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Chicken Tikka

Chicken Tikka

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Prep: 10 min

Cook: 20 min

Extra Time: 4-6 hours

Chunks of chicken breast are marinated in yoghurt and spices, threaded on skewers then cooked in the oven. I first saw this marinade being made by a chef at a little roadside restaurant in Amritsar, a city in the Indian state of Punjab where this dish originated. A few minor adjustments have been made to make it more accessible for home cooks, but it takes nothing away from the flavour and this recipe is without a doubt one of the best chicken tikka recipes you’ll find.

Ingredients

First Marinade

1 kg

chicken breast, cut into 2-3 cm cubes

1/2 tbsp

ginger paste

1/2 tbsp

garlic paste

1/2 tsp

deggi mirch

1/2 tsp

salt

1/2 tsp

ground turmeric

1/2

lemon, (juice of)

Second Marinade

85 g

Greek yoghurt, (3oz)

1/2 tbsp

ginger paste

1/2 tbsp

garlic paste

1 tsp

salt, (or to taste)

1 tbsp

paprika

1 tsp

ground cumin

1 tsp

ground coriander

1/2 tsp

ground turmeric

2 tsp

garam masala

2 tsp

deggi mirch

1/2 tsp

black salt

1 tbsp

kasuri methi

3 tbsp

oil

1/2

lemon, (juice of)

3/4 tsp

sugar

Method

1. Add the cubed chicken into a large mixing bowl along with the rest of the ingredients for the first marinade and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
2. In a separate bowl mix all the ingredients for the second marinade together. Add it to the chicken, mix until all the pieces are coated well, cover and refrigerate for at least another 4 hours, or overnight.
3. Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F) and line a high-sided baking tray with foil.
4. Thread chicken pieces on wooden or bamboo skewers (remember to pre soak the skewers for at least 30 minutes before use).
5. Place skewers on the baking tray ensuring that the ends of the skewers rest on the sides of the tray so that the chicken not sitting on the tray but is suspended above the base.
6. Drizzle the chicken with oil and bake. After 10 minutes turn the skewers, drizzle the top with oil and return to oven and cook for another 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
7. Serve with naan, salad and yoghurt mint sauce.