Name: Chicken Tikka (Dry)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 280 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 300 g Boneless Chicken, cut into 1.5-inch cubes; ½ cup Strained Yogurt, thick yogurt; 1½ tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste; 1½ tsp Kashmiri Chili Powder, for bright red color without too much heat; ¼ tsp Ground Turmeric; ½ tsp Garam Masala; ½ tsp Roasted Cumin Powder, bhuna jeera; 1 tbsp Roasted Gram Flour, bhuna besan, helps marinade stick; 1 tbsp Lemon Juice; 1½ tbsp Mustard Oil, heated until smoking, then cooled slightly; 1 tsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves, crushed; 1 tsp Salt; 2 tbsp Butter, melted, for basting

4 hr 40 mintotal

40 min hands-on4 hr hands-off

Prep 20 min · Cook 20 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Spicy

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Method

First Marinade: Vigorously toss the 1.5-inch chicken pieces with the lemon juice, half of the specified ginger-garlic paste, half the Kashmiri chilli powder, and salt. Allow this acidic foundation to penetrate for 20 minutes.
20 min
Second Marinade: In a capacious bowl, whisk the hung curd until flawlessly smooth. Blend in the remaining ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, roasted cumin powder, and intensely crushed kasuri methi.
Mix in the roasted gram flour. Pour the hot mustard oil straight over the dry spices and whisk quickly into a thick, bright red marinade.
Submerge the chicken from the primary marinade into this secondary bowl. Massage the mixture thoroughly to ensure every single piece is thickly encrusted.
Seal the bowl and refrigerate for a stringent minimum of 4 hours (a full overnight cure is highly recommended by professionals).
4 hr
Remove the chicken from refrigeration 30 minutes prior to cooking to reach ambient temperature. Carefully thread the pieces onto heavy metal or pre-soaked wooden skewers.
30 min
Preheat a cast-iron grill pan, heavy tawa, or configure your oven to a searing 220°C (430°F). Apply a light slick of oil to the cooking surface.
Sear the chicken, executing quarter-turns every 3-4 minutes. Monitor closely until the edges showcase distinct char marks and the internal meat registers fully cooked (yielding a total cook time of roughly 12-15 minutes).
3–4 min12–15 min
During the final 2 minutes of the cooking phase, baste generously with melted butter to achieve an unmistakable glossy, restaurant-style sheen.
2 min
Carefully strike the meat from the skewers, dust with a finishing touch of chaat masala, and serve immediately.

How to tell it's done

Aim for a dramatically charred, slightly blistered, and firm exterior that encases an astonishingly succulent, juicy, and structurally tender interior.

Getting it right

Tip

Chef's Tip: The dual marination technique paired with smoking mustard oil are absolute, non-negotiable culinary principles required to manifest that authentic vivid red color and pungent aroma without resorting to artificial dyes.

What to serve it with

Deliver to the table on a smoking cast-iron sizzler platter, framed by sharp raw onion rings, fresh lemon wedges, and a cooling classic mint-coriander chutney.

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Ingredients