Chicken Tikka
This is clearly one of India’s most popular dishes, served as tikkas (small bite-size chunks) or in a curry/gravy called ‘chicken tikka masala. You’ve probably had it in an Indian Restaurant or visiting Indian folks for a meal & thought – Gosh, I’d LOVE to make that! Well, now you can!
Ingredients:
1 kg chicken (breast or thigh) skinless and cut into 2″ chunks
1 cup fresh yoghurt (should not be sour)
1 tbsp garlic-ginger paste
3 tbsps lime/ lemon juice
1 tsp chaat masala
2 tbsp kasuri mathi
2 tbsps garam masala
1/2 tsp red-chili pwd
salt to taste
1/4 tsp pepper-cumin pwd
1/2 tsp red-orange food color (optional)
1/4 cup olive oil
For the chutney:
1/2 a bunch of coriander leaves/ cilantro – abt 30 sprigs
15 sprigs of mint leaves
1/4 tsp garlic paste
1 cup yoghurt
1 tbsp chaat masala
3-4 peppercorns
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
Garnish
1/4 cup chopped coriander
2-3 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp chaat masala
lemon wedges
onion rings
Naan pieces
Preparation:
- Marinade the chicken in the non-chutney ingredients above, excluding the oil too – for 2-3hrs.
- Preheat the oven to 350-deg.
- Place a large piece of aluminum foil on your baking tray, dab some oil on it, place the chicken pieces on it & top them with the remaining oil. Fold over to cover & seal it to a closed package.
- Place it in the center of the oven & bake for 10-12mins. (depending on the size of your pieces)
- Grind the chutney ingredients together to a smooth paste.
- Uncover the chicken, drizzle melted butter all over the chicken & set to broil for 5 mins.
- Place the pieces on a serving plate, toss a pinch of chaat masala & some chopped coriander leaves on it. Serve with the chutney, some onion rings, naan, lemon wedges &/or steamed veggies tossed in some olive oil & a dash of salt.
Variations:
- You can skewer the tikkas & grill/ bbq them, but I find that sealing them in foil & baking them keeps them really juicy & succulent.
- You can make a rich gravy (Chicken tikka masala) by tossing the tikkas into a reduced creamy paste of tomato pulp, cream & ground cashewnuts, cooked in mild spices.