Easy Creamy Tandoori Kefir Chicken

Easy Creamy Tandoori Kefir Chicken

Who said midweek dinners have to be boring? Here, you'll coat juicy British chicken thighs in a warm and tangy dressing, made with tandoori spices and kefir. The roast until charred. Serve over fragrant curried rice, with a refreshing tomato and cucumber salad on the side.

Prep in 10 High protein 7 plants Low sat fat

Serving size

Cook time: 30 mins
Cuisine: Indian
Food group: Poultry
Allergens: Milk, Mustard

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Cooking Instructions

The protein cooking time listed in this recipe has been updated.

As of December 2025, we’ve revised cooking times for all our proteins to reflect improved food safety guidance.

Check out the latest recommended times in our Cooking Guidelines.

Before you start

  • Preheat the oven to 240C / fan 220C / gas mark 9 / air fryer 200C
  • Line a baking tray with parchment paper
  • Bring a large saucepan filled with salted water to a boil
  • Pull out a sieve, a small bowl & a medium mixing bowl

Get the rice on

  • Add the rice and half the curry powder to the saucepan and boil for 25-30 mins
  • Thinly slice the onion. In the medium bowl, mix the onion and the half sachet of red wine vinegar
  • Season with salt and pepper and leave to pickle

Marinate & cook the chicken

  • In the small bowl the kefir and the tikka paste in the small bowl and season generously with salt and pepper
  • Lay the chicken flat onto the lined baking tray, drizzle over 1/2 tbsp oil and sprinkle of the remaining curry powder and tandoori spice blend onto both sides. Then coat with half of the kefir dressing
  • Bake for 16 mins / air fryer 12-15 mins, until cooked through

Make the salad

  • Halve the tomatoes
  • Halve the cucumber lengthways then cut into half moons. Finely chop the coriander
  • Combine all in the onion bowl with 1 tsp oil. Season generously with salt and pepper

Plate up

  • Check your chicken is cooked through by inserting a skewer into the thickest part of the meat; the juices should run clear
  • Rinse the spinach
  • In the final minute of the rice cooking, add the spinach, then drain together
  • Serve the chicken thighs and rice into bowls with the salad
  • Spoon over the remaining kefir dressing

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