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Home » Blog » Recipes » Super Easy Tandoori Chicken (Whole30, Keto)

Super Easy Tandoori Chicken (Whole30, Keto)

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This weeknight Indian-spiced super easy tandoori chicken is a delicious, Whole30- and keto-friendly dinner staple at our house. Marinate in the morning and bake in the evening!

An overhead shot of a platter of Super Easy Tandoori Chicken, a delicious Whole30 and paleo weeknight dish!

What is tandoori?

Tandoori actually refers to a type of Indian cooking that utilizes a tandoor, a super hot round clay oven. Proteins are traditionally marinated in yogurt or coconut milk whisked with an aromatic spice blend before they’re roasted in the clay oven. Like most of you, I don’t own a traditional tandoor, so I simply cook my tandoori-inspired meat and seafood in the oven or out on the backyard grill.

What’s in tandoori spice blend?

Tandoori spice blends (a.k.a. tandoori masala) can vary, but it usually contains garam masala (which typically consists of coriander, cumin, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg), garlic, ginger, onion, and cayenne pepper. I buy a tandoori spice blend at the store or online, but you can mix some yourself by following this recipe.

How do I use the bottled Nom Nom Paleo Tandoori in this recipe?

Yahoo! Thanks for buying our sauce at a select Whole Foods Market store near you! For this recipe, shake up the bottle and simply measure out 1 cup of Nom Nom Paleo Tandoori  in place of making the marinade in Step 1 in the recipe instructions below.

What chicken cut do you use?

I love using bone-in chicken thighs, legs, or drumsticks because they stay moist and have the most flavor. Tandoori chicken is normally cooked without the skin so the meat is in direct contact with the flavorful marinade. (Yes, you can use chicken breast, but it may dry out if you overcook it.) Also, if you have big pieces of chicken, you can slash the thickest parts with a sharp knife or kitchen shears to ensure even cooking.

How long do you marinate tandoori chicken?

You do need to plan ahead a little bit because the chicken has to marinate for at least 2 hours, but the actual hands-on time is pretty minimal. In fact, this dish can be thrown together in about 10 minutes before you head off to work and it will be ready to bake when you get home.

Can I use another protein instead?

Definitely! You can check out my Whole30-friendly Tandoori Shrimp and Tandoori Fish recipes on the blog for tasty seafood variations!

What do I serve with tandoori chicken?

If you’re serving it as a main dish, some great vegetable side dishes include Simple Cauliflower Rice, roasted vegetables, or a big green salad.

How do I save leftovers?

Leftover tandoori chicken can be kept in a sealed container in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. I like to dice up the leftover tandoori chicken and throw it into Asian Cauliflower Fried Rice or a simple stir-fry!

Time to make Super Easy Tandoori Chicken!

Serves 8

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup full-fat coconut milk, coconut milk yogurt, or Greek yogurt (if you tolerate dairy)
  • 2 tablespoons tandoori seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (use half the amount if you are using Morton’s brand or a fine grain salt)
  • Juice from ½ a lemon
  • 4 pounds chicken thighs, bone-in, skins removed
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil or fat of choice
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)

Equipment:

  • Large bowl
  • Measuring cup
  • Measuring spoons
  • Baking sheet
  • Stainless steel wire rack
  • Tongs

Method:

In a large bowl, whisk the coconut milk (or yogurt), tandoori seasoning, kosher salt, and lemon juice. (Got a bottle of Nom Nom Paleo Tandoori Marinade? Shake it up and measure out 1 cup as the marinade!) Add the skinless, bone-in chicken thighs…

A silver bowl is filled with tandoori marinade and a hand is placing raw chicken thighs to make oven-baked tandoori chicken.

…and make sure the chicken is well-coated with the tandoori marinade. Cover the bowl and stick it in the fridge for 2 to 24 hours to marinate.

Tossing chicken thighs in tandoori marinade to make Super Easy Tandoori Chicken, a Whole30 and paleo weeknight supper.

When you’re ready to cook the tandoori chicken, heat the oven to 400°F on convection roast setting (or 425°F in a non-convection oven). Grease a stainless steel wire rack rack with coconut oil or avocado oil and place it on a rimmed baking sheet. Place the chicken skin-side down (even though it’s skinless) in a single layer on the greased rack.

Marinated Tandoori Chicken thighs are placed in a single layer on a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet before being oven-roasted.

Roast the chicken in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes…

Placing a tray of super easy tandoori chicken into the oven.

…flipping the chicken over at the halfway point. The chicken is done cooking when there are charred bits on top, the meat is no longer pink, and the juices run clear (or the thickest part registers 165°F on a meat thermometer).

Flipping Whole30 and keto-friendly tandoori chicken over, halfway through the cooking process.

If desired, garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges!

Side view of super easy keto tandoori chicken topped with cilantro and served with lime wedges.

Want to use this tasty marinade on other protein or veggies? Check out these tasty variations:

  • Tandoori Shrimp
  • Tandoori Fish
  • Tandoori Whole Roasted Cauliflower
  • Sheet Pan Tandoori Chicken

Psst! Don’t worry about the dirty wire rack! I show you how to clean it like a champ in this Periscope video.

Originally published on February 12, 2011

Updated on July 29, 2019


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013) and Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017)!


PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

A closeup shot of Super Easy Tandoori Chicken on a white platter.
Print Recipe
4.67 from 6 votes

Super Easy Tandoori Chicken

This weeknight Indian-spiced super easy Tandoori Chicken is delicious, Whole30-friendly, is staple at my house. Marinate in the morning and bake in the evening!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Marinating time2 hrs
Total Time2 hrs 55 mins
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: chicken, gluten-free, keto, low carb, paleo, Primal, weeknight, Whole30
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 580kcal
Author: Michelle Tam

Ingredients

  • 1 cup full-fat coconut milk coconut milk yogurt, or Greek yogurt (if you tolerate dairy)
  • 2 tablespoons  tandoori spice mix (no salt added)
  • 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt use half the amount if you are using Morton’s brand or a fine grain salt
  • Juice from ½ a lemon
  • 4 pounds chicken thighs bone-in and skinless
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil or fat of choice
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
  • 1 lime cut into wedges (optional)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, whisk the coconut milk (or yogurt), tandoori seasoning, kosher salt, and lemon juice. (Got a bottle of Nom Nom Paleo Tandoori Marinade? Shake it up and measure out 1 cup as the marinade!) Add the skinless, bone-in chicken thighs and mix well to coat with the marinade.
  • Cover the bowl and stick it in the fridge for 2 to 24 hours to marinate.
  • When you’re ready to bake the chicken, heat the oven to 400°F on convection roast setting (or 425°F in a non-convection oven).
  • Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Grease the rack with a paper towel dipped in melted coconut oil or fat of choice.
  • Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the rack, skin-side down (even though it is skin-less!) and pop the tray in the oven for about 40 to 45 minutes, flipping the pieces skin-side up at the halfway mark.
  • The chicken is done cooking when there are charred bits on top, the meat is no longer pink, and the juices run clear (or the thickest part registers 165°F on a meat thermometer).
  • If desired, garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges!

Notes

Got a bottle of Nom Nom Paleo Tandoori Marinade? Shake it up and measure out 1 cup as the marinade in step 1!
Tried this recipe?Mention @nomnompaleo or tag #nomnompaleo!

Nutrition

Calories: 580kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 46g | Fiber: 2g

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lynne Miles says

    August 15, 2020 at 6:42 pm

    This is easy and gives a lot of bang for your buck! I’ve eaten a leftover cold piece of Tandoori Chicken leaning over the kitchen sink. Yes it’s good cold or hot!

    Reply
  2. Andrea says

    August 22, 2020 at 7:41 pm

    Could you freeze this uncooked in the marinade and then thaw overnight and bake?

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      August 22, 2020 at 8:55 pm

      I actually prefer to freeze cooked chicken instead of raw chicken in marinade. I always think the texture comes out funny.

      Reply
  3. RJ Hirsch says

    August 25, 2020 at 3:35 pm

    3 stars
    Hi, Michelle, I have always love and appreciated your work. This is a wonderful recipe. I found that yogurt does in fact tenderize chicken. I made this as written and have very tender chicken. the spices listed in Tandoori spice:
    coriander, cumin, sweet paprika, garlic, ginger, cardamom did not come thru. at all.

    If you know why, please let me know,
    as always, thank you,
    RJ

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      August 25, 2020 at 3:50 pm

      It all depends on the Tandoori spice blend you’re using and whether it is fresh or not. Spice blends are not all the same and blends that aren’t fresh lose potency. I really like the Tandoori blend from Penzeys.

      Reply

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