Indian Spice Rubbed Chicken Thighs

This spice rubbed grilled chicken is one of those recipes I keep coming back to—whether it’s a lazy Sunday barbecue or a quick midweek dinner plan. It’s juicy, smoky, and layered with bold Indian flavors thanks to a dry rub made from whole roasted spices. You don’t need anything fancy—just a mix of everyday pantry spices, a bit of prep, and about 25 minutes on the grill or in the oven.

Why I Started Making My Own Spice Rubs

For a long time, I leaned heavily on store-bought masalas—tandoori masala, tikka masala, even those generic “BBQ blends” from the spice aisle. They were convenient but never quite hit the mark.

It wasn’t until I stumbled upon a dry rub method years ago in a food magazine that I realized the magic of toasting whole spices yourself. One evening, I tried roasting coriander, cumin, and red chilies in a dry pan just until fragrant, ground it all up, and rubbed it onto some chicken drumsticks I had marinated with lime and garlic. The difference? Mind-blowing. The smoky depth and balance of flavor was something no jarred spice blend ever gave me.

Now, I always make a big batch of this homemade rub and keep it ready. It works on chicken, fish, and even roasted veggies.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Quick & reliable. You can pull this meal together in about an hour—even less if you prep the spice blend ahead of time.

• Customizable. Don’t have drumsticks? Use thighs or leg quarters.

• Meal-prep friendly. I often rub the spices onto the chicken and freeze it. The flavor soaks in deeper during that freeze-thaw cycle.

On busy weekdays, I just defrost, grill, and dinner is on the table in under 30 minutes. It’s also a lifesaver for weekend cookouts—just thaw, grill, and serve with a fresh salad or some mint chutney.

What You’ll Need for This Grilled Chicken

Chicken
I like to use skin-on drumsticks because they stay juicy and absorb flavor well. Make sure to slash a few deep gashes into the meat so the spice rub really gets in there. Thighs and leg quarters also work well—especially if you prefer dark meat.

Whole Spices
You’ll need coriander seeds, cumin, black peppercorns, cloves, green cardamom, cinnamon, and fenugreek seeds. If you can’t find fenugreek, just skip it—it adds a bit of bitterness, but the rub will still be delicious without it.

Dried Red Chilies
I usually grab spicy Indian red chilies (like Byadgi or Guntur), but any dried hot chili will work. You can also use chili powder or cayenne if that’s easier.

Fresh Flavors
Ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, salt, oil, and lime juice round out the rub. I always use fresh lime juice—it helps tenderize the chicken and adds a nice brightness to the final flavor.

Step-by-Step Prep (with Tips from My Kitchen)

1. Toast the Spices
Add all the whole spices and dried chilies to a dry pan over medium heat. Stir constantly until they smell nutty and toasty—about 2-3 minutes. Don’t walk away. Burnt spices = bitter rub.

Let them cool, then grind them into a powder using a spice grinder or mixer. If you like it extra fine, sift the powder once it’s ground.

2. Make the Rub Paste
In a bowl, mix the ground spices with turmeric, salt, ginger-garlic paste, oil, and lime juice. It should be thick enough to cling to the chicken—almost like a marinade but a bit drier.

3. Prep the Chicken
Rinse and pat dry your chicken. Make 2–3 deep cuts in each drumstick so the rub gets into the meat. Rub the spice paste all over and let it rest for 30–45 minutes. If you’ve got the time, overnight in the fridge is even better.

4. Grill or Broil

• In the Oven: Use the broil setting. Line a tray with foil, place a rack over it, and arrange the chicken. Spray lightly with oil. Broil for 24 minutes, turning every 10 minutes.

• Outdoor Grill: Grill over medium heat, flipping halfway. I usually do 8 minutes per side. If the juices run clear and the skin is crisp, you’re done.

5. Rest and Serve
Let the chicken rest for 5–10 minutes so the juices stay locked in. I love serving it with a crunchy cucumber-carrot slaw or some lemon rice on the side.

Real-Life Cooking Tip

I’ve started freezing marinated chicken in meal-sized batches. When I know the week’s going to be hectic, I take out a bag in the morning, and by dinner time, it’s thawed and ready for the grill. The flavor deepens as it sits in the freezer, and it tastes even better than when marinated fresh.

Common Questions People Ask Me

Can I make this without a grill?
Absolutely. The oven broiler works just as well, and I’ve even done it in my air fryer in a pinch (about 180°C for 18–20 minutes, flipping once).

What can I use instead of fenugreek?
You can just leave it out. If you want a slight bitter note, a pinch of mustard seeds added during roasting can give a similar kick.

Can I use boneless chicken?
Yes, but it cooks faster—so reduce the cooking time by a few minutes. I find bone-in cuts retain moisture and hold up better to the strong spice rub.

Indian Spice Rubbed Chicken Thighs

Yield: 2

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Additional Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Elevate your dinner table with this bold and aromatic grilled chicken—marinated in a freshly ground Indian spice blend, then cooked to smoky, juicy perfection. 

Print

Ingredients

• 1 pound chicken drumsticks (about 5 pieces, skin-on or off)
• ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
• 1–2 tablespoons lime juice (or juice from ½ a lime)
• 1 tablespoon oil (plus extra for basting)
• 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
• PAM cooking spray or additional oil for grilling

Spice Rub:

• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 2 dried chilies (3 if you like it spicy)
• 10 black peppercorns
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ¼ inch cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• ⅛ teaspoon cardamom seeds (from 1 pod)
• ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds

Instructions

1. In a dry pan, toast all the spice mix ingredients over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until aromatic. Stir often to prevent burning.
   
2. Let the toasted spices cool slightly, then grind into a fine powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Set aside.
   
3. In a large bowl, combine the freshly ground spice blend with turmeric, salt, ginger-garlic paste, lime juice, and 1 tablespoon of oil. Mix well to form a thick marinade.
   
4. Rinse the drumsticks and pat them dry. Using a sharp knife, make 3–5 deep slits on each piece to help the marinade penetrate.
   
5. Add the chicken to the bowl and coat thoroughly with the spice mixture. Cover and let it marinate for at least 45 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate overnight for deeper flavor.
   
6. If refrigerated, bring the chicken to room temperature 30–60 minutes before cooking.
   

Cooking Methods

To Broil in the Oven:

1. Preheat the oven broiler to high and adjust the rack to the middle position.
   
2. Line a broiler pan or grill pan with foil for easy cleanup. Place the chicken on the rack and lightly spray with oil.
   
3. Broil for 10 minutes, then flip and spray or baste with oil. Broil another 10 minutes.
   
4. Turn again and broil for 2–5 more minutes until cooked through and lightly charred. The internal temperature should reach 165°F at the thickest part.
   
5. Let the chicken rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
   

To Grill Outdoors:

1. Heat the grill to medium-high.
   
2. Place the chicken on the grill and cook for 7–8 minutes until the skin is crispy and has nice grill marks.
   
3. Flip and cook for another 6–8 minutes, or until juices run clear and the meat is done.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 664Total Fat: 39gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 28gCholesterol: 288mgSodium: 1424mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 7gSugar: 4gProtein: 58g

Chickenrecipes.blog, occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although allchickenrecipes.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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This spice rubbed grilled chicken is now a regular part of my weeknight dinner rotation and a permanent guest at summer grilling sessions. If you’ve never tried making your own dry rub from scratch, I promise this recipe will change the way you look at your spice cabinet.

Try other Chicken Thigh recipes:

• Crispy Garlic Chicken Thighs
• Chicken Thigh and Mushroom Soup
• Baked Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs