🇮🇳 Indian
Tandoori Chicken Thighs
⏱ 40 min (plus 2 hr marinate)
🍞 ~3g
🍽 4 servings
⭐ 5/5
⚠️ Estimates only — not medical advice. Carb counts vary by brand and portion. Always verify with your endo or CDCES.
🌍 Cultural note
Tandoori chicken — the iconic red-orange yogurt-marinated chicken — was invented in 1940s Peshawar (now Pakistan) by the Moti Mahal team who later created butter chicken. Traditionally cooked in a clay tandoor oven; works beautifully in a hot home oven or grill.
Why this recipe is T1D-friendly
- Practically zero carbs — just yogurt marinade and spices
- High-protein, satisfying meal that won't spike blood sugar
- Predictable dosing because there's no hidden starch or sugar
- Pairs with almost any T1D-friendly side in this cookbook
Ingredients
- 8 bone-in skinless chicken thighs (about 2.5 lbs) (0g)
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (full-fat) (8g — 2g/serving)
- 3 tbsp lemon juice (1g)
- 2 tbsp grated ginger (2g)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced (3g)
- 2 tsp garam masala (1g)
- 2 tsp ground cumin (0g)
- 2 tsp ground coriander (0g)
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder (for color, mild) (0g)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (0g)
- 1 tsp turmeric (0g)
- 1.5 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- Lemon wedges, sliced red onion, and cilantro to serve
Directions
- Pat chicken thighs dry. Use a sharp knife to slash each thigh 2-3 times across — this helps the marinade get deep into the meat.
- In a large bowl, whisk yogurt, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, garam masala, cumin, coriander, Kashmiri chili, smoked paprika, turmeric, salt, and oil.
- Add chicken and turn each piece until thoroughly coated, pushing marinade into the slashes. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours — overnight if you can swing it.
- Heat oven to 450°F. Line a sheet pan with foil and place a wire rack on top (lets the heat circulate underneath, mimicking a tandoor).
- Arrange chicken on the rack, leaving space between pieces. Roast 25 minutes.
- Switch oven to broil. Broil 3-5 minutes until the tops are deeply charred in spots — keep an eye on it.
- Rest 5 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges, raw red onion slices, and cilantro.
Dash's kid tips 🐆
- Dash's complete-plate move: tandoori chicken + cucumber raita bowl + a small scoop of dal = balanced, ~30g total, kid-approved
- Bone-in thighs stay juicier and harder to overcook than breast — better for the "I forgot to take it out" moments every busy mom knows
- Leftover tandoori chicken shredded into a low-carb wrap with raita is the BEST lunchbox surprise