Malai chicken tikka
Malai chicken tikka is a popular Indian chicken recipe loved for its creamy texture, mild flavours, and juicy tenderness. This delicious grilled chicken dish is prepared with soft boneless chicken pieces that are marinated in a rich mixture of cream, yoghurt, cashews, herbs, and aromatic spices. The word “malai” means cream, which describes the smooth and rich marinade used to create the signature taste of this recipe.
Unlike spicy chicken tikka recipes, Malai chicken tikka offers a gentle flavour with a perfect balance of spices and creaminess. The marinade helps the chicken stay moist and tender while grilling, giving every bite a deliciously soft texture. This restaurant-style chicken recipe is perfect for family dinners, parties, festive occasions, and special gatherings.
What Makes Malai Chicken Tikka Special?
The secret behind the amazing taste of Malai tikka chicken lies in its creamy marinade. Fresh cream and yoghurt add richness, while cashews create a smooth and slightly nutty flavour. Green chillies, coriander leaves, mint, ginger-garlic paste, and traditional Indian spices bring freshness and aroma to the dish.
The use of kasuri methi, garam masala, and chaat masala adds a beautiful depth of flavour without making the chicken too spicy. Every ingredient works together to create a delicious combination of creamy, smoky, and mildly spiced flavours.
It is also a great choice for people who enjoy flavourful food with a softer spice level. You can easily adjust the amount of chilli and seasoning according to your taste preferences.
Why You Should Try This Malai Chicken Tikka Recipe
This homemade recipe brings the authentic taste of Indian restaurants straight to your kitchen. You do not need complicated ingredients or advanced cooking skills to prepare this delicious dish. With simple steps and a flavourful marinade, you can make perfectly juicy chicken tikka at home.
This recipe uses boneless chicken thighs because they remain tender and juicy after cooking. The creamy marinade coats each chicken piece beautifully and helps lock in moisture during grilling. Whether you cook it in the oven, on a grill pan, or over an open flame, this chicken recipe delivers a smoky tandoori-style finish.
Malai chicken tikka makes a wonderful starter and pairs perfectly with mint-coriander chutney, lemon wedges, and onion rings. You can also serve it with naan, roti, rice, or a fresh salad for a complete meal.
How to Make Perfect Malai Chicken Tikka at Home
Making Malai chicken tikka starts with preparing a smooth and flavourful marinade. First, blend cashews, green chillies, coriander leaves, and mint leaves into a thick paste. Then mix this paste with cream, yoghurt, spices, lemon juice, and corn flour to create a creamy coating.
Coat the chicken pieces well with the marinade and allow them to rest for at least 30 minutes. For better flavour, you can marinate the chicken for a few hours in the refrigerator. This resting time allows the spices and creamy ingredients to absorb into the chicken.
Grill the marinated chicken until it becomes perfectly cooked with a light golden colour and smoky edges. Avoid overcooking the chicken because it can make the pieces dry. Cooking the chicken until it reaches the right temperature keeps it soft, juicy, and delicious.
Serving Ideas
Serve hot with fresh lemon juice, crunchy onion rings, and refreshing mint-coriander chutney. The fresh chutney balances the creamy richness of the chicken and makes every bite more enjoyable.
This recipe works well as an appetizer for celebrations or as a main dish for a satisfying meal. You can also add it to wraps, rolls, sandwiches, or salads for a creative twist.
Malai Tikka Chicken is a must-try Indian grilled chicken recipe that combines creamy flavours, aromatic spices, and juicy chicken in one delicious dish. Its rich marinade, tender texture, and smoky finish make it a favourite among chicken lovers.
Prepare this easy recipe at home and enjoy a restaurant-style meal with your family and friends. If you love trying flavourful dishes, don’t forget to explore our other non-veg recipes for more delicious chicken, meat, and seafood ideas.
Malai chicken tikka
Ingredients
- 500 g boneless thigh pieces
- 2-3 green chillies adjust to your spiciness
- 10-12 cashews
- A handful of coriander leaves
- 2-3 mint leaves optional
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 tsp white pepper powder
- 1 tsp chaat masala
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 3 tbsp fresh cream
- 2 tbsp yoghurt/curd
- 2 tbsp corn flour
- 2 tsp dried kasuri methi leaves crushed
- 1-2 tbsp water for grinding
- Salt to taste
Mint-Coriander Dip
- 1 cup fresh coriander leaves
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves
- 1 –2 green chillies
- 1 small garlic clove optional
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp yoghurt optional, for creaminess
- Salt to taste
- 1 –2 tbsp water as needed
To serve
- Lemon
- Onion rings
Instructions
- Start by washing the boneless chicken thigh pieces and patting them completely dry. Cut them into medium-sized pieces (roughly 1–1.5 inch chunks) and set aside.500 g boneless thigh pieces
- In a grinder, add cashews, green chillies, coriander leaves, mint leaves (if using), and 1–2 tablespoons of water. Blend into a smooth, thick paste.2-3 green chillies, 10-12 cashews, A handful of coriander leaves, 2-3 mint leaves, 1-2 tbsp water
- Transfer the chicken to a mixing bowl. Add the ground paste and mix well so every piece is coated. Then add ginger-garlic paste, white pepper powder, chaat masala, lemon juice, garam masala, crushed kasuri methi, salt, yoghurt, fresh cream, and corn flour. Mix thoroughly until the marinade is creamy and evenly coats the chicken.2 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, 1 tsp white pepper powder, 1 tsp chaat masala, ½ tsp garam masala, 3 tbsp fresh cream, 2 tbsp yoghurt/curd, 2 tbsp corn flour, 2 tsp dried kasuri methi leaves, Salt to taste
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1 hour, to let the flavours absorb.
Oven Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. Before placing the chicken, lightly brush the grill rack with oil to prevent sticking and help achieve a better golden, tandoori-style finish.
- Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers and place them on a baking tray or grill rack. Cook for about 15–20 minutes, turning every 10 minutes so they cook evenly.
- Note: Chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 75°C.
- Be careful not to overcook, as this can dry out the chicken.
Stovetop Method
- Heat a grill pan and add a little butter or oil. Place the marinated chicken (or skewers) on the hot pan and grill on medium heat. Keep turning every few minutes so the chicken cooks evenly on all sides and develops light grill marks.
- Once the chicken is fully cooked on the grill pan, transfer it directly to an open flame (gas burner) for a few minutes. Rotate the chicken continuously so it gets a nice smoky char and tandoori-style finish on the outside.
- Be careful not to hold it too long on the flame—just enough to get that light charring without drying it out.
- Squeeze fresh lemon juice before serving. Enjoy hot with dip and onion rings.Lemon, Onion rings
For the Dip
- Blend everything together into a smooth chutney. Add a little water only if needed to adjust consistency. Taste and adjust salt or lemon.1 cup fresh coriander leaves, ½ cup fresh mint leaves, 1 –2 green chillies, 1 small garlic clove, 2 tsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp yoghurt, Salt to taste, 1 –2 tbsp water
- This dip cuts through the richness of malai tikka and adds freshness.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Malai Chicken Tikka is a popular Indian grilled chicken dish made with boneless chicken pieces marinated in cream, yoghurt, cashews, herbs, and mild aromatic spices. It is known for its creamy texture, tender bite, and rich flavour.
Malai Tikka Chicken has a mild and creamy flavour compared to traditional spicy tikka recipes. The amount of green chilli and spices can be adjusted according to your preferred spice level.
Yes, you can cook them on a grill pan or stovetop. For a smoky tandoori-style finish, lightly char the cooked chicken over an open flame.
Boneless chicken thighs are ideal for Malai Tikka as they remain juicy and tender after grilling. Chicken breast can also be used but may require extra care to avoid dryness.
For the best flavour and tenderness, marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes. Ideally, refrigerating it for 1–2 hours allows the spices and creamy marinade to absorb better.
Yes, you can prepare and marinate the chicken in advance and store it in the refrigerator until ready to cook. Cooked Tikka can also be reheated gently to maintain its softness.
Malai Tikka Chicken is delicious served with mint-coriander chutney, lemon wedges, onion rings, naan, roti, or as part of a festive Indian meal.
Using chicken thighs, adding yoghurt and cream to the marinade, and avoiding overcooking helps keep the chicken tender and juicy.
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