Chicken Tikka Recipe
Boneless chicken breast marinated in yogurt and spices, barbecued over tandoor. Tandoori Dishes served sizzling with sauteed onions, bell peppers, tomatoes and side of rice.
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Ingredients
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Marinade & Chicken
Sizzling Vegetables & Finish
Side - Rice (Optional)
Method
Marinade & Chicken
- 1
Prepare chicken
Trim fat from the chicken breasts and cut into 1 to 1.5-inch bite-sized cubes. Pat dry with paper towels.
- 2
Make marinade
In a mixing bowl combine the yogurt, ginger paste, garlic paste, lemon juice, vegetable oil, garam masala, ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika, turmeric, red chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until smooth and uniform.
- 3
Marinate chicken
Add the chicken pieces to the marinade, toss to coat thoroughly so each piece is well covered. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably 6–8 hours or overnight for best flavor and tenderness.
- 4
Thread or arrange
If grilling on skewers, thread the marinated pieces onto soaked wooden skewers or metal skewers leaving small gaps between pieces for even cooking. If cooking without skewers, arrange pieces on a lightly oiled baking sheet or grill pan.
- 5
Preheat & cook
Preheat your grill, broiler, or oven to high (grill: medium-high; oven broiler or 450°F/230°C). If using a charcoal or gas grill, oil the grates. Cook the skewers or pieces 4–6 minutes per side until charred at the edges and internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F). If using oven broiler, place skewers 6–8 inches from the heat and broil 3–5 minutes per side, watching closely to get light char without burning. Baste once with a tablespoon of oil or reserved marinade (do not use marinade that touched raw chicken).
- 6
Sizzling Vegetables & Finish
- 7
Prepare vegetables
While chicken cooks, thinly slice the onion into rings or half-moons. Core and cut bell peppers into 1-inch pieces. Cut the tomato into wedges or large chunks.
- 8
Sauté vegetables
Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee in a large cast-iron skillet or heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion and cook 2–3 minutes until starting to soften and lightly browned at edges. Add the bell peppers and continue to sauté 2–3 minutes until peppers are tender-crisp. Add the tomato and cook another 1–2 minutes until it softens slightly but still holds shape.
- 9
Add aromatics
Sprinkle kasuri methi over the vegetables and add the butter. Toss to coat and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper to taste.
- 10
Assemble sizzling platter
Transfer the sautéed vegetable mix to a serving platter or keep in the hot skillet. Arrange the rested chicken tikka on top of the vegetables so juices mingle. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing over the chicken.
Side - Rice (Optional)
- 11
Rinse rice
Rinse basmati rice in cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch; drain well.
- 12
Cook rice
In a small saucepan combine the rinsed rice, 1.5 cups water, 1/4 tsp salt and 1 tsp butter or oil. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 12–15 minutes until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let stand covered 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- 13
Serve
Spoon rice alongside the sizzling chicken tikka and vegetables. Optionally garnish rice with a few cilantro leaves.