Grilled Tandoori-Style Chicken Skewers
on May 01, 2025
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
An Indian-inspired yogurt-based marinade flavored with curry powder adds amazing flavor to these chicken kabobs.
This flavorful tandoori chicken skewer recipe is a great way to shake up the summer grilling routine. The tenderizing yogurt marinade has a bit of vinegar, a bit of garlic, and a generous dose of curry powder (use your favorite blend, spicy or mild). Don’t be shy with the salt and pepper. The optional mint leaves at the end are a wonderful fresh touch.
The maxim that everything tastes better grilled is hard to argue with, but I don’t think it could be any truer than as it pertains to the kebab camp. Sure, a baked or broiled kabob can be delicious and even get nice bits of brown chariness if you play your marinade and heating cards right. But there is nothing that competes with cooking some skewered foods over a live fire.
Serve tandoori chicken kababs over basmati rice, with some spoonfuls of chutney, if you like. For sides, try Sugar Snap Pea Salad, Grilled Asparagus with Vinaigrette, or Vegetarian Spring Orzo Salad.
Table of Contents
Tandoori Chicken Marinade
This marinade leans into some of the classic ingredients of Indian tandoori-style cooking. Yogurt is the anchor of the thick marinade. You can use a lower-fat yogurt if you prefer, but when it comes to dairy, I’m usually a go-big-or-go-home kind of a cook.
The seasonings are simple: A hot curry blend that you can buy or, if you are feeling enterprising, make your own. Plus, a bit of vinegar and garlic for more oomph.
If you want to dig deep into curry blends and curries, get your hands on a copy of the wonderful late Raghavan Iyer’s 660 Curries and get started on your endless curry journey. Here’s one of Raghavan’s core curry blends to jump on in.
Ingredients
- Greek yogurt – I almost always go for a full-fat plain Greek yogurt, which I think has optimal flavor and texture. Usually, whole milk yogurt has about 4 to 5% fat, but I found a THICK plain Greek yogurt at Aldi the other day with a whopping 10% fat. Let’s just say it was probably more like sour cream than yogurt, but boy, did it lend richness to this dish.
- Cider vinegar – Acidity cuts the richness of the yogurt
- Curry powder – I like using a hot curry blend here.
- Minced garlic
- Skinless, boneless chicken – You can use breasts or thighs, which I prefer for their rich flavor and juiciness; cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces.
- Fresh mint leaves – While optional, you do need to use fresh mint. Dried mint is not an option here.
- To Serve: Basmati rice and chutney are optional serving suggestions but are very welcome with any tandoori chicken.
How to Make Grilled Tandoori-Style Chicken Skewers
- Make the marinade: In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, vinegar, curry powder, garlic, and salt.
- Marinate the chicken: Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours.
- Soak the skewers: If you are using wooden skewers, place them in a container with water to cover for 30 minutes.
- Prep the grill and chicken: Preheat the grill to medium-high. Thread the chicken on the skewers: Place the pieces close to each other, but not touching.
- Grill: The cooking time will be 6 to 8 minutes total for white breast meat and 8 to 10 minutes for thighs. Turn the kebabs about every 2 minutes so that the chicken has nice grill marks on most of the sides and is cooked through.
- Serve: Transfer the skewers to a serving platter and sprinkle with the chopped mint, if using. Serve over basmati rice, if desired.
Tips for Grilling Tandoori Kebabs
- Make sure there isn’t too much marinade on the chicken pieces, though definitely don’t scrape too much of it off. The more full-fat the yogurt, the thicker the marinade will be.
- Thread the chicken on the skewers, placing the pieces close to each other but not so they touch. This allows the chicken to brown on all sides and cook faster.
Storage and Leftovers
Tandoori chicken bebabs can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can eat them cold or at room temperature, or you can warm them in the oven or on the grill.
The marinade can be made up to 2 days ahead of time. Give it a good stir before marinating the chicken. The chicken can sit in the marinade for up to a day, but not much longer, as the yogurt might over-tenderize the raw chicken and make it mushy.
What to Serve With Grilled Tandoori Chicken Kabobs
More Grilled Chicken Recipes
- Grilled Chicken Kabons with Vegetables
- Grilled Soy-Ginger Chicken Breasts
- Grilled Provencal Chicken and Peppers
- Grilled Jamaican Jerk-Style Chicken Breasts
- Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Grilled Tandoori-Style Chicken Skewers
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon curry powder (preferably a hot blend)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs (cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces)
- ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves (optional)
To Serve (optional):
- Basmati rice
- Chutney
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, vinegar, curry powder, garlic, and salt. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours.
- If you are using wooden skewers, place them in a container with water to cover for 30 minutes. Preheat the grill to medium-high.
- Thread the chicken on the skewers, placing the pieces close to each other but not touching.
- Grill, covered, for 6 to 8 minutes total for white breast meat, 8 to 10 minutes for thighs, turning the kebabs about every 2 minutes so that the chicken has nice grill marks on most of the sides and is cooked through.
- Transfer the skewers to a serving platter and sprinkle with the chopped mint, if using. Serve over basmati rice with mango chutney, if desired.
Notes
- Make sure there isn’t too much marinade on the chicken pieces, though definitely don’t scrape too much of it off. The more full-fat the yogurt, the thicker the marinade will be.
- Thread the chicken on the skewers, placing the pieces close to each other, but not touching so they brown on all sides and cook faster.
