This chicken tikka salad with yogurt dressing is a high-protein, low-calorie meal that brings bold Indian flavors to your clean eating routine. Made with oven-baked tandoori-spiced chicken and vegetables, and a gut-friendly, oil-free yogurt dressing, this recipe focuses on wholesome ingredients. It is the perfect easy healthy chicken salad for meal prep, and summer lunches and dinners.
Why you’ll love this chicken tandoori salad
This isn’t your average chicken salad. What sets this recipe apart is that both the chicken and the vegetables are marinated in the same flavorful tikka spice blend—then oven-baked to smoky perfection.
The result? A hearty salad bursting with bold Indian flavors, tender tandoori chicken tikka, and roasted onions and bell peppers that soak up the spices beautifully.
Here’s why this recipe will become your go-to:
- 🌶️ Big on flavor, light on calories – thanks to a yogurt-based marinade and clean ingredients
- 🍗 High in protein from lean baked chicken
- 🫑 A mix of roasted and fresh veggies– onions and peppers are skewered and cooked with chicken for maximum taste (without extra effort). Fresh lettuce adds crunch and more nutrition.
- 🥗 Complete meal in a bowl – satisfying enough for lunch or dinner
- 🥄 No ultra-processed ingredients – only wholesome, everyday pantry staples
Whether you’re eating clean, meal prepping, or just craving something fresh yet comforting, this chicken tikka salad with roasted vegetables checks all the boxes.
Let’s dive into the recipe:
Ingredients
(You can find the exact measurements and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this page.)
Tandoori marinade
- Yogurt
- Mustard oil gives the characteristic tandoori taste. If you can’t find it, it is ok to use other oil like peanut or olive oil.
- Spices: Chili powder (cayenne), black pepper, coriander and garam masala. I’ve added Kashmiri chili powder for the bright red color. You can use paprika instead.
- Ginger and garlic: If you look at the chicken tikka recipe, I would have used fresh ginger-garlic paste. Here I’ve used the powdered form as a shortcut. You can use either, the tikka would still taste great!
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless thighs or breasts.
- Ghee or melted butter to baste the chicken while roasting. It gives a unique richness to the tikka.
Salad mix-ins
- Fresh veggies: Romaine lettuce or other crunchy vegetables.
- Roasted veggies: I’ve used onions and bell peppers. You can use other vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, tomatoes) as well.
- Herbs: A mix of coriander leaves and mint leaves.
- Nuts: Sliced almonds or any other nuts/seeds.
Ingredients for lemon yogurt dressing
- Yogurt: Use homemade or store-bought Greek yogurt. (If using homemade, you might have to drain extra moisture by hanging it in a muslin cloth for about 15 minutes.)
- Spices: Cumin, chaat masala, black pepper and salt.
- Lemon juice and honey
How to make chicken tikka salad: Step by step
Step 1: Prepare tandoori marinade
Take Kashmiri chili powder in a small bowl. Heat mustard oil in a small pan and add to the bowl. This will ensure that your tikka is flavorful and bright red in color.
Mix well, then add the rest of the spices, lemon juice and yogurt.
Step 2: Marinate the chicken
A quick tip: If you’re using chicken breasts, try the velveting method before marinating. This will give you soft and juicier chicken tikka.
Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add the prepared tandoori marinade to the chicken and toss until they are well coated with the marinade.
Pierce the chicken with a fork so that the marinade gets absorbed better and quicker. Allow it to marinate for about 30 minutes, while you prepare the rest of the ingredients for the salad.
Step 2: Bake chicken tikka with veggies
Preheat the oven to 230°C/446°F.
Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers. You will have some marinade leftover in the bowl.
Dice bell peppers and onions (separate the petals of onions). Add to the bowl with the leftover marinade and toss. Thread them onto skewers.
Place the skewers with chicken and vegetables on a baking tray. Brush with ghee (or melted butter).
Place the tray in the oven and bake in the “roast” setting for 10 minutes.
Take out the tray and baste the chicken and veggies once more with ghee/melted butter.
Set the oven to “broil” mode. Return the tray to the oven and broil for 5 minutes.
Take out the veggie skewers and let the chicken broil for 5 more minutes. Remove the skewers from the oven and let them rest.
Step 3: Add mix-ins
Arrange a layer of lettuce leaves on a serving platter. Add the baked chicken tikka, onions and bell peppers.
Sprinkle chopped mint leaves, coriander leaves and sliced almonds.
Step 4: Whip up lemon yogurt dressing
The spicy yogurt dressing is the same as in paneer tikka salad recipe.
Mix yogurt, lemon juice, honey, chaat masala, cumin, salt and black pepper in a glass jar. Whisk until well combined and creamy.
Drizzle lemon yogurt dressing on the tikka salad and enjoy!
What to serve with chicken tikka salad
This chicken tandoori salad is a wholesome low-carb meal in itself. You can add healthy carbs and more protein to make it an even more nutritious meal.
Rice bowls
Pair chicken tikka salad with rice dishes, making it a complete salad bowl.
Soups
Chutneys
In addition to (or instead of) the yogurt dressing, one of these chutneys can be drizzled for added flavor:
More easy chicken recipes
Simple Chicken Tikka Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Tandoori marinade
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
- 2 teaspoons mustard oil
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or chili powder)
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ginger powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons yogurt
Chicken tikka
- 500 grams boneless chicken (1.1 pounds) (breasts or thighs)
- 1 tablespoon ghee (or melted butter)
Salad mix-ins
- 2 heads of Romaine lettuce
- 1 large onion
- 1 bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves
- 2 tablespoons mint leaves
- 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
Lemon yogurt dressing
- ½ cup yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ½ teaspoon chaat masala
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
STEP BY STEP IMAGES
Scroll back to find detailed recipe photos!
Instructions
Prepare tandoori marinade
- Take 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder in a small bowl. Heat 2 teaspoons mustard oil in a small pan and add to the bowl. Mix well.
- Add the rest of the marinade ingredients: ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon coriander, ½ teaspoon garam masala, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon ginger powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 2 teaspoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons yogurt.
Marinate the chicken
- Chop 500 grams boneless chicken (1.1 pounds) into bite-sized pieces. Add the prepared tandoori marinade to the chicken and toss until they are well coated with the marinade.
- Pierce the chicken with a fork so that the marinade gets absorbed better and quicker.
- Allow it to marinate for about 30 minutes, while you prepare the rest of the ingredients for the salad.
Bake chicken tikka with veggies
- Preheat the oven to 230°C/446°F.
- Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers. You will have some marinade leftover in the bowl.
- Dice 1 bell pepper and 1 large onion (separate the petals of onions).
- Add to the bowl with the leftover marinade and toss. Thread them onto separate skewers.
- Place the skewers with chicken and vegetables on a baking tray. Brush with 1 tablespoon ghee (or melted butter).
- Place the tray in the oven and bake in the “roast” setting for 10 minutes.
- Take out the tray and baste the chicken and veggies once more with the remaining ghee.
- Set the oven to “broil” mode. Return the tray to the oven and broil for 5 minutes.
- Take out the veggie skewers only, leaving the chicken to broil for 5 more minutes.
- Remove the chicken skewers from the oven and let them rest, while you prepare the rest of the salad.
Add mix-ins
- Roughly chop 2 heads of Romaine lettuce. Spread them out in a layer on a serving platter.
- Add the baked chicken tikka, onion and bell pepper.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons coriander leaves, 2 tablespoons mint leaves and 2 tablespoons sliced almonds.
Whip up lemon yogurt dressing
- Mix ½ cup yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoons honey, ½ teaspoon chaat masala, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepperin a glass jar.
- Whisk or shake until well combined and creamy.
- Drizzle lemon yogurt dressing on the tikka salad and enjoy!
Notes
- Tenderizing chicken: If you’re using chicken breasts, try the velveting method before marinating. This will give you soft and juicier chicken tikka.
- Marinating chicken: The longer you marinate the chicken, the more flavorful your tikka is going to turn out. If you have the time, try to marinate overnight for the best results. Remember that if you’re marinating for more than 30 minutes, the chicken should be kept in the fridge.
- Ginger and garlic: You can use 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger garlic paste instead of the powdered versions.
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