Here I share the delicious recipe for preparing restaurant style Chicken Tikka one of most popular dishes of India that can be served as a starter.  It is prepared by marinating chicken chunks in special spices and then grilled on skewers. Chicken Tikka can also be made into Chicken Tikka Masala, where the grilled tikka is added to a tasty gravy. I am planning share the recipe for the same in another blog post soon…

Ingredients

1. Chicken : 2 Lb
2. Yogurt/curd : ¼ Cup
3. Salt                : ¾ Tbl- Sp
4. Water

For marinating:-

5. Yogurt / curd :1/3 Cup
6. Coriander powder : ½ Tbl- Sp
7. Jeera/ Cumin powder : 1 T- Sp
8. Garam masala    : 1 T- Sp
9. Kasoori methi    : ½ tbl- Sp
10. Chilli powder    : 1 ½  Tbl- Sp
11. Coriander powder : ½ Tbl- Sp
12. Ginger garlic paste : 1 ½ Tbl- Sp
13. Oil                : 1 ½ T- Sp
14. Lemon juice : from 1 lemon
15. Black salt for taste

For brushing:-

16. Melted butter : 4 Tbl- Sp (Adjust)

Method

• Cut the chicken into medium sized pieces, wash and keep it.
• In a big bowl add ¼ cup of yogurt along with ¾ Tbl- Sp of salt and add enough water (to cover the chicken) and mix it well.
• Add the chicken pieces into the yogurt water and close it, keep it in the fridge for minimum an hour. (More the better I typically keep it for 4 hours).
• Take the chicken out and wash it thoroughly and keep it in a strainer.
• In a bowl add all the ingredients -except oil- and mix it (while adding the kasoori methi, crush it with your hands and add it).
• Add the chicken pieces (make sure no water content in your chicken) and mix it.
• Finally add the oil and mix it; rest it in the fridge overnight (minimum 2 hours).
• If you are using bamboo skewers, soak it in water for about 30 minutes or more.

• Set the oven into BROIL mode high for 15 minutes.
• Put the chicken into skewers, keep some gap between each pieces for evenly cooking and keep it in a tray, don’t touch the chicken into the tray, chicken will oozes water , that will make chicken soggy. (I used aluminum tray, you can use any tray but make sure to keep some gap so if there is any juice coming from the chicken will collect in the bottom of the tray).
• Brush with melted butter to each pieces and keep it in the oven, it takes ~10 minutes for one side, but check in-between after 7 minutes.
• Take the tray out and rotate the skewers in the other side and brush butter, again keep in the oven and broil it until brown, ( ~ 8 minutes).
• Finally brush the butter again in the cooked chicken.

Tips:

• I used boneless skinless thighs for this recipe, you can use breast pieces too.
• Use thick yogurt for margination, we need thick masala paste.
• Resting time is very important, overnight would be good.
• I used black salt instead of normal salt, that will give the tikka more taste. You can use half & half-black salt and half normal salt, instead.
• Brushing the butter will keep the chicken juicier and avoid drying the chicken.
• Keep it in the yogurt water is very important, Don’t skip this method. It will make the chicken very soft.