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Grilled tandoori chicken thighs.
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5 from 3 votes

Grilled Tandoori Chicken

These grilled tandoori chicken thighs are a backyard twist on a traditional Indian favorite. They're marinated in a classic tandoori chicken blend of ingredients and cooked over an open flame for a delicious flavor that any BBQer can master.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Marinade Time12 hours
Total Time12 hours 55 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American, Barbecue, Indian
Keyword: Grilled Tandoori Chicken
Servings: 8 people
Author: Taylor Shulman

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on

Tandoori Chicken Marinade

  • ½ cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 3 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon coriander
  • 1 Tablespoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 3 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder can substitute with regular chili powder
  • 1 Tablespoon ginger grated
  • 1 Tablespoon garlic grates
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Instructions

  • Trim. Trim any excess fat and cartilage off the thighs.
  • Marinate. In a large, non-reactive (plastic or glass) bowl, stir together the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and stir to thoroughly coat the chicken. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and allow it to marinate for 12 to 24 hours (if you don’t have the time to marinade, it can go straight to the grill and will still be delicious).
  • Preheat. Preheat the grill to 350 degrees F with two-zone cooking, one direct side and one indirect.
  • Grill. Begin grilling the tandoori chicken thighs by placing the thighs, skin side up, over the direct heat, allow them to cook 5 minutes, flip them over so they are skin side down and allow them to cook 2-5 minutes. Watch closely to make sure the skin does not burn.
  • *Optional step. Add smoke. After moving the chicken to the indirect side of the grill, add some wood chips to the charcoal of the direct heat side of the grill. If you're cooking on a gas grill and still want the smoky flavor, add a handful of wood chips to a piece of foil and fold to create a packet. Pierce all over with a fork and place the wood packet on the direct heat of your grill.
  • Finish cooking. Close the lid and cook the chicken over indirect heat for 20 to 30 minutes. The chicken thighs are finished when the temperature reaches 170-180 F and the skin is nice and browned.
  • Enjoy. Remove the chicken from the grill and rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 513kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 223mg | Sodium: 192mg | Potassium: 519mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 405IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2mg