May 28, 2024, Updated Jul 17, 2024 This beloved family recipe for Chicken Tikka easily rivals your fav Indian restaurant with skewers that are dripping with juicy flavor.
Easy Chicken Tikka Recipe: Here’s What You Need
Here’s what to round up to make this chicken tikka recipe.
Tender and juicy: A truly authentic chicken tikka recipe is traditionally cooked in a tandoor oven. Since most of us don’t have a tandoor, I’ve included three easy ways to cook your tikka at home: baking, grilling, or air frying. Pretty presentation: Chicken tikka has a beautiful glowy color from the spices, and you’ll get that juicy, charred look whichever way you choose to cook it. Family-friendly: These chicken tikka skewers are a family-friendly dish – great for even the pickiest eaters. They’re easy to eat and fun to share.
Plain yogurt: Choose a full-fat yogurt for a creamy texture and rich flavor. It helps tenderize the chicken while infusing it with tanginess. Lemon juice: reshly squeezed lemon juice is better than bottled. Swap in lime juice if you like. Avocado or canola oil: Avocado oil has a higher smoke point, so it’s great for high-heat cooking. Minced garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor. Finely grated fresh ginger: or bottled ginger paste. Paprika: For the vibrant red color and mild sweetness. You can choose either sweet or smoked paprika. Ground Cumin Powder: Adds an earthy, smoky note to the chicken tikka marinade. Garam masala: A blend of aromatic spices, including cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and black pepper. It’s not to be skipped as its a major flavor contributor. Cayenne: Adjust the amount according depending on personal preference. You can swap in red pepper flakes. Boneless chicken breasts or thighs: Thigh meat turns out juicier and holds onto more of the flavor during cooking than chicken breast meat. I like to trim any excess fat before marinating, but it’s not necessary.
Greek yogurt swap: If you don’t have full-fat plain yogurt, Greek yogurt can be a suitable substitute. It’s thicker and tangier, so you might need to adjust the amount of lemon juice for acidity. Buttermilk works beautifully in this recipe, too. Chili powder: Substitute chili powder for cayenne if you prefer a milder heat. Chicken breast: While chicken thighs are best for their juiciness, you can use chicken breast if that’s what you have on hand. Pound the chicken breast a little to even out the thickness before marinating to make sure they cook evenly. Seafood tikka: For a seafood version of this dish, use chunks of fish (try salmon or cod) or shrimp instead of chicken. You must adjust the cooking time as seafood cooks much quicker than chicken. You can also shorten the marinating time to 30 minutes and don’t leave it overnight. Vegetable tikka: Marinate a variety of vegetables like bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, and zucchini in the yogurt-spice mixture for a vegetarian tikka option. Skewer the vegetables and grill or bake until tender and lightly charred. Or try grilling my marinated paneer. Tandoori masala: For a more intense flavor, try tandoori masala instead of garam masala. Tandoori masala typically includes additional spices like fenugreek, coriander, and nutmeg.
Tools to Grab
Here’s what you’ll need to have handy:
Large bowl: For marinating the chicken in. Wood or Metal Skewers: I like to soak min in water if using wooden skewers and grilling them. Air Fryer: If you choose to air fry your chicken tikka.
Make the Chicken marinade
Add the spices to a large bowl (paprika, cumin, salt, cayenne, pepper and garam masala). Add the lemon juice, yogurt, oil, garlic and ginger. Stir everything together.
Marinate the chicken
Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and mix them through to coat each piece. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or place the marinated chicken in a sealable bag. Refrigerate the chicken for at least 2 hours. I recommend marinating the chicken overnight for the best flavor development.
Skewer the chicken
Remove the chicken from the marinade, thread it onto skewers.
Cook the chicken (3 ways)
Choose a cooking method. Remember to check that the internal temperature reaches 165°F to meet the USDA’s safety guideline.
Grilling
Preheat the grill to a medium-high heat. Place the skewered chicken kebab sticks onto the grill. Cook them for around 6-8 minutes. Turn them once halfway through, until fully cooked with char marks.
Baking
Set your oven to 425°F. Place the chicken tikka kebabs on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and slightly browned.
Air Frying
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Arrange the chicken in the basket without overlapping them. Cook the kebabs for 10-12 minutes, turning halfway, until crispy and fully cooked. NEXT READING: my Best Tandoori Chicken Recipe If you’ve marinated the chicken but haven’t cooked it yet, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 to 2 days. Make sure it’s in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag to prevent cross-contamination. If you’ve prepared a yogurt-based sauce mariande the chicken tikka in, store it in a separate container in the refrigerator. It will typically last for 3 to 4 days. Stir it well before marinating your chicken.
Freezing Chicken Tikka
Chicken tikka can be frozen, but it’s best to freeze the marinated chicken before cooking it. Place the marinated chicken in a freezer-safe container or bag, removing as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw the chicken in the refrigerator overnight before cooking it as usual.
Starchy Side Dishes: Serve your hot tikka chicken kebabs with a bowl of my mother-in-law’s incredible (dead-easy) basmati rice or homemade naan bread.
Veggie Sides: Add a side like these Indian coconut green beans or Yogurt cucumber salad for a complete meal.
To make this meal extra special, start with a batch of crispy homemade potato samosas and end with my mango kulfi.
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