FitTandoori-Style Chicken Thighs with Cucumber Raita
Chicken thighs marinated in spiced yogurt and roasted until charred at the edges, served with a cooling cucumber-mint raita.
Photo: Miansari66 via Wikimedia Commons, CC0. Cropped and resized. The photo shows a similar dish and may differ from this exact recipe.
Tandoori chicken is traditionally cooked in a clay tandoor oven at blistering heat. At home, a hot oven and a wire rack do a good job of imitating that intensity. The marinade of yogurt, lemon, garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin and Kashmiri chili tenderizes the chicken and turns deep red and smoky as it roasts.
The raita, a simple mix of yogurt, grated cucumber, mint and cumin, balances the spice. Serve with basmati rice or warm naan and a crunchy onion salad. Leftovers make a great lunch tucked into wraps.
The method
- Cut 2 or 3 shallow slashes into each piece of chicken so the marinade can penetrate.
- In a large bowl, mix the 3/4 cup yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin, chili powder, turmeric, salt and oil. Add the chicken and coat thoroughly.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
- Heat the oven to 450°F. Set a wire rack on a foil-lined baking sheet and arrange the chicken on top, leaving space between pieces.
- Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until charred in spots and the internal temperature is 165°F. For extra color, broil for 2 to 3 minutes at the end.
- For the raita, stir the yogurt, grated cucumber, mint and toasted cumin together with a pinch of salt.
- Rest the chicken for 5 minutes and serve with the raita, sliced onion and lime wedges.
Coach notes
- Kashmiri chili gives a vivid color with gentle heat. If using hot chili powder, start with 1 teaspoon.
- Elevating the chicken on a rack lets hot air circulate so it chars rather than stews.
- Toast ground cumin in a dry pan for 30 seconds for a nuttier raita.
Make it your way
To round out the plate, serve with basmati rice cooked with a few cardamom pods and a bay leaf, plus a quick kachumber salad of tomato, cucumber and onion. Leftover chicken can be chopped and tossed with greens and raita for an easy next-day lunch.
Store & reheat
Store chicken for up to 4 days and raita for up to 3 days in the fridge. Reheat the chicken covered in the oven or microwave until hot all the way through, and serve the raita cold.
*Protein per serving is a rough estimate based on typical ingredient values and will vary with the brands and portions you use. This recipe is for general cooking information and is not medical or nutrition advice. Check labels if you cook for anyone with allergies, and see our disclaimer.
