
- Lime: If you don’t have lime, use lemon wedges or fresh lemon juice.
- Turmeric: Turmeric is a key ingredient in Indian cooking, but if you don’t have it, use curry powder. It’s a 1:1 swap, so you’re all set!
Additional Ingredients
Want to customize this grilled tandoori chicken recipe? Here are some extra ingredients you can add to enhance the flavor:
- Cayenne: If you’re not a fan of too much heat, swap out cayenne for chili powder.
- Cilantro: Not everyone loves cilantro’s flavor, Try fresh parsley as a tasty alternative.
- Lemongrass: Give your dish a zesty twist by adding minced lemongrass for a citrusy aroma.
- Tahini: For a touch of richness, stir 1 tablespoon of tahini for a nutty flavor boost.
- Vegetables: Don’t forget about your veggies! The tandoori chicken marinade works wonders on grilled vegetables, too, so load them up for an extra dose of deliciousness!
Note: Additional ingredients are just there to improve the flavor; they are not part of the original recipe.
Cooking Tools Required
You’ll need these tools to make the tandoori grilled chicken recipe:
How to Make Tandoori Styled Grilled Chicken: Complete Cooking Guide
Cooking Methods
- Grilling | Curious about grilling? Check out my complete guide on essential grilling tips for beginners.
Preparation Steps
1. Gather the tools and ingredients.
2. Wash the chicken.
3. Mince garlic and grate ginger.
4. Chop cilantros and cut lime wedges.
Cooking Instructions
- Combine Greek yogurt, grated ginger, paprika, fresh garlic, ground cumin, turmeric, cayenne powder, salt and olive oil together in a large bowl.
- Place your chicken legs or thighs into the marinade, mix well to cover all the chicken.
- Allow to marinate for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat your grill for 10 minutes on high heat.
- Cook the legs for 10 minutes on one side. Flip and repeat for another 10 minutes.
- Remove the chicken legs when the interior temperature has reached a minimum of 165F. I recommend taking the temperature higher for this recipe to firm up the chicken more.
- Add to a platter or serving dish.
- Sprinkle with cilantro and a fresh squeeze of lime.
- The most important step: Enjoy!
Step 1: Combine ingredients in a large bowl.
Step 2: Place chicken legs into marinade and mix well. Marinate at least two hours.
Step 3: Cook the legs for 10 minutes on one side. Flip and repeat for another 10 minutes.
💡 My Pro Tip
It might sound strange, but here’s the deal: we actually want to overcook these chicken legs a bit. Chicken technically hits the “cooked” mark at 165°F, but we’re aiming for 175°F to achieve a firmer texture. So, don’t be afraid to push it a little further than usual! Just use an instant-read thermometer to keep an eye on things.
Also, don’t forget to check out my Grilling Tips to learn more about grilling hacks and in-depth insight on how to ace grilling recipes!
⏲️ Time-Saving Tips
- Get your grill preheated before you start cooking to save time.
- Cook extra chicken legs to have leftovers for easy meal prep throughout the week.
- Prepare and marinate the chicken the night before for enhanced flavor and tenderness.
- Make a double batch and store extras in the fridge or freezer for future meals.
What to Serve With Tandoori Grilled Chicken?
There’s this thing about this Indian dish: it’s a standalone recipe but also tastes amazing when paired with other recipes! Confused? You’ll have the same thoughts once you make it!
- Cucumber Feta Salad: This cucumber salad is a perfect dish to enjoy with BBQ chicken! The flavors are mind blowing!
- Southwestern Salad Power Bowl: Enjoy a complete meal by pairing this salad bowl with my delicious grilled chicken!
- Summer Carrot Salad: The refreshing crunch of carrots combined with a zesty lemon dressing complements the smoky flavors of the grilled chicken, making for a light and refreshing side dish.
- Cauliflower Puree: Creamy cauliflower puree serves as a velvety bed for your grilled chicken, adding a touch of elegance to your meal while keeping it low-carb and keto-friendly.
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon: The savory, crispy Brussels sprouts paired with salty bacon provide a hearty and satisfying accompaniment to the flavorful grilled chicken, making for a comforting and indulgent meal.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Storage Tips:
- Allow the leftover chicken legs to come down to room temperature. Once cooled, place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to five days.
Freezing Tips:
- This recipe loves to be frozen. Wrap each leg in plastic wrap before adding it to a freezer-safe bag. This way, you can use exactly what you want from the frozen batch. They are kept in the freezer for three months.
Reheating Tips:
- This must be either reheated under a broiler (oven or toaster oven) or on the grill. Reheating in a pan on the stovetop does not work well, and the microwave has a very hard time with this recipe.
Note: To reheat, allow to thaw overnight first, then follow the reheating instructions shown above.
Recipe Conclusion
This Tandoori Styled Grilled Chicken recipe is ready to rock your taste buds! With its bold flavors, juicy texture, and keto-friendly goodness, this dish is sure to become a staple in your meal rotation. Also, it imitates the Indian flavors just like an Indian restaurant! So fire up that grill, gather your ingredients, and get ready to impress your friends and family with this amazing dish!
Don’t forget to share your creation with me on social media – I can’t wait to see your tandoori style chicken creations! You can also find us on Facebook or Instagram.
Love this chicken recipe? Try these easy chicken recipes as well:
FAQs
Yes, tandoori chicken is gluten-free because it is marinated in a mixture of yogurt and spices without any flour or gluten-containing ingredients.
The main difference between tandoori and roasted chicken is their marinade and cooking methods. Tandoori chicken is marinated in yogurt and a blend of spices, giving it a vibrant flavor and color, and then cooked in a tandoor or grill. While, roasted chicken is typically seasoned with herbs and spices and cooked in an oven, resulting in a different texture and taste.
Chicken usually takes approximately 20-25 minutes to grill, depending on the meat’s thickness and the grill’s temperature. To ensure it is safe to eat, it’s important to cook chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C).
Tandoori chicken is traditionally grilled. After marinating in a tandoori marinade, it is then cooked in a tandoor (clay oven) or on a grill, giving it a smoky and charred flavor.
Tandoori Grilled Chicken 🍗
Ingredients
Tandoori Grilled Chicken Ingredient List
- 10 chicken legs
- 1 Cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
- 1 lime cut in wedges
Instructions
Cooking Methods
- Grilling
Preparation Steps
- Gather the tools and ingredients.
- Wash the chicken.
- Mince garlic and grate ginger.
- Chop cilantros and cut lime wedges.
Cooking Instructions
- Combine Greek yogurt, grated ginger, paprika, fresh garlic, ground cumin, turmeric, cayenne powder, salt and olive oil together in a large bowl.
- Place your chicken legs or thighs into the marinade, mix well to cover all the chicken.
- Allow to marinate for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat your grill for 10 minutes on high heat.
- Cook the legs for 10 minutes on one side. Flip and repeat for another 10 minutes.
- Remove the chicken legs when the interior temperature has reached a minimum of 165F. I recommend taking the temperature higher for this recipe to firm up the chicken more.
- Add to a platter or serving dish.
- Sprinkle with cilantro and a fresh squeeze of lime.
- The most important step: Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
“This website provides approximate nutrition data and information for convenience and as a courtesy only.”
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4 Responses
I tried this recipe last night. I found that it stuck to the grill a little more than I expected. I still gave it 5 stars though because of the awesome flavor. WOW. Good stuff.
Hi Seth:
Thanks, the flavor really is divine! You know, it also stuck to my grill. So I did a little digging and I found out the cause – it’s the greek yogurt… If you’ve ever seen dried yogurt in a bowl, it looks like glue. Yogurt dries way faster on the grill. So I tried oiling the grate on the grill before putting the chicken. And bam – it didn’t stick! Try it and let me know how it went!
Have a wonderful day!
Scott
What is the dipping sauce in the picture?
Hi Darcy: the dipping sauce is my tomato coulis recipe… it tastes fantastic with the tandoori chicken.
Have a great day- Scott