The Tandoori Chicken Sandwich That Tastes Like Restaurant Quality

About this recipe

Juicy baked tandoori chicken piled high on a sandwich makes the perfect healthy, flavorful lunch. Easy to make and packed with bold Indian spices, this recipe is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

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This Indian chicken sandwich recipe is so satisfying and extremely easy to make! If you’ve got a craving for Indian food, then there’s no excuse not to have it! This sandwich can be made in no time! This recipe is also great to make ahead of time, so you can prepare enough sandwiches for your busy week ahead!

I made this sandwich one day when I wanted a simple and delicious lunch. I have a Tandoori Chicken Wrap recipe, but felt like making the tandoori chicken and sandwiching it in some delicious rye bread! I had some salad mix and cucumbers lying around, so I thought these would be great to add into my sandwich. I also almost always have tomatoes and onions in my sandwiches, so of course those were a must-have!

Be sure to watch the video to follow along with the chicken marination and broiling, and to see how this incredible sandwich comes together! Please subscribe to my YouTube channel if you’re not already, and don’t forget to press the bell button to be notified when all of my latest video recipes are live! Let’s get cooking!

Ingredients for This Healthy Chicken Sandwich Recipe

This sandwich uses just a couple of fresh ingredients! All ingredients with their quantities can be found by scrolling to the bottom of this post or by pressing the “Jump to Recipe” button for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card. You can also use the recipe card to save the recipe for later and scale the recipe based on how many sandwiches you want to make so that you know exactly how much chicken to have!

Ingredients for tandoori chicken sandwich: spiced chicken pieces, fresh salad with tomatoes and cucumbers, yogurt, guacamole, butter, and naan bread.

For the Marinade

Lemon juice
Garlic
Ginger
Garam masala
Deggi mirch
Plain yogurt
Salt

If you don’t have Deggi mirch on hand, feel free to use paprika as a substitute!

For the Tandoori Sandwich

Chicken thighs
Rye bread
Tomato
Onions
Salad mix
Amla Chutney (or any mint chutney, such as Cilantro-Mint Chutney)
Mayonnaise
Chaat Masala
English cucumber

If you don’t have rye bread, you can use any bread that you have on hand. I personally recommend a light rye for this bread to complement the chicken!

How to Make Baked Chicken Tandoori Sandwich

This sandwich is so easy to make! That’s why it’s perfect to make for a busy weekday lunch. Even though tandoori chicken may seem intimidating to make, with this recipe it’s really simple and anyone can make this sandwich to satisfy their craving for Indian food! Here’s what you need to do:

To Prepare the Chicken

For the first marinade

In a medium sized bowl, add lemon juice, deggi mirch and salt for the first marinade and whisk well together. Mix well, cover and let marinate for 20-30 minutes.

Raw chicken pieces marinating in lemon juice, deggi mirch, and salt in a glass bowl.

Lemon juice being poured into a glass bowl containing raw chicken pieces for marinade.

A hand brushing spices onto raw chicken pieces in a glass bowl for the first tandoori marinade.

Chicken pieces with red tandoori marinade in a glass bowl being mixed with a whisk.

For the second marinade

In the same bowl as the first marinade, add the rest of the ingredients for the second marinade.

Raw chicken pieces coated in orange tandoori marinade with ginger paste being added to a glass bowl.

Second marinade ingredients being mixed in glass bowl with orange tandoori paste and white yogurt.

Tandoori spice blend and red marinade mixed in a glass bowl for chicken marinade preparation

Second tandoori marinade in bowl with spices sprinkled on top, ready to mix.

Mix well, cover and let marinate for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.

To cook

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Take chicken out of refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking to take off the chill from the meat. In the meantime, prepare the baking sheet by placing wire rack over the sheet. Place marinated chicken pieces on the wire rack, making sure to space the pieces apart.

Tandoori chicken pieces on a foil-lined baking sheet being prepared for broiling in the oven.

Hand placing a baking sheet of orange-glazed tandoori chicken pieces into an open oven.

Tandoori chicken pieces on a wire rack during broiling, showing golden-brown, glossy coated chicken.

Turn the oven to broil mode (top-most broiler if your oven has multiple broil modes). Carefully place the baking sheet on the top rack. Pour about 1/2 cup of water directly on baking sheet to prevent excess marinade from burning and smoking.

Tandoori chicken pieces broiling on a wire rack, golden brown with charred edges.

Hand lifting golden-brown tandoori chicken pieces off a cooling rack lined baking sheet.

Turn the pieces after about 10 minutes, rotate the pan 180 degrees and cook other side. This should take another 5-10 minutes. (Note: if you are making the chicken tikka as a side and not for a curry, during the last 10 minutes, baste with butter every 5 minutes)

For more details on achieving the ultimate chicken tikka at home, be sure to check out the full recipe here.

To Assemble the Sandwich

Heat a pan on medium heat and then add butter and toast the slices of bread until toasted on each side.

Butter being added to a slice of bread in a pan on medium heat for toasting.

Buttering and toasting bread slices on a pan for a tandoori chicken sandwich assembly.

In the meanwhile, combine together the amla chutney, mayonnaise and lime juice. Sprinkle a pinch of chaat masala over the chicken.

Amla chutney and mayonnaise mixture combined in a white bowl for tandoori chicken sandwich filling.

Ingredients for tandoori chicken sandwich: fried chicken chips, fresh vegetables, mayo-chutney spread, butter, and spices in bowls.

Spread the amla-mayonnaise on each slice of toast, followed by adding the greens mix, cucumbers, sliced chicken tikkas, onions and tomatoes.

Two slices of toasted bread with butter and spice seasoning on a wooden board during sandwich preparation.

Fresh salad ingredients in a white bowl including sliced cucumbers, red onion rings, tomatoes, and mixed greens.

Tandoori chicken sandwich being assembled on toasted bread with cucumber slices, secured with a bamboo skewer.

Hand placing tomato slices on an open-faced tandoori chicken sandwich with cucumber, onions, and greens on toasted bread.

Close the sandwich and secure with a bamboo skewer. Slice if desired and serve.

Tall stacked tandoori chicken sandwich with lettuce, onions, and bacon on toasted bread, secured with a bamboo skewer on a wooden board.

Other Indian Sandwiches & Wraps

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make the tandoori chicken ahead for this sandwich?▼

Yes — and you should, since the chicken marinates for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Cook the tandoori chicken ahead, then assemble the sandwiches fresh with toasted bread, the amla-mayo, and crisp veggies.

Why does this recipe take so long?▼

Almost all of it is hands-off marinating time — the chicken sits in a two-step marinade for at least 2 hours (or overnight) for deep flavour. The actual cooking and assembly take only about 20 minutes.

What bread is best for a tandoori chicken sandwich?▼

This recipe uses rye bread, toasted in a little butter until golden — its hearty flavour stands up to the spiced chicken. Any sturdy sandwich bread that toasts well works too.

How do I make it less spicy?▼

The heat comes mostly from the deggi mirch (Kashmiri chilli) in the marinade — use less for a milder sandwich. The cooling amla-mayo, cucumber, and yogurt in the marinade all help keep it balanced.

Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!

Recipe by Anadi Misra

Delicious Baked Tandoori Chicken Sandwich Recipe

Juicy baked tandoori chicken piled high on a sandwich makes the perfect healthy, flavorful lunch. Easy to make and packed with bold Indian spices, this recipe is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

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Saved to your collection

3 hr

Prep

20 min

Cook

3 hr 20 min

Total

sandwiches

hard

Level

Ingredients

Tap any quantity to scale

boneless skinless chicken thighs

For the first marinade

(90 ml) lemon juice
(16 g) deggi mirchShop →
(8 g) saltShop →

For the second marinade

(80 g) plain yogurt
(23 g) ginger-garlic paste · make your own
(5 g) garam masalaShop →
(24 g) deggi mirchShop →
(3 g) saltShop →
rye bread, as needed
chicken tikka · make your own
pinch of chaat masalaShop →
tomato slices, cut 1/4 inch thick
cucumber slices, cut 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick
onions, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rings
salad mix, as needed
(65 g) mayonnaise · make your ownShop →
(65 g) amla chutney · make your own
(15 ml) lime juice
salt(to taste)Shop →
pepper(to taste)Shop →

Instructions

To prepare the chicken

1
For the first marinade
For the first marinade
2
In a medium sized bowl, add lemon juice, deggi mirch and salt for the first marinade and whisk well together.
In a medium sized bowl, add lemon juice, deggi mirch and salt for the first marinade and whisk well together.
3
Cut the chicken into 1 1/2 inch pieces and add to marinade. Mix well, cover and let marinate for 20-30 minutes.
Cut the chicken into 1 1/2 inch pieces and add to marinade. Mix well, cover and let marinate for 20-30 minutes.
4
For the second marinade
For the second marinade
5
In the same bowl as the first marinade, add the rest of the ingredients for the second marinade.
In the same bowl as the first marinade, add the rest of the ingredients for the second marinade.
6
Mix well, cover and let marinate for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.
Mix well, cover and let marinate for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.
7
To cook
To cook
8
Preheat oven at 450 F.
Preheat oven at 450°F (232°C).
9
Take chicken out of refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking to take off the chill from the meat.
Take chicken out of refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking to take off the chill from the meat.
10
In the meanwhile, prepare the baking sheet by placing wire rack over the sheet. Place marinated chicken pieces on the wire rack, making sure to space the pieces apart.
In the meanwhile, prepare the baking sheet by placing wire rack over the sheet. Place marinated chicken pieces on the wire rack, making sure to space the pieces apart.
11
Turn the oven to broil mode (top-most broiler if your oven has multiple broil modes). Carefully place the baking sheet on the top rack. Turn the oven to broil mode (top-most broiler if your oven has multiple broil modes).
Turn the oven to broil mode (top-most broiler if your oven has multiple broil modes). Carefully place the baking sheet on the top rack. Turn the oven to broil mode (top-most broiler if your oven has multiple broil modes).
12
Carefully place the baking sheet on the top rack. Pour about ½ cup of water directly on baking sheet to prevent excess marinade from burning and smoking.
Carefully place the baking sheet on the top rack. Pour about ½ cup of water directly on baking sheet to prevent excess marinade from burning and smoking.
13
Turn the pieces after about 10 minutes, rotate the pan 180 degrees and cook other side. This should take another 5-10 minutes. (Note: if you are making the chicken tikka as a side and not for a curry, during the last 10 minutes, baste with butter every 5 minutes)
Turn the pieces after about 10 minutes, rotate the pan 180 degrees and cook other side. This should take another 5-10 minutes. (Note: if you are making the chicken tikka as a side and not for a curry, during the last 10 minutes, baste with butter every 5 minutes)

To assemble the sandwich

1
Heat a pan on medium heat and then add butter and toast the slices of bread until toasted on each side.
Heat a pan on medium heat and then add butter and toast the slices of bread until toasted on each side.
2
In the meanwhile, combine together the amla chutney, mayonnaise and lime juice. Sprinkle a pinch of chaat masala over the chicken.
In the meanwhile, combine together the amla chutney, mayonnaise and lime juice. Sprinkle a pinch of chaat masala over the chicken.
3
Spread the amla-mayonnaise on each slice of toast, followed by adding the salad mix, cucumbers, sliced chicken tikkas, onions and tomatoes. Close the sandwich and secure with a bamboo skewer. Slice if desired and serve.
Spread the amla-mayonnaise on each slice of toast, followed by adding the salad mix, cucumbers, sliced chicken tikkas, onions and tomatoes. Close the sandwich and secure with a bamboo skewer. Slice if desired and serve.

Notes

•*Cooking times may vary based upon your oven.

Nutrition per serving

1175

Calories

80g

Protein

63g

Carbs

69g

Fat

12g

Fiber

11g

Sugar

6895mg

Sodium

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Tested & written in Anadi’s kitchen

Ingredients for This Healthy Chicken Sandwich Recipe