Tandoori Chicken: Best Sides, Secrets, and How to Get It Right

When you think of tandoori chicken, a vibrant, smoky Indian grilled chicken dish marinated in yogurt and spices, traditionally cooked in a clay tandoor oven. Also known as tandoori murgh, it's one of the most recognizable Indian dishes worldwide—not because it’s complicated, but because it’s perfectly balanced: spicy, tangy, and charred just enough to make you crave more.

The magic of tandoori chicken isn’t just in the spice mix—it’s in the marinade, a blend of yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, and spices like cumin, coriander, and Kashmiri red chili powder that tenderizes and colors the meat. The yogurt breaks down proteins so the chicken stays juicy even when it hits high heat. And the red color? That’s not food dye—it’s from Kashmiri chili or sometimes food-grade red food coloring, used traditionally to make it pop. Skip the shortcuts. If your marinade doesn’t sit for at least 4 hours, you’re missing half the flavor.

What you serve with tandoori chicken, a dish that’s rich, smoky, and slightly spicy matters just as much. You don’t want to overwhelm it. A cooling raita, a yogurt-based side with cucumber, mint, and cumin cuts through the heat. Fluffy basmati rice, long-grain rice that stays separate and fragrant when cooked soaks up the juices without competing. And warm, pillowy naan, a soft, leavened Indian flatbread baked in a tandoor is the perfect tool to scoop up every last bit. These aren’t just sides—they’re the team that makes tandoori chicken shine.

People think you need a tandoor oven to make it right. You don’t. A hot grill, a broiler, or even a cast-iron skillet on high heat will get you close. The key is dry heat and high temperature—around 450°F—to get that char without drying out the meat. If your chicken comes out tough, it’s not the recipe—it’s the timing. Over-marinating in lemon juice can make it mushy. Under-marinating leaves it bland. Stick to 6–12 hours, and you’ll nail it every time.

Below, you’ll find real answers to the questions people actually ask: what goes best with tandoori chicken, how to fix a bland marinade, why some recipes use food coloring, and which sides actually work. No fluff. No guesswork. Just what you need to make this dish taste like it came straight off a Delhi street grill.