Chicken Tikka

Medium·30 min

Boneless chunks of chicken marinated in spiced yogurt, threaded onto skewers, and charred in a tandoor until smoky and juicy. The boneless cousin of tandoori chicken, served with onion rings, lemon, and green chutney.

A Punjabi and Mughlai dish said to date to the Mughal era; Mughal cooks combined the Central Asian tandoor with the Persian habit of marinating meat in yogurt and Indian spices.

Smoke-kissed and juicy, with charred edges that crackle against tender, tangy-spiced meat. The yogurt marinade keeps every cube succulent while chili and garam masala bloom warm on the tongue. A squeeze of lemon and a dab of mint chutney cut through the richness.

Yogurt's lactic acid and enzymes gently tenderize the chicken while its proteins cling to the surface, browning into a flavorful crust under the tandoor's fierce dry heat. The high heat sears the outside before the interior overcooks, locking in juices.

Variations

Tandoori chicken tikka (bone-in Kashmiri style over coals), achari tikka (with pickling spices), malai tikka (cream-and-cheese marinade), reshmi tikka

On the Palate

Where Chicken Tikka sits in the Indian flavor cloud

Ingredients

Serves 4

How it's made

8 steps · 30 min

1
10 min
Cut boneless chicken thighs into 4 cm cubes and prick lightly with a fork.
2
20 min
Make a first marinade of lemon juice, salt, and ginger-garlic paste; rub into the chicken for 20 minutes.
3
5 min
Whisk thick yogurt with red chili, turmeric, garam masala, and a little mustard oil for the second marinade.
4
240 min
Coat the chicken thoroughly and refrigerate at least 3-4 hours, preferably overnight.
Watch out
Give the yogurt marinade its full time in the cold — several hours is what lets it tenderize and grip; a rushed marinade slides off and dries out on the fire.
5
5 min
Thread the cubes onto skewers, leaving small gaps between pieces.
6
12 min
Grill in a hot tandoor, oven, or over coals, turning and basting with ghee until edges char.
Watch out
Baste with ghee and let the edges catch and blacken in spots — those charred tips are the smoky flavor; even color all over means the heat's too mild.
7
3 min
Cook until the chicken is just done and lightly blackened at the corners.
Watch out
Pull it the moment the juices run clear and it's charred at the corners — one minute past done and the lean cubes go dry and stringy.
8
3 min
Rest briefly, dust with chaat masala, and serve with lemon, onion rings, and mint chutney.