Chicken Malai Tikkas are soft, juicy kebab on skewers that will simply melt in your mouth. Bite sized pieces of boneless chicken are marinated in a unique blend of yogurt, cream, cheese and other spices and cooked on a grill or oven to perfection.

These are perfect for an outdoor barbecue or can be stuffed in a fluffy naan and eaten with some green chutney.

Chicken Malai Tikka

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Ingredients

500 gms Boneless Chicken cut into 2” tikka shapes

1st Marinade:

3 tsp Garlic Paste
2 tsp Ginger Paste
1/4 tsp Black Pepper Powder
1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1 tsp Salt

2nd Marinade:

1/2 cup Processed Cheese
3/4 cup Hung Curd/Yoghurt- 3/4 cup
1/2 cup Thick Fresh Cream- 1/2 cup
1 tsp Green Chilli Paste- 1 tsp
3/4 tsp Nutmeg Powder (jaiphal powder)
1 tsp Green Cardamom Powder (elaichi powder)
1/4 tsp White Pepper Powder- 1/4 tsp
1/8 tsp Salt (a pinch)
1 tbsp Coriander Leaves (Cilantro) fine chopped

Other Ingredients

2 tbsp Ghee (clarified butter)
1 tbsp Butter (for basting)

Instructions

Preparation:

To prepare the hung curd, strain the water from the curd or plain yogurt using a strainer or cloth to have a thick curd without any water.
Wash and pat dry the boneless chicken pieces. Cut into 2” tikka shapes.
For the 1st marinade, add all the ingredients, mix well and set aside for 30 mins.
To prepare the 2nd marinade, start with grating the cheese in a glass bowl and then add all the other ingredients. Whisk everything together and then add the marinated chicken pieces. Mix everything well so that the chicken tikka pieces are well coated with the marinade.
Set aside to marinate for 4 hours in the refrigerator.

Process:

Soak the wooden skewer in water for 15 mins.
Skewer the chicken pieces onto the wooden sticks 4 at a time.
Heat a tawa or flat pan and add 2 tbsp of ghee.
Now place 4 skewered chicken sticks side by side and keep roasting on medium heat.
Keep turning it on all sides to cook uniformly. Keep basting with the ghee and the marinade and turn it for 12-15 mins.
Lastly baste it with some melted butter.
Once the tikkas have an even brown colour, optionally infuse it with smoke.
For infusing smoke to get a barbecue flavour
Fire up a small piece of charcoal directly on the gas stove till it starts glowing.
Insert a small bowl in the middle of the sticks.
Once the charcoal is ready, hold it with a tong & place it in the steel bowl.
Immediately drop little ghee on the burning charcoal & close the lid immediately.
Infuse with smoke for 15 mins.