Why make this tikka?
The recipe is simple, easy, and very straightforward with lots of room to customize. Unlike most Indian food, that is often assumed to be spicy and hot. This one is fairly mild. It has a rich and creamy taste. The yogurt-based marinade cooks the tikkas (pieces) to fork-tender. You can make this in summer outside over an open BBQ flame or bake in the oven on a baking tray, as well as use a skillet on the stovetop. Most of the ingredients used are simple and easy to find or pantry staples for Indian cooking. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. You can even freeze it in freezer-safe bags for up to a month. Also, cold chicken leftovers make great additions to sandwiches and wrap Today, I served these with homemade naan and turmeric rice but for a light lunch, serve it over a large bowl of salad.
Ingredients and substitutes
Chicken – For me, boneless chicken thighs are always the best for grilling. They do not dry when cooking, and they absorb a lot more favor from the marinade. Having said that, you can most certainly use chicken breast. The cooking time will be less if you use chicken breast, about 3 to 4 minutes on the high grill. Ginger and garlic – These have to be fresh, not powders, and in this case, grated or ginger-garlic paste is much better than minced so it sticks to the chicken and blends into the marination. Lemon juice – This tenderizes the chicken, but also blends all the ingredients together beautifully. Yogurt sour cream – Thick Greek yogurt adds a nice tartness and the sour cream makes it creamier. You can use all Greek yoghurt but make sure to reduce some of the lemon juice in the recipe. Cheddar – adds a nice rich flavor and creamy taste to the chicken that comes as a pleasant surprise. Spices – Simple cumin, coriander, and garam masala add a depth of flavor without all the color. If you want to make this spicy use finely chopped green chilies. The chilli adds spice without changing the color of the tikkas. If you don’t garam masala add 1/2 tsp green cardamom powder, 1/4 tsp clove powder. Oil – I brush the chicken tikka with cooking oil but for a richer flavor try melted butter.
Step-by-step: Malai Chicken tikka
Marinate
Prep Chicken – Clean, trim, and cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Pat dry on a paper towel to remove excess moisture.Pro tip – Cut the chicken into about 1-inch pieces, as too-large pieces will keep the chicken raw in the middle. Also, ensure the chicken is dry so the marinade will stick to it.
Marinade – In a large mixing bowl, add the chicken pieces. Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add the spices, followed by the yogurt and sour cream. Then add the grated cheddar cheese and chopped herbs. Combine well.Pro tip – it is important to combine well with every ingredient you add so the chicken absorbs the flavors nicely. Marinate – Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to marinate for an hour on the counter or up to 12 hours in the fridge. Thaw it an hour before cooking.Pro tip – Alternatively, the skewers can be prepared ahead of time and kept in the fridge for up to 4 hours.
Skewer & grill
Skewer – Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto the soaked skewers making sure not to crowd the skewers. I like 3 to 4 pieces on shorter skewers or 4 to 5 pieces on longer skewers. Brush them with oil. Pro tip – Crowding the skewers will keep the chicken towards the center raw or overcook the chicken on the outside. Grill – Heat a grill pan on medium-high heat. Place a few skewers at a time – do not overcrowd the grill. Brush each skewer with cooking oil.Pro tip – The char marks on the chicken can be controlled by raising and lowing the heat under the grill. Let cook for at least 3 minutes before you try to move it. When it’s done on one side it will release from the pan. Turn to the other side and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes.Pro tip – As a guide, each skewer with chicken breast takes 5 to 6 minutes to cook on all sides. Skewer with chicken thigh meat will take about 8 to 10 minutes on all sides.
Green chutney
Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with the tikka over naan, roti, or rice.
Variations
Malai tikka masala – instead of threading the chicken on the skewers cook them in a cast-Iron skillet until tender. Server over chapati or naan with caramelized onions. Oven chicken malai tikka – place the skewers on a baking tray and bake in a hot oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender. Chicken malia tikka with veggies – skewer diced veggies such as peppers, onions, and tomatoes in between the chicken pieces. Grill the same way brushed with oil.
Tips for success
Use boneless chicken thighs or breasts. Do not cut the chicken into large or too small pieces. Large pieces will not cook towards the center and small pieces will dry out easily. Always try to marinate as long as possible. Preferably overnight. This will not only add flavor but also tenderize the meat making it cook easily. Make sure the grill is HOT before you start grilling otherwise the meat will stew and all the marinade will get wasted on the pan. Instead, you want a nice hot girl so the meat sears instantly holding on to its marinade. The charred marks are what adds a nice smokey flavor so make sure to get some. Don’t make haste to turn the meat quickly on the grill. If the meat is stuck to the pan it meats needs a minute more. Leave it alone and come back to it when it is ready. Otherwise, you will lose good meat stuck to the pan.
Baked Curried Chicken Thighs Tandoori Chicken (Oven-Baked), Butter Chicken Chicken Biryani Recipe, One-Pot Chicken Biryani How to make Chicken Curry, Easy Indian Chicken Curry Slow Cooker Indian Chicken Curry, Instant Pot Chicken Curry Turmeric Rice with Chicken and Peas See all Indian recipes
Frequently asked questions
Thank you for sharing - Save for later
They are all the same and literally mean creamy chicken skewers. ‘Murg’ is chicken, ‘malai’ is cream and ‘kebabs’ refers to the skewers and tikka refers to ‘small bites’. So it really is rich and creamy chicken marinated in Indian spices on skewers.
