Chicken tikka recipe
User Reviews
5
Chicken tikka recipe
Description
The marinade combines garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, Kashmiri red chili powder or cayenne, paprika, black pepper, salt, yogurt, lemon juice, and oil. Mixing these creates a flavorful paste that coats the chicken well. Piercing the chicken pieces before marinating encourages depth of flavor penetration.
The chicken can be cooked on a griddle pan, barbecue, or oven grill until cooked through and slightly charred on the outside. The medium heat allows the chicken to cook evenly while developing a lightly smoky crust. The result is juicy and tender pieces with a bright, spicy flavor.
Chicken tikka is often served as an appetizer or part of a larger meal with naan or rice. The spice blend can be adjusted with paprika for milder heat or chili powder for more heat. The recipe is versatile for various cook methods and timing.
Substitutions for Kashmiri red chili powder include Indian or Pakistani red chili powder or cayenne. Mixing paprika and chili powder can achieve moderate heat. The marinade flavors benefit from even short marinating time if the meat is pierced properly.
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds chicken see the note, boneless, cut in pieces
- 2 cloves garlic minced, finely chopped, or grated.
- ½ inch ginger minced, finely chopped, or grated.
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- ¾ teaspoon Coriander ground
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or cayenne pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons natural yogurt
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice from half lemon
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients except the chicken in a mixing bowl. Mix it well.
- Then put the chicken in the marinade and make sure all pieces are coated well with the spice mixture.
- Using a skewer or a fork, pierce all the poultry pieces. This little trick will ensure the meat absorbs the flavor better. So your chicken will be flavorsome and not bland. Especially when you don’t have much time to marinate it.
- Ideally, you leave the chicken to marinate at least for a few hours. But I’ve done so many times when I only left the marinade for 20 minutes or so. Just make sure you pierce the meat.
- When you’re ready to cook, you can grill your chicken tikka on a griddle pan, an oven grill, or barbecue.
- I often use a griddle pan. Just drizzle a teaspoon of cooking oil on your griddle pan, and preheat it to medium heat.
- When your pan is ready and hot, put your chicken in it. Leave it to cook at medium heat if you use boneless chicken. And if you use chicken with bones, you may have to cook at low heat so that the meat won’t get burnt before the inside gets cooked fully.
- After 6-7 minutes, turn the chicken and cook further on the other side for another 6-7 minutes or until light brown and it’s thoroughly cooked.
- To use the oven, preheat the oven to 375°F/ 190°C or at gas mark 5.
- Place the chicken skewers on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. And cook the chicken for about 20-25 minutes. Make sure you check and turn the chicken halfway through cooking time.
- Enjoy your chicken tikka on its own with salad. Or you can have it with pitta bread. And you can even make a chicken tikka sandwich with it.
Notes
- Swap paprika with chili powder or combine to adjust heat levels in the marinade.
- If Kashmiri red chili powder is unavailable, substitute with other red chili powders or cayenne pepper.
- Piercing chicken pieces before marinating helps the flavors penetrate even with short marination.
- Cook on medium heat for even cooking and to develop char without drying the chicken.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4portions
Amount Per Serving
Calories 280 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 150grams | |
| Calories | 280kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 3g | 1% |
| Protein | 34g | 68% |
| Fat | 14g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 162mg | 54% |
| Sodium | 742mg | 31% |
| Potassium | 492mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 381IU | 8% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 49mg | 5% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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