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Malai Tikka

Name: Malai Tikka
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 500 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into 4 cm pieces; 80 g Greek yogurt, full-fat; 60 g cream cheese, softened; 40 ml double cream; 12 g garlic, finely grated; 12 g ginger, finely grated; 1 g green cardamom seeds, finely ground; 2 g garam masala; 1 g white pepper; 1 g ground cumin; 0.15 g saffron; 10 ml warm water; 10 ml lemon juice; 6 g salt; 15 g ghee; 10 g ghee, melted; 2 g chaat masala; 8 g fresh coriander, chopped; 2 wedges lemon wedges

Malai Tikka is soft, smoky, and luxuriously creamy, with tender chicken coated in a rich marinade of yogurt, cream cheese, cream, and fragrant cardamom. Light charring from the grill balances the mellow dairy sweetness, while saffron and ginger add depth without pushing it out of keto-friendly territory.

40 min

2 servings

610 kcal

Indian

Ingredients

Chicken and marinade

500 gboneless chicken thighs, cut into 4 cm pieces
80 gGreek yogurt, full-fat
60 gcream cheese, softened
40 mldouble cream
12 ggarlic, finely grated
12 gginger, finely grated
1 ggreen cardamom seeds, finely ground
2 ggaram masala
1 gwhite pepper
1 gground cumin
0.15 gsaffron
10 mlwarm water
10 mllemon juice
6 gsalt
15 gghee

For grilling and finishing

10 gghee, melted
2 gchaat masala
8 gfresh coriander, chopped
2 wedgeslemon wedges

Instructions

1
Preheat the grill to high or heat the oven to 240°C with the grill function on. If using wooden skewers, soak them briefly. Crush the saffron into the warm water and let it bloom for 5 minutes while you prepare the marinade.
2
In a bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, cream cheese, double cream, garlic, ginger, ground cardamom, garam masala, white pepper, cumin, bloomed saffron, lemon juice, salt, and ghee until smooth. The marinade should be thick enough to cling to the chicken; fully soften the cream cheese first to avoid lumps.
3
Add the chicken pieces and coat thoroughly. Rest for 10 minutes at room temperature; because the chicken is cut small and the marinade is rich, this short rest is enough for a fast version without sacrificing flavour.
4
Thread the chicken onto skewers without packing the pieces too tightly, then lay them on a rack or lined tray. Grill for 10-12 minutes, turning once halfway and brushing with the melted ghee. Cook until lightly charred at the edges and the thickest piece reaches 74°C in the centre.
5
Rest the tikka for 2 minutes so the juices settle. Sprinkle with chaat masala and coriander, then serve hot with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

Nutrition per serving

610 kcal

Calories

48g

Protein

Carbs

42g

Fat

Fiber

Notes

•Chicken thigh stays juicier than breast under intense grill heat and is better for malai tikka.
•For deeper tandoor-like colour and blistering, place the skewers as close to the top heating element as possible.
•If cooking on a stovetop grill pan, cook over medium-high heat for about 12-14 minutes total, turning frequently to prevent the dairy marinade from scorching.
•Serve with mint chutney or a simple onion salad if you do not need the meal to remain strictly very low-carb.

Background

Malai tikka is a North Indian kebab known for its pale, creamy marinade rather than the red chilli-heavy coating seen in other tikkas. The word malai refers to cream, and the dish became especially popular in Mughlai-influenced cooking, where dairy, aromatic spices, and gentle richness are prized.

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