Tandoori chicken is probably one of the most popular Indian takeout dishes - the chicken is tender from the yogurt marinade and if you’re a meat-eater, charred chicken is best chicken. When I was in Mumbai last, my sister ordered in delivery from a local spot she likes and their tandoori chicken, made in a real tandoor aka clay oven, was out of the world. There is no way to recreate that fully without building an actual tandoor in your house but that shouldn’t stop you from making your own tandoori chicken! M

My marinade hits on the quintessential notes (yogurt, cumin, ginger, garlic) but I’ve also added curry powder and skipped the food coloring that gives chicken tandoori it’s bright red color. If you want this to look more red, skip the curry powder and add double the Kashmiri red chili powder…or add a little drop of red food color. To get the char without a tandoor, the cast iron skillet or cast iron grill is your weapon of choice. I don’t own an outdoor grill but this of course works on a grill too.

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 4 large or 8 smaller chicken thighs

• 2 tbsp yogurt (non-dairy cashew oat milk works, too)

• 1 tbsp grated ginger

• 1 tbsp grated garlic

• 1/2 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• 1 tsp curry powder

• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder (optional, mostly for color)

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 2 tbsp oil

For the sandwich:

• Bread (I used sourdough)

• Butter (to toast the bread)

• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

• Cucumbers, cut length-wise

• 1-2 avocados, scooped, smashed with a fork

• Lemon juice

• Salt and pepper

• 1/2 tsp sugar

• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar or white vinegar

• Toum or mayonnaise or anything creamy and tangy

Method

Prepare the chicken. Mix everything together under “For the chicken” in a bowl. Cover and let marinate for 2-4 hours or up to overnight in the fridge.

About 30 mins before serving, take the chicken out of the fridge and set on the counter. Now, prepare the toppings. For the onions, sprinkle salt and squeeze lemon juice; toss with your fingers and set aside. For the cucumbers, in a wide bowl, mix the vinegar, salt, and sugar; toss the cucumber and let lightly pickle. For the avocado, season generously with pepper, salt, and lemon juice; mash together and set aside. Get the toum or mayonnaise out of the fridge.

Heat a grill pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s very, very hot, brush the pan with a little oil and add as many pieces of chicken will fit without crowding the pan. Cook on one side for 5 mins, flip, and cook for another 4-5 mins, depending on the thickness of the chicken. Season with salt on both sides, as the marinade was not seasoned. If you have a meat thermometer, you’re going for 165 F. Repeat until all your chicken is cooked. Remove onto a plate and cover with foil and set aside to keep warm.

Toast the bread with butter. Build your sandwich: spread the avocado mash on one side and the toum (or mayo) on the other. Layer with chicken, pickled cucumber, and the onions.

Eat!