Oven-Roasted Chicken Tikka

Turmeric, paprika, and other spices give this chicken a unique flavor that's popular the world over.

Chef

Cookbook

Made in India

Published by Fig Tree

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Oven-Roasted Chicken Tikka

This image courtesy of David Loftus

Editor's Note: Chicken tikka is a Southeast Asian dish that's commonly seen on the menu of Indian food restaurants. This Oven-Roasted Chicken Tikka recipe is a delicious way to bring the flavor of Indian recipes to your home cooking. Turmeric, paprika, and other spices give this chicken a unique flavor that's popular the world over. It's a great dish to make for a dinner party, and your guests will be hooked on the flavor of this Indian chicken recipe from then on!

The chicken tikka you find in restaurants is normally so luminously orange you could see it from space. Our family recipe is much tastier and nowhere near as brightly colored. We use chicken thighs, which are nice and juicy, and dress our chicken tikka with a sharp mint and yogurt chutney. If you fancy something fresh on the side, my chaat salad is perfect. If you have any leftovers, chicken tikka is great in sandwiches and wraps with a bit of cucumber, tomato, onion, and chutney. Or you could always make some chicken tikka masala. Skewers aren't necessary, but they look nice and help divide quantities. If you use them, soak them in advance to avoid burning them in the oven.

Serves4 to 6

Cooking MethodRoasting

CostModerate

Easy

Make Ahead RecipeYes

OccasionCasual Dinner Party

Recipe CourseMain Course

Dietary ConsiderationEgg-free, Gluten-free, Peanut Free, Soy Free, Tree Nut Free

MealDinner

Taste and TextureSavory, Spiced

Ingredients

Canola oil
1 1/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 3/4-inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1 fresh green chili, roughly chopped
Salt
1/2 cup whole-milk yogurt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon garam masala

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two oven trays with parchment paper and coat them with a very thin layer of oil.
Pick the chicken thighs over to remove any excess fat, then chop into small pieces, around 1 x 3/4 inch, and set to one side in a bowl.
Using a mortar and pestle, bash the ginger, garlic, and green chili with a pinch of salt until it turns into a paste. Add the paste to the chicken pieces, followed by the rest of the ingredients and 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt (or to taste). Mix thoroughly and cover. Leave to marinate for at least 15 minutes and up to a few hours (the longer the better).
Shake any excess marinade off the chicken (or else you'll end up with a curry) and distribute the chicken between the two oven trays, so that you don't crowd them. Cook for around 20 minutes, turning the pieces over after 10 minutes so that they cook evenly.
Serve the chicken tikka with some salad leaves or chaat salad, and drizzle with mint and yogurt chutney.

More Indian Recipes from Meera Sodha
Born in England and a published cookbook author, Meera Sodha is a food blogger who is well known for using traditional Indian techniques and new seasonal ingredients to create delicious fusion dishes.

Check out a few more of her tasty Indian recipes:

1. Wild Mushroom Pilau
2. Bombay Eggs
3. Whole Roast Masala Chicken
4. Jumbo Shrimp with Garlic and Mustard Seeds Slow-Cooked Lamb and Spinach Curry