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MURGH MALAI TIKKA

PUBLISHED ON:JUNE 22, 2020 BY:RUCHI

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Murgh Malai Tikka

Say hello to the most tender and juicy

Murgh Malai Tikka! This chicken tikka
smothered in a wet rub of yogurt, warm
spices, and fresh herbs is simply the best.

Grill them on a stovetop, oven, or outdoor

BBQ, and these tikkas will surely rock
your party! Who knows, this might soon
become your new summer grilling favorite
recipe.

Who doesn’t love tikkas and that too on a

stick? There’s something irresistibly fun
and exciting about devouring food on a
stick!

Don’t you agree – it looks so appealing

and inviting.

And since summer is the official grilling

season, hence, I am going to spice up my
dinner tonight with my favorite – Murgh
Malai tikka!

WHAT IS MURGH MALAI

TIKKA?
Let me take a quick break here for those
who are not familiar with the term Murgh
Malai tikka.

Murgh Malai tikka is an Indian chicken

dish where marinated chicken pieces are
grilled over charcoal.

In this term – Murgh malai tikka, Murgh

means chicken; Malai means cream, and
tikka refers to pieces of meat or veggies
marinated in a spicy mix.

Collectively, it means – chicken pieces

marinated in a spicy cream-based
mixture.

WHAT MAKES UP MURGH

MALAI TIKKA RECIPE?
This malai chicken recipe calls for a
combination of flavorful ingredients, and
they include-

» Chicken– I prefer to cook tikkas with

boneless skinless chicken breasts. But it
will work with any kind of chicken meat.

» Lemon juice – helps to tenderize the

meat and adds a fresh pop of flavor.

» First set of marinade – cashew paste,

ginger-garlic paste, cornstarch, green
chilies, and a blend of spices like – green
cardamom powder, salt, cumin powder,
red chili powder, and garam masala
powder*, perks up the flavor quotient of
this marinade.

*If no garam masala powder on hand,

then curry powder will also suffice.

» The second set of marinade

includes-

» Yogurt – use thick unsweetened yogurt

for this recipe. Use homemade hung curd
or store-bought Greek yogurt. Yogurt
helps in tenderizing the chicken and also
helps in absorbing the lemon and spices
flavor more efficiently.

» Low-fat shredded mozzarella cheese

– sticks to the chicken and lends a
creamy and rich texture to this malai
tikka.

» Oil– smoked mustard oil adds a nice

earthy touch.

» Dried fenugreek leaves – a classic

Indian herb that adds tons of flavor to the
murgh malai tikka.

» Cream – help to balance out the heat

from the spices while adding a delicious
burst of flavor in every bite.

» Cilantro leaves– fresh cilantro leaves

are a real game-changer.

Now, that we know the role of each

ingredient in this murgh malai tikka; let’s
head to the kitchen and start cooking!

HOW TO MAKE MURGH

MALAI TIKKA?
This chicken malai tikka recipe starts with
the right chicken marinades.

Step 1– tenderize the meat.

Step 2– Marinade 1- I love this first
set of marinate because it is a
mixture of simple ingredients and a
blend of spices.
Step 3– Marinade 2- this marinade
infuses the chicken with and an extra
layer of flavor and creaminess.
Cream+yogurt+ cheese creates an
amazing saucy marinade that
moistens and infuse the flavor in
these tikkas.

STEP 1- TENDERIZE THE MEAT

1. Thoroughly rinse the chicken. Pat the
chicken dry with paper towels. Since we
are making tikkas here, cut the chicken
into 1-inch chicken cubes. Transfer the
chicken to a bowl.

2. Add salt.

3. Fresh lemon juice.

4. Toss it well. Allow the chicken to

marinate for 30 minutes. This marinade
gives the chicken a succulent bite.

STEP 2- MARINADE 1
5. Meanwhile, let’s prepare the first set of
marinate. In a large mixing bowl, add
cashew paste.

6. Stir in ginger-garlic paste, green

cardamom powder, and cornstarch.

7. Add green chilies, salt, cumin powder,

red chili powder, and garam masala
powder.

8. Mix until blended.

STEP 2- MARINADE 2
9. Add yogurt.

10. Cheese Murgh malai tikka

11. Add kasoori methi, cream, cilantro

leaves, and oil.

12. Mix to combine. Murgh malai tikka

13. Add the chicken pieces.

14. Mix to coat the murgh pieces evenly in

the malai marinade.

15. Cover and let the chicken marinate

overnight in the refrigerator.

16. Once the resting time is over, preheat

the oven 400 degrees F. Remove chicken
tikka from the fridge and thread the pieces
onto the skewers. Evenly divide the
cubes between 6 skewers.

17. Cook the murgh malai tikka for 25-30

minutes, turning halfway through to cook
evenly.

18. Remove from the oven. Generously

brush with butter and serve hot.

OTHER WAYS TO COOK

MURGH MALAI TIKKA?
Traditionally, tikkas are cooked in clay
ovens/tandoors. Murgh malai tikka grilled
over charcoal will be juicy, tender, and
have the best smoky flavor.

But if the weather is not favorable, you

can still get great results by cooking the
chicken tikka on skewers in an oven or a
grill pan. Or forego the skewers and cook
the chicken cubes in an air fryer.

Whether you grill the Murgh malai tikka

outside or on the stovetop, you will end up
with flavorful and delicious chicken every
time!

Plus, the aroma of murgh malai chicken,

when it is cooking, is outrageous and
simply hard to resist!

NOW FOR SOME FAQS AND

VARIATIONS!
» Will this recipe work for bone-in
chicken?
Absolutely! You can marinate chicken
thighs, chicken tenders, or chicken
drumsticks in this marinade. Though the
smaller the cut of meat, the less time it
will need to marinate.

For bone-in chicken, you will want to

marinate it for a full 8 hours.

» Can you freeze the chicken malai

tikka?
You sure can! This malai tikka makes an
excellent freezer meal. Allow the cooked
malai tikka to cool comfortable. Transfer
the chicken to a freezer-safe container or
a Ziploc bag, and it will store well for up to
2 months.

» Can this marination work for

veggies?
Oh yes! This marinade is great on
veggies and tofu.

» How long can you keep this tikka in

the fridge?
Your cooked murg malai tikka will stay
fresh and yummy for up to 3 days in the
fridge. For best results, store it in an
airtight container.

» Can you double this recipe?

Of course! This recipe is very adaptive
and can be scaled up and down to feed a
large gathering.

» Can you add veggies to this tikka?

You sure can! I think tikkas taste and look
all the more yummy when they are
spaced with vegetables. To match the
cooking time, I would suggest adding bell
peppers, zucchini, onions, or mushrooms
to the skewers.

WAYS TO SERVE THIS MURGH

MALAI TIKKA
There are many great ways to serve Murg
malai tikka. Here are some of my favorites
–

As a wrap- place these tikkas on

homemade chapatti (Indian bread),
top with some sliced onions, lettuce,
and green chutney and enjoy.
Serve over a bed of rice.
To make it a complete meal, pair the
tikkas with panchmel dal and
homemade tandoori roti.

This recipe is truly one of my favorite

summer-time grilling recipes, and
everyone loves it.

So, hop on and join the grilling train.

Fire up your grills and call your family and

friends for a delicious lunch and they’re
going to love this Murgh malai tikka that
has the perfect amount of smoky, juicy
flavors in every bite.

Trust me, this chicken tikka will have

everyone licking their fingers & plates!

Do let me know in the comments when

you make this recipe. Feel free to contact
me with any questions or inquiries, and I
would be happy to answer them.

CRAVING FOR MORE, TRY THESE

OTHER DELICIOUS CHICKEN
RECIPES!

Saag Chicken or Palak chicken

recipe

Baked herb chicken

Indian chicken curry

Chicken biryani

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 4TH,

2017. UPDATED AND POSTED THE RECIPE
AGAIN ON MAY JUNE 22ND, 2020 WITH
BETTER PICTURES AND TIPS!

Have you tried this recipe?

Leave a star rating by clicking on the
below!

MURG MALAI
TIKKA
Author : Ruchi
Tender and juicy Murgh Malai Tikka are
super easy to make and are bursting
with flavor. Smothered in homemade
marinade these tikkas will surely rock
your barbecue party!

4.50 from 22 votes