Indian Tikka Spiced Chicken (Printable version)

Tender chicken marinated in tandoori spices and yogurt, roasted until golden and crispy with authentic Indian flavor.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.75 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts), cut into large chunks

→ Marinade

02 - 2/3 cup 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 1/2 tsp garam masala
11 - 1 tsp ground turmeric
12 - 1 tsp chili powder (adjust to taste)
13 - 1 tsp salt
14 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

→ To Serve

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

# How to Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together all marinade ingredients until smooth.
02 - Add the chicken pieces to the marinade, coating thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight for best flavor.
03 - Preheat oven to 430°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top.
04 - Arrange marinated chicken pieces on the rack, shaking off excess marinade.
05 - Roast for 25–30 minutes, turning halfway, until chicken is cooked through and slightly charred at the edges. For extra crispiness, broil for 2–3 minutes at the end.
06 - Rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro, lemon wedges, and sliced red onion. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The yogurt marinade keeps chicken impossibly tender while the spices create this golden, slightly charred crust that everyone asks about.
  • You can prep everything the night before and still have dinner on the table in under an hour, which feels like cheating in the best way.
  • One pan, minimal cleanup, and enough warmth and complexity in every bite to make you feel like you actually know what you're doing in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Don't skip the marinating time; I learned this the hard way when I rushed it once and the chicken tasted fine but not transcendent—those hours are when the magic actually happens.
  • Use fresh garlic and ginger instead of jarred or powdered versions; the difference in depth and brightness is the secret that makes people think you're a better cook than you actually are.
  • If you use chicken breasts instead of thighs, they need about 5 fewer minutes in the oven because they cook faster and dry out if you're not careful.
03 -
  • Buy your spices from a store where they actually turn over inventory quickly—stale spices from the back of someone's cabinet taste dusty and flat, and that's where most homemade tikka goes wrong.
  • Don't rush the marinating step; the overnight version tastes noticeably better than the one-hour version, and it's worth planning ahead for.
Return