5 from 195 votes
Chicken tikka recipe
Chicken tikka involves marinating boneless chicken pieces in a blend of yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, and spices including cumin, coriander, and Kashmiri red chili powder. The marinated chicken is then grilled or cooked on a hot griddle to develop smoky char marks and tender texture. The marinade infuses the meat with balanced flavors, and piercing the meat before marinating helps absorption, even if marinating time is short.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Additional Time
20 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings:
4
portions
Calories:
280 kcal
Course:
Appetizer, Lunch
Cuisine:
Indian, Pakistani
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.
Cup of Yum
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
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%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 portions
Amount Per Serving
Calories 280
% 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.