Indian · Marinade · All year
Tandoori Yogurt Marinade
4.6 community
8m
Prep
0m
Cook
Easy
Level
90
kcal
Yogurt's lactic acid tenderizes gently and completely — the reason tandoori chicken is never dry. Kashmiri chili brings the color without the burn.
What you need
Ingredients
Servings
4
200 g
🥛 Greek Yogurt ›
2 tbsp
🫚 Ginger-Garlic Paste ›
or equal grated fresh
1 tbsp
🌶️ Kashmiri Chili Powder ›
2 tsp
🍛 Garam Masala ›
1 tsp
🟡 Turmeric ›
1 tsp
🟤 Cumin ›
1
🍋 Lemon ›
juiced
1 tbsp
🛢️ Vegetable Oil ›
1 1/2 tsp
🧂 Kosher Salt ›
Add all to shopping list
Mise en place
Before you start
8m
Prep
0m
Cook
8m
Total
—
Serves
Yield: Enough for 800 g of chicken
Equipment
Bowl or jar
Whisk
Zip-top bags
Prep checklist
Ginger-Garlic Paste — or equal grated fresh
Lemon — juiced
3 steps
Method
1
Whisk everything into a thick coral-red paste.
2
Slash chicken pieces to the bone, massage the marinade in, and refrigerate 4–24 hours — yogurt is the rare marinade that genuinely improves overnight.
💡
Lactic acid tenderizes slowly and evenly where citrus attacks the surface. That's why yogurt marinades get the long clock.
3
Cook under a screaming broiler or on a grill until charred at the edges and 74°C inside — the char spots are mandatory, not damage.
Learn the technique ›
From the chef
Notes
Taste before serving and adjust salt and acid — the last 30 seconds of seasoning matter more than any single ingredient.
Afterwards
Keep, reheat & pair
Storage
Unused marinade keeps 5 days refrigerated. Once it touches raw protein, discard it — or boil 3 full minutes to serve as a sauce.
Freezing
Freeze protein IN the marinade: it seasons as it thaws. 2 months.
Reheating
Marinades aren't reheated — but boil any used marinade for 3 full minutes if you want to serve it as a sauce (it touched raw protein).
Make ahead
Mix up to 5 days ahead and refrigerate; marinate proteins in zip bags so cleanup is nothing.
Wine pairing
Follows the finished dish.
Beer pairing
Follows the finished dish.
On the plate
Serve it with
Sides
·
Applies to whatever you marinate
Garnish
Reserve a spoonful (before it touches raw meat) to finish the cooked dish
Taste map
Flavor profile
Sweet
Salty
Sour
Bitter
Umami
Heat
Per serving
Nutrition
90
kcal
4g
protein
6g
carbs
5g
fat
3g
fiber
520mg
sodium
Asked and answered
FAQ
How long should I marinate?
Acidic marinades: 30 minutes–4 hours for thin cuts (acid "cooks" the surface mushy past that), up to 12 for thick cuts. Yogurt and enzyme marinades: 4–24 hours. Salt-forward soy marinades: 1–24 hours. Seafood: 15–30 minutes only.
Can I reuse the marinade as a sauce?
Only after a hard 3-minute boil — it touched raw protein. Better habit: reserve a clean portion before the meat goes in.
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My notes
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