Indian Tikka Spiced Chicken (Print)

Marinated chicken pieces with tandoori spices and yogurt, roasted to golden perfection and bursting with flavor.

# Components:

→ Chicken

01 - 28 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks

→ Marinade

02 - 5.3 oz plain Greek yogurt
03 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
04 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
07 - 2 tsp ground cumin
08 - 2 tsp ground coriander
09 - 2 tsp smoked paprika
10 - 1 ½ tsp garam masala
11 - 1 tsp ground turmeric
12 - 1 tsp chili powder
13 - 1 tsp salt
14 - ½ tsp ground black pepper

→ To Serve

15 - Fresh cilantro leaves
16 - Lemon wedges
17 - Sliced red onion

# Directions:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all marinade ingredients until fully combined and smooth.
02 - Add chicken chunks to the marinade, coating each piece thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour, ideally overnight for enhanced flavor.
03 - Preheat the oven to 430°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and position a wire rack on top.
04 - Place marinated chicken pieces evenly on the wire rack, shaking off excess marinade to prevent dripping.
05 - Roast chicken in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. For extra crispness, broil for an additional 2 to 3 minutes at the end.
06 - Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with fresh cilantro, lemon wedges, and sliced red onion. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The yogurt marinade keeps the chicken impossibly juicy while the spices create that restaurant-quality crust you crave.
  • It tastes like you've spent hours in the kitchen, but the actual hands-on time is barely fifteen minutes.
  • Works for weeknight dinners or impressing guests, and it's naturally gluten-free without any fussing.
02 -
  • The wire rack is not optional—without it, the bottom of the chicken steams instead of crisping, and you'll lose the whole point of roasting.
  • Don't skip the resting time; those five minutes make the difference between dry chicken and juicy chicken, and you've already waited an hour anyway.
03 -
  • Pat your chicken dry before marinating if it's been wet—the marinade adheres better to dry surfaces, so you get better flavor penetration.
  • Reserve a tablespoon of marinade before adding chicken and brush it on during the last few minutes of roasting for an extra flavor boost and a beautiful glaze.
Back