Chicken Malai Tikka (Murg Malai Kebabs, Boti Kebab)
This Indian recipe for chicken malai tikka will leave your house smelling of aromatic spices and herbs, and the mild chicken meat will be so tender that it just melts in your mouth. It takes 15 minutes to prepare and another 10 minutes on the grill. Serve with naan, chapati, roti, or flavored rice.
Have you ever ordered malai chicken tikka, chicken malai tikka, Malai boti kebab, or chicken malai kabab at an Indian restaurant? I’m sure!
They are all the same and literally mean creamy chicken skewers. ‘Murg’ is chicken, ‘malai’ is cream, ‘kebabs’ refers to the skewers, and tikka refers to ‘small bites.’ So it really is rich and creamy chicken marinated in Indian spices, skewered.
Why make this tikka?
- The recipe is simple, straightforward, and easy to customize.
- Unlike most Indian food, which is often assumed to be spicy and hot, this one is fairly mild. It has a rich and creamy taste. The yogurt-based marinade tenderizes the tikkas (pieces) to fork-tender.
- You can make this in summer, outside over an open BBQ flame; in the oven on a baking tray; or in a skillet on the stovetop.
- Today, I served these with homemade naan and turmeric rice, but for a light lunch, serve them over a large bowl of salad.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Chicken – For me, boneless chicken thighs are always the best for grilling. They do not dry when cooking and absorb a lot more flavor from the marinade. Having said that, you can most certainly use chicken breast. The cooking time will be less if you use chicken breast, about 3 to 4 minutes on the high grill.
- Ginger and garlic – These have to be fresh, not powders, and, in this case, grated or ginger-garlic paste is much better than minced, as it sticks to the chicken and blends into the marinade.
- Lemon juice – This tenderizes the chicken but also blends all the ingredients together beautifully.
- Yogurt sour cream – Thick Greek yogurt adds a nice tartness, and the sour cream makes it creamier. You can use all Greek yogurt, but make sure to reduce some of the lemon juice in the recipe.
- Cheddar – adds a nice, rich flavor and creamy taste to the chicken that comes as a pleasant surprise.
- Spices – Simple cumin, coriander, and garam masala add a depth of flavor without all the color. And if you want to make this spicy, use finely chopped green chilies. The chili adds spice without changing the color of the tikkas. If you don’t have garam masala, add 1/2 tsp green cardamom powder and 1/4 tsp clove powder.
- Oil – I brush the chicken tikka with cooking oil, but for a richer flavor, try melted butter.
Step-by-step: Malai Chicken Tikka
Sep 1 – Marinate Chicken
- Prep Chicken – Clean, trim, and cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Pat dry on a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
- Marinade – In a large mixing bowl, add the chicken pieces. Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add the spices, followed by the yogurt and sour cream. Then, add the grated cheddar cheese and chopped herbs. Combine well.
- Marinate – Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to marinate for an hour on the counter or up to 12 hours in the fridge. Thaw it an hour before cooking.
Pro tip – Alternatively, the skewers can be prepared ahead of time and kept in the fridge for up to 4 hours.
Thread the chicken on Skewers
- Skewer – Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto the soaked skewers, making sure not to crowd the skewers. I like 3 to 4 pieces on shorter skewers or 4 to 5 pieces on longer skewers. Brush them with oil.
Pro tip – Crowding the skewers will keep the chicken towards the center raw, or overcook the chicken on the outside.
Cook on Grill
- Grill – Heat a grill pan on medium-high heat. Place a few skewers at a time – do not overcrowd the grill. Brush each skewer with cooking oil.
- Cook for 3 minutes on one side, then turn and cook another 2 to 3 minutes on the other side.
Pro tip – As a guide, each skewer with chicken breast takes 5 to 6 minutes to cook on all sides. Skewer with chicken thigh meat will take about 8 to 10 minutes on all sides.
Green chutney
- Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve with the tikka over naan, roti, or rice.
Chicken Malai Tikka (Kebab)
This Indian recipe for chicken malai tikka will leave your house smelling of aromatic spices and herbs, and the mild chicken meat will be so tender, that it just melts in your mouth. It takes 10 minutes to make the marinade and another 10 minutes on the grill. Serve with naan, chapati, roti, or flavored rice.
Video
Ingredients
Chicken tikka marinade
- 1 Kg (2 lbs) Chicken skinless, boneless breasts or thighs or legs
- 5 large Garlic cloves minced
- 3 inch Fresh ginger grated
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 2 tbsp Coriander powder
- 1 tsp Cumin powder
- ⅓ cup Yogurt
- ¼ cup Sour cream or fresh cream
- 4 tbsp Cheddar cheese finely grated
- ½ cup Cilantro
- 2 – 3 tbsp Juice of half a lemon
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black pepper powder
- 1 med Green chilly finely chopped (optional)
- 2 – 3 tbsp Cooking oil or melted butter or ghee
Green chutney
- 1 cup Cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup Mint leaves
- ½ cup (120 ml) Coconut milk
- 1 small Garlic clove
- 1 inch Fresh ginger
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 tbsp chopped onion
- 1 tsp Sugar
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp White pepper powder
Plus
- 12 Bamboo skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes
Method
- Prep Chicken – Clean, trim, and cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Pat dry on a paper towel to remove excess moisture.1 Kg Chicken
- Tikka Marinade – In a large mixing bowl, add the chicken pieces. Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add the spices, followed by the yogurt and sour cream. Then add the grated cheddar cheese and chopped herbs. Combine well.5 large Garlic cloves, 3 inch Fresh ginger, 1 tsp Garam Masala, 2 tbsp Coriander powder, 1 tsp Cumin powder, ⅓ cup Yogurt, ¼ cup Sour cream, 4 tbsp Cheddar cheese, ½ cup Cilantro, 2 – 3 tbsp Juice of half a lemon , 1 tsp Salt , 1 tsp Black pepper powder
- Marinate – Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to marinate for an hour on the counter or up to 12 hours in the fridge. Thaw it an hour before cooking.
- Skewer – Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto the soaked skewers making sure not to crowd the skewers. I like 3 to 4 pieces on shorter skewers or 4 to 5 pieces on longer skewers. Brush them with oil12 Bamboo skewers, 2 – 3 tbsp Cooking oil
- Grill – Heat a grill pan on medium-high heat. Place a few skewers at a time – do not overcrowd the grill. Brush each skewer with cooking oil. Cook the tikka first fr 3 minutes, then turn and cook another 3 minutes on the other side. Brushing with oil as necessary.
- Green Chutney – Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning.½ cup Cilantro, 1 med Green chilly, 1 cup Cilantro leaves, ¼ cup Mint leaves, ½ cup Coconut milk , 1 small Garlic clove, 1 inch Fresh ginger, 1 tbsp Lemon juice, 1 tbsp chopped onion , 1 tsp Sugar, ½ tsp White pepper powder, ½ tsp Salt
Notes
- Use boneless chicken thighs or breasts. Do not cut the chicken into large or too-small pieces. Large pieces will not cook towards the center, and small pieces will dry out easily.
- Always try to marinate as long as possible. Preferably overnight. This will add flavor and tenderize the meat, making it cook easily.
- Make sure the grill is HOT before you start grilling; and do not overcrowd the grill, otherwise, the meat will stew, and all the marinade will get wasted on the pan. Instead, you want a nice hot grill so the meat sears instantly and retains its marinade. The charred marks add a nice smoky flavor, so make sure to get some.
- Don’t make haste to turn the meat quickly on the grill. If the meat is stuck to the pan, it needs a minute more. Leave it alone and come back to it when it is ready. Otherwise, you will lose good meat stuck to the grill for clean up later.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Mention @veenaazmanov_kitchen or tag #veenaazmanovkitchen!Tips for Success
- Use boneless chicken thighs or breasts. Do not cut the chicken into large or too-small pieces. Large pieces will not cook towards the center, and small pieces will dry out easily.
- Always try to marinate as long as possible. Preferably overnight but no more than 24 hours. This will add flavor and tenderize the meat, making it cook easily.
- Make sure the grill is HOT before you start grilling, and do not overcrowd the grill; otherwise, the meat will stew, and all the marinade will get wasted on the pan. Instead, you want a nice hot grill so the meat sears instantly and retains its marinade. The charred marks add a nice smoky flavor, so make sure to get some.
- Don’t make haste to turn the meat quickly on the grill. If the meat is stuck to the pan, it needs a minute more. Leave it alone and come back to it when it is ready. Otherwise, you will lose good meat stuck to the grill for clean up later.
- Baked Curried Chicken Thighs
- Tandoori Chicken (Oven-Baked), Butter Chicken
- Turmeric Rice with Chicken and Peas
- See all Indian recipes
Frequently asked questions
How long will this chicken tikka keep?
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. You can even freeze it in freezer-safe bags for up to a month.
Also, cold chicken leftovers make great additions to sandwiches and wraps.
Can I add veggies to the skewers?
Use veggies that cook around the same time, like tomatoes, zucchini, onions, and peppers. Other veggies can be used, but will need to be parboiled and then skewered so they don’t stay raw. For example, you can use sweet potato or cauliflower, but parboil and then cut them into pieces.
What do you serve this chicken kabab with?
These tikkas go well with any Indian bread, such as chapati or naan. Try vegetable pilaf or turmeric rice. When I’m looking for a low-carb option, I use cauliflower rice instead of steamed rice.
- Chicken Biryani Recipe, One-Pot Chicken Biryani
- How to make Chicken Curry, Easy Indian Chicken Curry
- Slow Cooker Indian Chicken Curry, Instant Pot Chicken Curry
Hi Veena! Can I use ginger garlic paste instead of the 1tblsp ginger and 1tblsp garlic, and if so, would I just use 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste? Excited to try these
Yes Myra. you can certainly use paste.
Should I use 2 tablespoons of ginger garlic paste then? Thank you so much! 🙂
Yes, Myra. you can use 2 tbsp of ginger and garlic paste combined.
Mam..I tried this recipe and it tasted absolutely fantastic.,I would say this is royal kebabs among all the kebabs due to the marination ingredients..not to mention your tips were very useful to alter some of the mix according to respective taste buds .
Thank you, Shasha. Happy you enjoyed it. Thanks for the feedback.
I am just loving the flavors in this dish. the chicken sounds absolutely incredible and skewers are so fun!
Thanks, Danielle. Skewers are always fun.
These sound so tasty, great for summer!
Thanks Amy.
I love finding new ways to make chicken kebabs. The seasoning on this sounds amazing.
Thanks, Dannii. The seasoning on this is definitely amazing.
Yum! These chicken malai kebabs look delicious! I love Indian food but am not the best at cooking it, so I’m really excited find your website. I will definitely be trying some of your beautiful recipes!
Thank you, Chelsey. So happy to hear that. I hope you enjoy my recipes and let me know if you try any. Have a great day.
This is the perfect recipe for me to make this weekend. I love grilled chicken.
Thank you Arelene.
The kebabs look so doggone good. This is the perfect excuse for me to make some more flatbread! I have a recipe that uses yogurt as a marinade for chicken — the acid in the yogurt also helps to tenderize the meat as well as the lemon juice. We have a skillet with ridges — it’s a matter of finding it in all our boxes. Great recipe, Veena, looking forward to trying it.
Thank you, Marisa. I hope you manage to find all the stuff you need. I can only imagine how difficult it is for you living like this.
These look amazing. I can already imagine how tasty they are, especially with naan bread! And yes, we soak the skewers too (lesson learned the hard way lol).
Thank you, Jolina. yes soaking the skewers is so important or they burn on the grill.