Malai Tikka

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 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.

   0.15 g saffron10 ml warm water
2. 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.

   80 g Greek yogurt, full-fat60 g cream cheese, softened40 ml double cream12 g garlic, finely grated12 g ginger, finely grated1 g green cardamom seeds, finely ground2 g garam masala1 g white pepper1 g ground cumin0.15 g saffron10 ml warm water10 ml lemon juice6 g salt15 g ghee
3. 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.

   500 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into 4 cm pieces80 g Greek yogurt, full-fat60 g cream cheese, softened40 ml double cream12 g garlic, finely grated12 g ginger, finely grated1 g green cardamom seeds, finely ground2 g garam masala1 g white pepper1 g ground cumin0.15 g saffron10 ml warm water10 ml lemon juice6 g salt15 g ghee
4. 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.

   500 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into 4 cm pieces10 g ghee, melted
5. 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.

   2 g chaat masala8 g fresh coriander, chopped2 wedges lemon wedges

Origin & History

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.