Tandoori Chicken Marinade

Easy Tandoori Chicken Marinade with yogurt, spices, and lemon. Perfect for juicy, flavorful grilled or baked chicken!

Course dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Idle 6

Total Time 7

Servings servings

Calories 402kcal

½ cup plain yogurt Greek yogurt works well
1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste or ½ teaspoon each of minced ginger and garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp tandoori spice mix
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tsp sweet paprika
½ teaspoon red chili powder or 1 tsp cayenne pepper - adjust for desired spice level
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt

Combine the yogurt, ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, tomato paste, tandoori spice mix, garam masala, chili powder, turmeric, coriander, and salt in a large bowl, whisking to combine.
Place the chicken in a shallow dish.
Pour the marinade mixture over the chicken.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400F.
Transfer the chicken to a large baking dish. Don’t overcrowd to make sure the chicken cooks evenly.
Bake for 35-45 minutes, flipping halfway through. Bake until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part of the drumstick.
To get a crispy skin, broil the chicken for the last 3–5 minutes of cooking.

Adjust the amount of chili powder for your desired spice level. Or add a pinch of smoked paprika.

Boneless cuts will marinate faster. If using bone-in chicken, increase marinating time to 8-12 hours.