Grilled chicken with a spicy, satisfying kick. That's pretty much why we (everyone?) love tandoori chicken. We scouted out several Indian joints in town looking for a piece of that succulent, fiery chicken dish.

Juicy Tandoor

Indian Kitchen’s tandoori chicken (¥98/full, ¥55/half) is deliciously satisfying in every way possible. The deeply red-hued chicken is marinated for two hours in red chili powder and Indian spices and cooked in the tandoor oven for 30 minutes. The seasoning is potent, spicy and savory, while the texture is succulent and fulfilling. The servers politely squeeze lemon on top for a citrus finish. What’s the secret to keeping the meat so juicy? House-made yogurt, according to general manager Moveen.

Find it: 2/F, 2 Sanlitun Beixiaojie, 三里屯北小街2号2层, Tel: 6460-9366

Raj'in Flavor

The tandoori chicken at humble Gulou restaurant Raj is called “tandoori Murg” (¥68) and comes on top of a fresh bed of lettuce, tomato and cucumber. The chicken is mildly hot but packed with flavor, due to the multitude of ingredients that goes into Raj’s rendering, including yogurt, garlic, ginger, mustard oil and the Indian form of five-spice powder. These four pieces of chicken are tasty, tender and end with an acidic tangy note.

Find it: 31 Gulou Xidajie, 鼓楼西大街31号, Tel: 6401-1675

Sour and Spice and Everything Nice

Taj Pavilion’s tandoori chicken (¥98/full, ¥48/half) is much more fiery than the other versions we tried, with serious piquant flavors that develop with each bite. We especially like how Taj Pavilion’s chicken has a nice char on the outside, which gives the meat a smoky grilled taste. The chicken lies on bed of pickled onions, carrots and cilantro, offering a tinge of vinegary relief from the heat and a nice combination of spicy and sour flavors.

Find it: F2-03, 2/F, China Overseas Plaza North Tower, 8 Guanghua Dong Li, 光华东里8号中海广场北楼2层F2-03, Tel: 6505-5866 see here for more locations.

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