Tandoori Chicken Skewers

Tandoori Chicken Skewers are a quick, easy, and delicious chicken dish to serve the next time you fire up the grill. Juicy tender chicken bites are marinated in an authentic yogurt marinade that is packed with a homemade Indian tandoori seasoning blend loaded with flavor.

The best part? You only need to marinate it for an hour to soak up all that flavor and tenderize the meat. Serve tandoori chicken kebabs on busy summer weeknights with a homemade yogurt sauce or make a complete meal with rice, veggies, and/or salad.

Why You'll Love Tandoori Chicken Skewers

• The homemade tandoori spice blend. To make Indian tandoori chicken, you need the perfect spice blend — and it’s a good thing we have it for you right here in this recipe. To achieve the authentic and eye-opening flavor you’re looking for, you’ll need garlic, ginger, paprika, curry powder (or garam masala), cumin, turmeric, salt, and pepper. You can also add some cayenne pepper powder for extra heat.
• The yogurt-based marinade = tender juicy meat. We often turn to vinegar or lemon juice to tenderize meats in marinades, but yogurt makes an excellent tenderizer — it’s even better than acidic marinades! Yogurt gently and effectively tenderizes the meat so that you can nearly pull it apart. That’s the secret of how this grilled tandoori chicken is so juicy and tender!
• Cook them on the grill, in the oven, or in the air fryer. If you want to enjoy these Indian chicken skewers, you’ll need to fire up your grill. The charring and smoke add even more flavor to these already flavorful bites of chicken. You can also bake them in the oven or air fryer so you can enjoy boneless tandoori chicken all year long.

Ingredient Notes

To make these flavorful Tandoori Chicken Skewers, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

• chicken - we used boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you can also use boneless chicken thighs if you prefer.
• garlic
• ginger
• tandoori seasoning - made simple with paprika, curry powder (or garam masala), ground cumin, turmeric, salt, and pepper. You can also make it spicy with cayenne powder or red pepper powder.
• plain yogurt - we love making our own easy Homemade Yogurt.
• tomato paste - add flavor and color.
• vegetable oil
• yogurt sauce - this sauce is perfect for dipping or drizzling. You’ll need plain yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, dill, salt, and pepper. Alternatively, serve these skewers with Tzatziki Sauce.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl or ziploc bag for marinating, and skewers (we used bamboo skewers).

How to Make the Best Tandoori Chicken Skewers

1. Prep the chicken. Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch thick pieces and set aside in a large mixing bowl or Ziploc bag.
2. Marinate the chicken. Add garlic, ginger, paprika, curry powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Rub the seasoning all over the chicken to coat it evenly. Stir in yogurt, tomato paste and oil. Toss well until evenly coated. Cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight for the best results).
3. Skewer the chicken. Preheat grill over medium high to 450F, about 6-8 minutes. Thread 6-8 marinated cubed chicken breasts onto each skewer. I used bamboo skewers.

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4. Grill the chicken. Place the skewers evenly apart on the grill and grill for 5-7 minutes on each side until the edges are nicely charred. The internal temperature for the chicken should reach 165 F as read on a meat thermometer. Do not overlap the skewers at any time to ensure even cooking.
5. Make yogurt sauce. Whisk together yogurt, oil, lemon juice, garlic, dill, salt, and pepper in a small mixing bowl until smooth. Refrigerate the sauce until ready to use.
   Serve. Serve skewers warm with a drizzle of yogurt sauce on top or on the side for dipping.

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What to Serve with Tandoori Chicken

These tandoori chicken skewers taste so good on their own dipped in the homemade yogurt sauce. You can also make a complete meal by pairing them with some side dishes such as:

• Steamed Rice or Rice Pilaf with Carrots.
• Garlic Naan Bread or Pita Bread.
• Cucumber, tomato, and onion salad such as a Persian Shirazi Salad.
• Roasted vegetables such as Honey Roasted Carrots, Air Fryer Vegetables, or Roasted Cauliflower.
• Grilled vegetables such as mushrooms, potatoes, zucchini, or Grilled Corn on the Cob.

You can also make a Tandoori Rice Bowl with steamed rice, salad, and a dollop or drizzle of the yogurt sauce.

More Chicken Skewer Recipes

• Easy Summer Grilling Recipes
• Balsamic Chicken Kabobs
• Chicken Satay Skewers with Peanut Sauce
• Persian Saffron Chicken Skewers (Joojeh Kabob)
• Lemongrass Chicken Skewers
• Greek Chicken Souvlaki Skewers

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