Chicken Tikka Recipe
Dry no sauce. Marinated boneless chicken served with rice.
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Ingredients
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Marinade & Chicken
Rice
Garnish & Serving
Method
Marinade & Chicken
- 1
Prepare chicken
Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and cut into 1–1.5" (2.5–3.5 cm) bite-sized pieces. Pat dry with paper towels so the marinade will stick.
- 2
Make the marinade
In a large bowl combine the plain yogurt, lemon juice, ginger paste, garlic paste, Kashmiri red chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, garam masala, salt, gram flour (besan) and 2 tbs vegetable oil. Whisk until smooth and uniform.
- 3
Marinate the chicken
Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and toss thoroughly so every piece is well coated. Cover and refrigerate a minimum of 2 hours; for best flavor marinate 4–8 hours or overnight. If short on time, allow at least 30–45 minutes.
- 4
Skewer or prep for cooking
If grilling or broiling, thread marinated pieces onto metal or soaked wooden skewers, leaving a little space between pieces for even heat. If pan-cooking, leave them loose on a plate ready to sear.
- 5
Cook in oven or on grill (oven method)
Preheat oven to 240°C (475°F) with a rack in the top third and place a foil-lined baking sheet on the rack. Brush the skewered or loose pieces lightly with oil. Place on the hot rack/baking sheet and cook 10–12 minutes, turn or flip, then cook another 6–8 minutes until the edges begin to char and the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F). For extra charred spots, switch to broil for 2–3 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning.
- 6
Cook on stovetop (alternative)
Heat a heavy cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Add a little oil, then add marinated pieces in a single layer (do in batches if necessary). Cook without moving 3–4 minutes until a good sear forms, flip and cook another 3–4 minutes until cooked through and slightly charred. Internal temperature should reach 74°C (165°F).
- 7
Rest and finish
Remove cooked chicken from heat and rest 4–5 minutes. If using skewers, slide pieces off or serve on skewers. Just before serving, sprinkle the chicken lightly with chaat masala for brightness (use the chaat masala from the Garnish section).
Rice
- 8
Rinse and soak rice
Place the basmati rice in a fine-mesh sieve or bowl and rinse under cold water until the water runs nearly clear (3–4 washes). Soak the rinsed rice in cold water for 20–30 minutes, then drain thoroughly.
- 9
- 10
Garnish & Serving
- 11
- 12
- 13
Final seasoning and optional chutney
Lightly dust the chicken (and a bit of the rice, if you like) with chaat masala to taste. Serve immediately with mint chutney on the side if desired (optional).
