- Prep time20 mins + 4 hrs marinate
- Cook time20 mins
- Servings4
- DifficultyEasy
- CategoryDesi
Real chicken tikka gets its character from two things: a thick, clinging marinade and violent heat. The yogurt must be hung or Greek-style thick, or it slides off and steams the chicken instead of charring it. Mustard oil in the marinade is the quiet secret of dhaba-style tikka — it adds a pungency that regular oil cannot. A screaming-hot oven or grill does the rest.
Ingredients
- 800 g (1.75 lb) boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 cup (240 g) thick Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp mustard oil (or regular oil + 1 tsp mustard powder)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tbsp tandoori masala or tikka masala
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder (for color)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 large onion, cut into chunks
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into chunks
- Butter or oil, for basting
Method
- Whisk the yogurt, mustard oil, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, tandoori masala, chili powder, salt and turmeric into a thick paste.
- Coat the chicken chunks thoroughly, cover and marinate at least 4 hours (overnight is best).
- Thread the chicken onto skewers, alternating with onion and pepper chunks. Let excess marinade drip off.
- Grill over high direct heat — or roast at 250 C (480 F) on a rack — for 15 to 18 minutes, turning once and basting with butter, until charred at the edges and cooked through.
- Rest 5 minutes. Squeeze over fresh lemon and serve with mint chutney and onion rings.
Tips for success
- Thighs beat breast here — they stay juicy under fierce heat.
- Do not crowd the skewers; space lets the edges char instead of steam.
- A final 2 minutes directly over flame (or under the broiler) gives the dhaba char.
Watch video tutorial
Prefer to watch it being made? This from Sanjeev Kapoor walkthrough covers the same chicken tikka step by step — the spoken narration doubles as an audio tutorial.