Chicken Tikka Kebabs
Murghi tikka — marinated and baked chicken pieces, ideal as a first course or passed around with drinks. Most of the work can be done a day ahead.
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts
- 1.25 kg chicken
- 1.25 tsp salt
- — lemon
- 6 tbsp natural yogurt
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
- 0.25 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp paprika
- 110 g unsalted butter
Equipment
- oven
- skewers
- baking tray
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken
Remove all the fat from 3 chicken breasts , boned and skinned, net weight about 1.25 kg chicken . Cut each breast in half lengthways, then cut each half across into 3-4 more or less equal pieces. Lay the pieces in a single layer on a platter. Sprinkle 1.25 tsp salt — half — over them. Squeeze the juice from half the lemon over them as well. Rub the salt and lemon into the chicken. Turn the chicken pieces over and do the same on the second side with the remaining salt and lemon half. Set aside for 20 minutes .
Make the Yogurt Marinade
Meanwhile, put 6 tbsp natural yogurt in a small bowl. Beat it with a fork or whisk until it is smooth and creamy. Add 1 inch piece fresh ginger , peeled and finely grated, 3 garlic cloves , peeled and finely grated, 1 tsp ground cumin , 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper , and 0.25 tsp garam masala . Stir to mix. Set aside.
Second Marinade
After the chicken has sat in its first marinade for 20 minutes , dust one side with 1 tsp paprika — half of it. Turn the chicken pieces over with a pair of tongs and dust the second side with the remaining paprika. Put the chicken pieces and all accumulated juices in a bowl.
Hold a sieve over the chicken pieces. Pour the yogurt mixture into the sieve and then push through as much of it as you can with a rubber spatula. Fold this second marinade over the chicken pieces. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 6 hours to 24 hours .
Cook
Preheat the oven to its maximum temperature.
Thread the chicken pieces on to skewers , leaving a little space between each piece. Balance the skewers on the raised rim of a baking tray , making sure that the meat juices will drip on to the tray and not the oven floor. Brush the chicken with half the 110 g unsalted butter , melted, and put in the oven for about 7 minutes . Take out the baking tray and skewers. Turn the chicken pieces over and brush them again with the remaining butter. Bake for another 8 minutes to 10 minutes or until the chicken is just done.
View Cooklang Source
---
title: Chicken Tikka Kebabs
description: "Murghi tikka — marinated and baked chicken pieces, ideal as a first course or passed around with drinks. Most of the work can be done a day ahead."
servings: 4
total time: 30 minutes
prep time: 24 hours
cook time: 17 minutes
tags: [chicken, indian, tikka, oven, kebab, main]
cuisine: Indian
difficulty: medium
---
== Prepare the Chicken ==
Remove all the fat from @chicken breasts{3}, boned and skinned, net weight about @chicken{1.25%kg}. Cut each breast in half lengthways, then cut each half across into 3-4 more or less equal pieces. Lay the pieces in a single layer on a platter. Sprinkle @salt{1.25%tsp} — half — over them. Squeeze the juice from half the @lemon{1} over them as well. Rub the salt and lemon into the chicken. Turn the chicken pieces over and do the same on the second side with the remaining salt and lemon half. Set aside for ~{20%minutes}.
== Make the Yogurt Marinade ==
Meanwhile, put @natural yogurt{6%tbsp} in a small bowl. Beat it with a fork or whisk until it is smooth and creamy. Add @fresh ginger{1%inch piece}, peeled and finely grated, @garlic cloves{3}, peeled and finely grated, @ground cumin{1%tsp}, @cayenne pepper{0.25%tsp}, and @garam masala{0.25%tsp}. Stir to mix. Set aside.
== Second Marinade ==
After the chicken has sat in its first marinade for ~{20%minutes}, dust one side with @paprika{1%tsp} — half of it. Turn the chicken pieces over with a pair of tongs and dust the second side with the remaining paprika. Put the chicken pieces and all accumulated juices in a bowl.
Hold a sieve over the chicken pieces. Pour the yogurt mixture into the sieve and then push through as much of it as you can with a rubber spatula. Fold this second marinade over the chicken pieces. Cover tightly and refrigerate for ~{6%hours} to ~{24%hours}.
== Cook ==
Preheat the #oven{} to its maximum temperature.
Thread the chicken pieces on to #skewers{}, leaving a little space between each piece. Balance the skewers on the raised rim of a #baking tray{}, making sure that the meat juices will drip on to the tray and not the oven floor. Brush the chicken with half the @unsalted butter{110%g}, melted, and put in the oven for about ~{7%minutes}. Take out the baking tray and skewers. Turn the chicken pieces over and brush them again with the remaining butter. Bake for another ~{8%minutes} to ~{10%minutes} or until the chicken is just done.
> Do not overcook.
> This dish belongs to the same family as tandoori chicken and should, ideally, be cooked in a tandoor or clay oven. Ordinary home ovens, heated to their maximum temperature, make adequate substitutes.
> Most of the work — and it is not that much — can be done a day ahead of time. All that remains then is to brush the chicken pieces with butter and slip them into the oven for about fifteen minutes.