Chicken Tikka or Tandoori Tikka Kebab is a delicious, grilled chicken dish marinated in a richly spiced yogurt marinade.
Grilled to perfection, this Tandoori Tikka Kabab makes an easy, family-pleasing appetizer or dinner!
Craft edible sculptures using ingredients like sugar or chocolate for a visually stunning centerpiece.
Table of contents
Serve them with a lemon wedge and mint cilantro chutney as an appetizer. Or simply serve it over rice or make a wrap using avocado roti, naan, or any flatbread and enjoy a delicious dinner.
With this easy chicken tikka recipe, you can whip up succulent and flavorful Chicken Kebabs right in your kitchen!
In this post, I have shared a step-by-step picture and a video guide on how to make Chicken Tikka starter at home with lots of tips and variations.
About Chicken Tikka
Tandoori Chicken Tikka, also known as Murgh Tikka, is a very popular dish from North Indian cuisine that features tender chicken chunks. These chicken bites are marinated twice in a flavorful spicy marinade. First, it is marinated with ginger garlic paste, mustard oil, lemon juice, salt, and chili.
For the second marinade, it uses more spices and yogurt and is marinated for 30 minutes to 1 hour. The marinade allows the chicken pieces to tenderize and retain moisture during cooking.
It can also be marinated for up to overnight for more flavors. An 8-hour marinade enhances its taste and texture—longer is even better.
After being marinated in the zesty yogurt marinade and optionally mixed with veggies like bell peppers and onions, they are then skewered and cooked until perfectly grilled.
Traditionally, tikkas are cooked in a tandoor (a cylindrical clay oven fired with charcoal) that gives them a distinct smoky flavor.
Tandoori Chicken Tikka
Modern homes don’t have a traditional tandoor, but the good news is that you can get similar results using an oven, air fryer, BBQ, or stovetop grill. For an added smoky flavor, you can either torch the cooked tikka or broil them to smoke the chicken post-grilling.
The secret to making the best-tasting tikka kebab is the marinade. The double marinade ensures that you get the ultimate Chicken Tikka Kebab. Bursting with aromatic spices and aromatics, both marinades make each bite of this tandoori chicken tikka irresistibly tender and flavorful.
You can enjoy these tikka kebabs as an appetizer with mint chutney, salad, or Raita.
Cooking these tikkas is very simple and versatile. You can cook them in an oven, grill, BBQ, or griddle until cooked through and perfectly charred.
With this very simple yet delicious homemade chicken tikka recipe, transform your ordinary chicken into a taste sensation.
Perfect for grilling, barbecuing, or cooking on a griddle, these tikka chicken skewers are a hit at gatherings or family dinners.
There are so many ways you can serve chicken tikka. You can pair it with onions, lemon wedges, and mint coriander chutney, and you have a super delicious appetizer or snack to dazzle everyone!
To make an impressive Indian buffet, accompany them with simple plain steamed rice, or pulao. Or have them with a flatbread of your choice.
So, are you ready to make your own restaurant-style chicken tikka and bring a piece of Indian culinary tradition into your home? Whether you are a professional cook or new to Indian cooking, this straightforward Chicken Tikka recipe promises delicious results.
Chicken Tikka Ingredients
Chicken tikka is prepared using simple ingredients that are easily available at any Asian or Indian store. Here are the ingredients you will need:
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Chicken: It is the main ingredient of this tikka recipe. Here, you can use boneless chicken breasts or thighs cut into large chunks.
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Yogurt: Authentic tikka recipes use hung curd, also known as strained yogurt, for a rich, creamy marinade. However, you can also use full-fat Greek or natural yogurt.
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Oil/Butter/Ghee: I have added traditional mustard oil to the marinade. But you can also use any other oil of your choice. Also, you will need oil, butter, or ghee for brushing the tikka skewers.
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Ginger garlic paste: A bit of ginger garlic paste is added to the first marinade to give the tikkas a distinct and aromatic flavor. Both homemade and store-bought paste are good for this recipe. You can even use minced ginger and garlic.
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Lemon: A splash of fresh lemon juice is added to the marinade. It enhances the overall taste of all the other spices and ingredients. You can use both fresh or bottled lemon juice here.
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Spices: For the tikka marinades, you will need various spices like red chilli powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder, chaat masala powder, amchur powder, black salt, Kasuri methi, and salt.
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Veggies: I have used bell peppers and onion petals in these tikka skewers, but adding veggies is entirely optional here.
Step-by-Step Guide
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First Chicken Marinade: Marinate chicken pieces with oil, ginger garlic paste, salt, red chili powder, and lemon juice. Marinate for 30 minutes.
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Second Marinade: Add Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, cumin powder, chaat masala powder, amchur powder, Kasuri methi, and hung curd. Marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. You can even marinate it overnight.
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Grill to Perfection: Thread the marinated chicken onto metal skewers and grill until charred and cooked through.
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Serve and Enjoy: Your delicious chicken keabab is ready to be devoured.
Serving Suggestions
These tikka kebabs are a perfect appetizer or snack on their own or wrapped in a wrap along with coriander chutney. You can also make Greek-style flatbread wraps with them.
Or you can simply serve them with chutneys and a side of fresh salad veggies, butter chicken, butter paneer, garlic naan, kiwi raita, and mango lassi for a satisfying meal.
Storage Suggestions
Freshly grilled chicken tastes best. However, if you have leftovers, you can surely refrigerate the tikkas for up to 2 days or freeze them for about 1 month. They can be served after reheating, or best if you repurpose them.
You can add cooked tikka kabab to salads, include them in wraps, sandwiches, or make chicken tikka masala later without drying out.
Expert Tips for Best Chicken Tikka
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Veggies: Just like paneer tikka, I have also added bell peppers & onions to the skewers, as this is how Indian this tikka chicken is served at restaurants. Grilling adds so much flavor to these veggies, and this way you can also incorporate some veggies into the meal. However, you can skip the bell peppers and onions from this recipe, and the tikkas would still taste good.
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Even Cooking: Keep the chicken tikka pieces small and similar to get evenly cooked chicken pieces.
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Doneness Check: You can check the doneness by cutting a piece of chicken. If it is still pink inside, it is uncooked.
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Double Marinate: A double marinating process makes sure that you get deep flavors and juicier meat.
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Kasuri Methi: Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) is one of the essential ingredients in an Indian restaurant style chicken tikka recipe. It adds a distinct flavor to the grilled chicken kebab. If you don’t have Kasuri methi, you can skip it or swap it with fresh cilantro.
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Marination Time: A minimum of 1 hour of marination is recommended to get the best flavorful tikkas. You can marinate the tikka for about 8 hours; the more you marinate, the more flavorful your tikka will be.
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Boneless Chicken: You can use either chicken breast or chicken thighs for tikka. Chicken breasts need longer marination, but with chicken thighs, you can work with less marination as well. So, if you are in a hurry, go with the chicken thighs, and use chicken breasts when you have enough time for marination.
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Skewers: You can use both wooden or metal skewers for making this tikka recipe. Metal skewers heat up and cook the meat from the inside out. If using wooden skewers or bamboo skewers, make sure to soak them for about 30 minutes in water to avoid direct fire.
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Spices: Feel free to swap some spices here and there according to your taste preference. For example, you can swap red chili powder with cayenne pepper. You can also add a pinch of cinnamon or ground black pepper.
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Yogurt: Make sure to use a thick variety of yogurt. This step is crucial as thick yogurt prevents the marinade from becoming too runny.
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Besan (Gram Flour): Some recipes also add some roasted gram flour or bhuna besan to the marinade. It works as a binder and adds a nutty flavor to the tikkas. So, if you like, you can also add about 1 tablespoon of roasted besan to the second marinade.
Faq
What is Chicken Tikka?
It is an Indian appetizer made using boneless chicken pieces marinated in spices and yogurt, then grilled or cooked in a tandoor until charred and juicy.
Can I make Chicken Tikka in advance?
Yes, this tikka can be made up to a day in advance to save on prep time. Simply marinate the chicken and keep it in the fridge until ready to grill.
What does Chicken Tikka taste like?
Chicken tikka tastes absolutely indulgent. They are savory, and have a smoky, slightly tangy flavor, with lots of aromatic spices like garam masala, cumin, and chili.
What’s the difference between Chicken Tikka and Chicken Tikka Masala?
Chicken tikka is a dry appetizer or side dish of marinated and grilled chicken pieces, whereas chicken tikka masala is a chicken curry where grilled chicken pieces are cooked in a creamy, spiced tomato sauce.
What is the difference between Chicken Tikka and Tandoori Chicken?
Tandoori Chicken and Chicken Tikka both dishes use quite a similar marinade. Chicken tikka is made using boneless pieces, while tandoori chicken is typically made with bone-in cuts.
So they both have different cooking times and have different textures.
Chicken Tikka (Step-by-step photo instructions)
First Marinade
- Add chicken to a large mixing bowl along with ginger-garlic paste, salt, red chili powder, mustard oil, and lemon juice.
- Mix everything well while massaging the chicken pieces until they are well coated.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate for about 30 minutes. If you are in a hurry, marinate them for 20 minutes.
Second Marinade:
- After the chicken has marinated in the first mix, uncover the bowl. Then, add Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, garam masala, black salt, chaat masala, amchur powder, crushed Kasuri methi, and hung curd.
- Mix well to apply this marinade to the already marinated chicken. Make sure each piece is evenly coated.
- Cover it again and marinate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. For best flavor, you can even marinate overnight for maximum flavor.
- Add bell pepper and onions to the marinated chicken bowl and mix everything well.
Making Chicken Tikka
- For making chicken tikka, you can use wooden skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes beforehand to prevent burning or use metal skewers.
- Thread the chicken pieces, bell peppers, and onions in alternating patterns.
- Preheat your grill, broiler, or oven. If using an oven, set it to broil on high. Place skewers directly on the grill placed on a baking tray. You can also line the tray with foil for easy cleanup.
- Brush the chicken and veggies with oil, ghee, or butter.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 250°C or 450°F for 10 to 12 minutes, turn them and bake for another 4 to 5 minutes or until the chicken is charred around the edges and cooked through.
- Brush them with ghee/butter as soon as you remove the tikka from the oven.
- If you want to char your chicken, torch the chicken or broil for 2 minutes or until slightly charred.
Serving
- Sprinkle with chaat masala and drizzle with fresh lemon juice.
- Once done, serve with fresh slices of onion, a wedge of lemon, and maybe a side of mint-cilantro chutney. You can also serve it over rice or wrap it in a warm naan or any other flatbread!
Recipe Card
Chicken Tikka [Recipe]
★★★★★
(Rating: 5 from 6 reviews)
| Prep time 🕐 | Cook time 🕐 | Total time 🕐 |
|---|---|---|
| 35 mins | ||
| Category ☶ | Cuisine ♨ | Serves ☺ |
| Appetizers | Indian | 4 |
| Nutrition Info ⊛ | Serving size ⊚ | |
| 182 calories | 1 |
INGREDIENTS
First Marinade
- 500 grams (about 1 pound) of boneless chicken (thighs or breasts), cut into chunks
- 1 tablespoon of ginger garlic paste
- Salt, to taste
- 1 teaspoon of red chili powder
- 1 tablespoon of mustard oil
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
Second Marinade
- 1 tablespoon of Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon of cumin powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon of black salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of chaat masala
- 1/2 teaspoon of amchur (dry mango) powder
- 1 tablespoon of Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- 1/4 cup of hung curd (strained yogurt)
For Chicken Tikka
- Green bell pepper, diced
- Onion, diced and petals separated
- Marinated chicken
For Cooking
- Oil, ghee, or butter for brushing
For Serving
- Lemon wedges
- Chaat masala
INSTRUCTIONS:
First Marinade
- Add chicken to a large mixing bowl along with ginger-garlic paste, salt, red chili powder, mustard oil, and lemon juice.
- Mix everything well while massaging the chicken pieces until they are well coated.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate for about 30 minutes. If you are in a hurry, marinate them for 20 minutes.
Second Marinade:
- After the chicken has marinated in the first mix, uncover the bowl. Then, add Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, garam masala, black salt, chaat masala, amchur powder, crushed Kasuri methi, and hung curd.
- Mix well to apply this marinade to the already marinated chicken. Make sure each piece is evenly coated.
- Cover it again and marinate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. For best flavor, you can even marinate overnight for maximum flavor.
- Add bell pepper and onions to the marinated chicken bowl and mix everything well.
Making Chicken Tikka
- For making chicken tikka, you can use wooden skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes beforehand to prevent burning or use metal skewers.
- Thread the chicken pieces, bell peppers, and onions in alternating patterns.
- Preheat your grill, broiler, or oven. If using an oven, set it to broil on high. Place skewers directly on the grill placed on a baking tray. You can also line the tray with foil for easy cleanup.
- Brush the chicken and veggies with oil, ghee, or butter.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 250°C or 450°F for 10 to 12 minutes, turn them and bake for another 4 to 5 minutes or until the chicken is charred around the edges and cooked through.
- Brush them with ghee/butter as soon as you remove the tikka from the oven.
- If you want to char your chicken, torch the chicken or broil for 2 minutes or until slightly charred.
Serving
- Sprinkle with chaat masala and drizzle with fresh lemon juice.
- Once done, serve with fresh slices of onion, a wedge of lemon, and maybe a side of mint-cilantro chutney. You can also serve it over rice or wrap it in a warm naan or any other flatbread!
WATCH RECIPE VIDEO: Click the play button and video will load ...
NOTES:
- Keep the chicken tikka pieces small and similar to get evenly cooked chicken pieces.
- You can check the doneness by cutting a piece of chicken. If it is still pink inside, it is uncooked.
- A double marinating process makes sure that you get deep flavors and juicier meat.
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Author: Anupama
Recipe Source Link: https://www.mygingergarlickitchen.com/chicken-tikka/
