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These Tandoori Chicken Rice Bowls are a flavorful, high-protein meal made with juicy oven-baked chicken breasts marinated in tandoori sauce. They are served over rice and topped with a crisp cucumber-carrot salad. This easy tandoori chicken bowl recipe is perfect for meal prep, lunch, or a weeknight dinner!
Close-up and in our face: pulled tandoori chicken! I know, so many things, so many flavors, so many textures, but just wait until you try it. You’ll be SO glad you did.
You guys, this might be my new favorite way to make pulled chicken. If you’ve tried my halal cart-style chicken over rice or this lemongrass chicken, you already know I love, love, love marinated chicken. Prepared with the bold, beautiful spices of Indian cuisine, this tandoori marinade brings serious flavor. Ginger, paprika, lemon, garlic, it’s all in there, and it is giving our chicken life. Honestly, marinades and sauces make the food world go round.
Yes, it needs a little planning since it marinates for a couple of hours, but come on… try finding something this easy and this good that makes you look and sound like a worldly chef. Ya can’t!
How To Make Tandoori Chicken Rice Bowls
The number one thing I love about this recipe? Spending about five minutes of hands-on time and eventually walking out to the table with a gorgeously saucy golden platter of chicken.
These tender, juicy, flavor-pumping chicken pieces are marinated and cooked in the tandoori marinade. Before the fork action starts, we are going to prepare some of my amazing Lemon Rice and a simple side of cucumbers and carrots salad to go with all of it.
- Marinate the chicken. Add the chicken breasts and tandoori marinade to a zip-top bag or shallow dish. Seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to soak up all that flavor.
- Bake the chicken. Preheat your oven to 400˚F. Transfer the marinated chicken (with the marinade) to a baking dish and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the internal temp hits 165˚F. Shred it up once it’s cool enough to handle.
- Make the lemon rice. In a bowl, stir together your prepared rice, lemon zest, lemon juice, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Fluff with a fork to mix.
- Toss the salad. Combine the cucumber and carrots with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss until well coated and crisp.
- Assemble the bowls. Scoop the lemon rice into bowls, layer on the shredded chicken and cucumber salad, and finish with parsley and lemon wedges.
Homemade Tandoori Marinade
I used store-bought tandoori chicken marinade, but you can also make it from scratch!
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon chili powder or cayenne (optional)
- salt and black pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well combined. Use it to marinate chicken for at least 2 hours or overnight in the fridge.
Katerina’s Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip the marinating time. Two hours lets the tandoori marinade really soak into the chicken. If you have extra time, overnight is even better.
- Make it spicy. Stir in a pinch of cayenne or chili powder into the marinade for a bolder kick.
- Use thighs instead. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work just as well and stay juicy.
- Swap the rice. Try it with my turmeric rice or even cauliflower rice if you’re going low-carb.
- Go full halal cart-style. Serve with white sauce and chopped iceberg lettuce for that street food feel.
- Add a yogurt drizzle. A quick garlic-yogurt sauce or tzatziki would be amazing on top.
- Meal prep ready. The chicken, rice, and salad can all be packed into containers and refrigerated for up to 4 days.
How To Serve Tandoori Chicken
If you have a minute, please make the lemon rice! It’s vibrant and delicious and perfectly complements the bold tandoori spices. For extra crunch, add a fresh side like this cucumber onion salad or even my avocado lime ranch salad.
No time? No problem. Shred that chicken, pile it into hamburger buns, naan, or tortilla wraps, and call it a day. It’s just as delicious, no forks and knives required.
And hey, this pulled tandoori chicken is a meal prep dream. Toss it into salads, wraps, bowls of noodles, or alongside a scoop of Mediterranean rice.
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Tandoori Chicken Rice Bowls
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup tandoori chicken marinade
FOR THE RICE
- 2 cups cooked rice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- juice of 1 lemon
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
FOR THE SALAD
- 1 English cucumber, diced or cut into thin strips with a vegetable peeler
- 1 large carrot, diced or cut into thin strips with a vegetable peeler
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
For the chicken
- Marinate the chicken. Combine the chicken breasts and and marinade in a sealable ziploc bag and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Bake. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Transfer the chicken and marinade to a glass baking dish. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken's internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove from the oven and shred the chicken. Set aside.
For the rice
- Make the lemon rice. Meanwhile, combine cooked rice with lemon zest, lemon juice, turmeric powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl; mix until thoroughly combined. Taste and adjust accordingly. Set aside.
For the salad
- Make the salad. Combine the diced cucumbers, carrots, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl; mix until well combined.
Assemble
- Assemble the rice bowls. Divide up the lemon rice between 4 bowls. Layer the chicken and salad over the rice. Garnish with parsley. Serve with lemon wedges.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Drooling over here. Ive never tried tandoori. Looks so delicious
This looks like an easy healthy dinner. Can’t wait to try.
I can just see the delicious flavor!! YUM!
Kate, this looks seriously amazing. I could eat this all the live long day.
The flavor factor is awesome! Totally calling my name!
That chicken looks super flavorful! I need to try this asap!