New Year’s resolutions fall right into place when it comes to Tikkas…eat healthy and you don’t have to go and spend a bundle on eating out! Make this wonderful, quick and easy dish that will have you looking good and yes, keep the money where it is supposed to be – in your wallet. We have provided the Chicken Tikka recipe for the die-hard-chicken-lovers and no, we have not forgotten our vegetarians – try the protein-packed Paneer tikkas as a wonderful alternative perfect for everyone. And before you ask…yes, this is the very same ‘tikka’ that goes into the ever popular dish – Chicken/Paneer Tikka Masala!
Ingredients:
Boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs – 1 lb, cut to bite size pieces
OR
Paneer – 14oz block, cut into 1” cubes
Marinade:
Lemon Juice – 1 tbsp
Red Chili Powder – to taste
Salt – to taste
Yogurt – 1/2 cup
Ginger & Garlic Paste – 4 tsp
Tandoori Masala – 2 tsp
Green Chilies – to taste, minced
Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
Cumin Powder – 1 tsp
Oil – 1 tbsp
Method:
1. Chicken – wash, clean and cut to bite size pieces. Paneer – Cut to bite size pieces.
2. Put the Chicken/Paneer in a bowl and add lemon juice to it.
3. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes.
4. Mix the marinade ingredients in a zip lock. Mix well.
5. Check for salt and other spices.
6. Add Chicken/Paneer to the marinade and mix well.
7. Let the Chicken/Paneer marinate for 4-5 hours in the refrigerator.
8. Thread the Chicken/Paneer on pre-soaked bamboo skewers.
9. Broil the Chicken/Paneer in the oven on high.
10.Cook the Chicken for 10 minutes on each side and the Paneer 10 minutes one side and 7 minutes on the other…or till the Chicken/Paneer are slightly brown.
11.Once fully cooked, remove from the oven and garnish with onions and lemon wedges and serve with Mint Chutney.
Tips:
1. The Paneer and the Tandoori Masala can be made at home or can bought at any Indian grocery store.
2. This recipe works very well for the barbeque as well…makes for great appetizers and snacks.
3. Every oven is different and vary…so do keep an eye on the Chicken/Paneer, so it does not burn.
4. We prefer mixing and marinating the Paneer in a bowl, as it is very soft and can break very easily.
Hi Hetal and Anuja. I’ve tried several of your recipes, they are all good, I especially learnt how to make paneer from your video directions and it worked out quite well. Now i’d like to learn how to cook chillie paneer, the sort of wet chineese recipe. i’l be really gratefull if you can help me with one such recipe.
Thank you so much
Alia
Hi Alia,
We will put chili paneer on our list to do. Thanks!
Hey guys:)
Love you & Keep up your great work. I am desperately looking for an orangish color Chicken tikka masala curry recipe. I found couple of them in different sites, but couldn’t find the one w/that orangish creamy color. Please do let me know. Appreciate it.
Hi Sherin,
If you have had Chicken Tikka Masala in Indian restaurants, they usually use food coloring to get the orangish color.
wonderful recipe..!! mouthwatering…:)
What is the recipe word pre-soaked skewers ?
thx
Hi SD,
Pre-soaked skewers are just plain wooden skewers that have been soaked in water so that they don’t burn.
Hi Hetal n Anuja,
I’ve been trying recipes from your website.
I have a BBQ event coming up, I plan to make Paneer tikkas on BBQ grill. My question is — how to avoid oversoaking the paneer in the marinade, so as to avoid it from breaking off or to avoid water ooze out from it.?
Should I take some specific Paneer?
Regards,
Geetanjali
Hmmm… I prepared chicken tikka masala (curry version) slightly different (easy) way and it looks different too… but it turned out to be tasty. Here’s the link to my recipe:
http://www.bestofkanchan.com/indian-recipes/chicken-tikka-masala/
-Kanchan.
Looks good, Kanchan, thanks for sharing 🙂
Hi Hetal n Anuja,
Just tried paneer tikka today.It tasted good but while it was in oven it was letting out water(think from curd).Actually I used thick curd for marinating paneer, but still there was water in the tray. Also I kept 10 mins on each side(you had recommended 10 on one side and 7 min on the other), still there was some raw paneer left in the middle of the thread or one side was cooked while other side remained raw. I did flip them after 10 mins. Lastly there wasnt that “yellow” color, even though I had added tandoori masala from store.Please help.
Hey Anuja,
I really appreciate you helping us new cooks! 🙂
Today I tried making some tikkas..but the paneer which I had kept in the freezer after letting it thaw for a while started breaking into small pieces while cutting it into cubes. I wasn’t able to get the perfect cubes like you do..the edges were uneven and a lot of crumbled small pieces. Can you tell me where I went wrong?
Thanks
I have had the same problem. Can someone please help?
Hi Ap & priya,
Here are a few tips:
– Semi-freeze the paneer before you skewer 9if you are using skewers)
– check out our Paneer video (we talk about adding some maida and kneading the paneer so it holds shape)
hope that helps 🙂
Hey Guys,
You two are doing an amazing work out there..thanks!
I had a question–if I put the tikkas on the skewers how do i place them in the oven? and can i add onions in between the paneer pieces? And what will happen to the flipping part?
thanks
Hi ap,
Thanks for the compliment 🙂
Regarding using skewers: Thread the paneer or the chicken on the skewer and balance it on the oven tray. Both the ends of the skewer should be resting on the 2 sides of the baking tray – hope that makes sense 🙂 Onions will go very well with the Paneer and it will be good if you can turn/flip the skewers once one top side is done 🙂
Enjoy!
Thanks!! 🙂
Hello Hetal and Anuja,
I have tried this recipe more than an year ago from your website…i donno if i did something wrong…but placing the skewars resting on the sides of baking tray made the juice from chicken drip into the tray and it became very dry and hard while eating. Pls gimme some ideas…as i am throwing a party soon.
Hi Renu,
It is normal for the juices to drip off to the side. However, if the chicken is getting dry, you could baste it with additional marinade to moisten it.
Thanks for the reply hetal.
I am just checking this. Anyways i tried the same idea of basting it with the juices that got dripped and it was great. Actually i think i missed something last time and it was too dry. This time i followed the instructions and it was perfect.
Dear Hetal and Anuja,
Thank you so much for publishing this recipe. It was absolutely delicious and so easy to make. Thank you : )
Hi Hetal and Anuja,
thanks to sharing this wounderful receipe and i have no idea there is very wounderful receipe’s site and actually i’m looking for( Kabab Kadhi ) Receipe if u have that receipe so please send me that link
thank u very much
god bless u both of them
Hi,
I recently got married and relocated to sydney. Tried quite a few recipe’s from your site and it turned out very well.
I plan to make the paneer and chicken tikka as im throwing a party at my house, but my oven doesnt have the broiler function.
My oven is fan forced and has grill function.
Could you please suggest how i go about cooking the paneer and chicken tikka?
Hi Sindhu,
The grill function should work in terms of getting the chicken/paneer cooked. You may not get the brown color quickly. You can see our video for Reshmi Kebab where we show methods for using the oven as well as the stove top.
Thanks Hetal. Thought id try them out atleast once before the party next week and i must say it turned out awesome!! My hubby loved it.Thank you so much!
hi,
I’m a big fan of your website. When I came from india, I just really don’t know how to cook gujju food. Thanks to you. And, I have a small question for the paneer tikka recipe, Can I use the chicken tikka masala to merinate paneer tikka? I hope it doesn’t make any difference.
Thanks,
Soniya M.
Hi Hetal and Anuja
Have been following your website since I moved to Canada from India!
I want to make paneer tikkas, but I do not have skewers. Is it possible to cook them in a cookie baking tray? I will use foil and oil. I was wondering if the masala will get stuck and if everything will just come out aweful.
Could you suggest something?
Thanks!
Hi Archi,
You can definitely use a baking tray but we suggest using the broil feature of the oven and not bake. Place the tray close to the top of the oven and broil until you get a nice browning effect. You will have to flip the paneer over once and broil again. Using foil is a must and you can use a spray oil can to lightly coat the foil. A little bit of the masala will get stuck to the foil but it doesn’t hurt the tikkas. Be sure you’ve marinated them for a while so that they have absorbed the flavor.
Thanks so much!
And do you think it might work without the Tandoori Masala?
Or is there a substitute?
can I use curry powder instead of tandoori masala?
Yes, you can substitute one for another. The flavor will be different but still very good.
Can I make this the same way as in for Reshmi Kababs on stove top?
Hi Ria,
Yes, You can cook the same way that you do the Reshmi Kebab. Also, no need to add any oil.
Enjoy:)
Hi,
The above recipe looks super yummy and I wanna try it. I have a doubt though:
I want to use the broiler for chicken tikka. I have 3 racks in the oven. Can I use the 2nd and the 3rd rack for the tikkas if I have to make them for a crowd? Can the heat reach the 3rd rack if I place something on the 2nd rack? Thanks
Unfortunately, the heat does not reach the 2nd and 3rd rack, so you will have to cook them in stages.
What you can do is make a batch and once it is done, transfer it to a baking tray and wrap it completely with foil (so they don’t dry up). Then keep this tray in the 2nd or 3rd rack of the oven while your next batch is cooking.
Hi Hetal and Anuja!
I was wondering if you had a recipe for the gravy for Paneer/Chicken Tikka Masala. Thanks!
Chris
Hi,
I want to try tanduri chicken as well as paneer on charcoal barbecue grill. Could you please tell me approximately how much will it take?
Also, what shouId do i in order to avoid charcoals strong smell? Shall I wrap chicken in foil? Thanks!!
Can you please tell me from where i could buy bamboo skewers?
Thanks …
All American grocery stores carry them, including stores like Target, Walmart etc.
Hi Shruti,
You should be able to use your Panini grill. You may have to lightly grease it so that the paneer doesn’t stick to it. Just cook it until you get a nice golden brown color.
hi hetal and anuja,
i have not yet tried ur looking yummy paneer tikka but i vl try soon, i have a question can i make your panner tikka on open panini maker as to grill?
i have tried 3 receipe nd it turned out so good it felt like i was eating in resturant. my husband is fan of this receipe. thank u so much for helping new married couple nd 2 every1.
i have request for u if u know kadi paneer than pls do share with ur fans.
hi hetal and anuja,
that as asowme and just great…
i have 1 question do you girls know how to make masala dosa?…
thanks
Hi Hetal and Anuja,
Thanks for your prompt response. I’m looking forward to see Kathiyavadi recipes on your website.
Cheers,
Rachita
Hi Rachita,
We’ll surely try to get some Kathiyavadi recipes on our list to do. In the mean time, we have a few Indian Chinese recipes here on our website:
Hot & Sour Soup – https://34.233.61.50/2008/01/21/hot-and-sour-soup-indian-chinese-version/
Sweet Corn Soup – https://34.233.61.50/2008/01/28/sweet-corn-soup-indian-chinese-version/
Gobi Manchurian – https://34.233.61.50/2008/03/10/gobi-cauliflower-manchurian-dry/
Hi Hetal and Anuja,
I’m living in Australia and one of my friend suggested to visit your website. I’ve tried your recipes and it work out really well!
I’ve tried to search high and low without success to get Kathiyavadi recipes on the internet. Would you please able to show (a) Lasaniya Bataka (b) Bajari / Juwar rotla?
Also, as may be aware that Indians are crazy to get Indian – Chiness food. Would you be able to provide a recipe for (a) Paneer Chilli (b) Hot and Sour soup Indian style?
I would highly appreciate your response.
Thanks and Regards,
Rachita
Hi Vandana,
Right now, we have one DVD that has a complete menu to host a party. It is called “Stress Free Party with SMTC” and is available on our website (in the right side bar). We may have others in the future.
I would like to get a set of dvds of your cooking for my kids -where can i get it
Thanks so much for the very quick response, Anuja. You guys are the best!Thans a lot!
Hi Bindu,
Parchment paper works just as well and you do not need to grease it (healthier option).
Thankyou so much Anuja. Really appreciate your suggestions and avise. I shall try it today. Btw, is parchment paper an option too? I saw them today at the store. Dint know if they are meant only for cookies.
Hi Bindu,
Yes, the tikkas can be made in the oven. You can use a baking sheet, line it with foil (optional but makes cleaning easier), grease the foil with cooking spray and then put a single layer of tikkas on it. We suggest you use the broil feature as mentioned in the recipe.
Hi Anuja and Hetal,
I have a question. When we make paneer tikkas in the oven, what is the best way to place them on the rack? baking sheets or regular foil? i tried foil and the masala all stuck to the foil. can you please suggest me? Thankyou for all your tips and recipes. My family enjoys them.
Hi Anuja n Hetal,
Thanks for the wonderful recipes you are showing for fresh starters like me.I have already made 3-4 recipes and all turned out to be fantabalous.
Please help me with a recipe for the American potluck in my office.
Thanks in advance and horray to your good work.
Shivani
hi! 1ce again. i no its not my bsness but can i ask where r both of u from
hi!I’m from Barbados n i watch yr videos often they’re awesome!!!!!!!
could you give us a recipe for chille chicken. Thanks!
Hey Hetal & Anuja!
I just wanted to drop you a note to say thank you for helping so many people out there create something realy amazing. I live way over in Toronto, Canada. I’m a pretty accomplished cook but always looking to try new things. I got hooked onto your videos one day and made dhoklas and mini kulfi’s (I used shooter cups) for a dinner party at my house. They were both so easy to follow!
P.S. I could be wrong, but I think you mention using eno in your recipe for the dhoklas but you don’t actually show when to out it it. I made it twice and figured, it goes at the end after the sitting period!
Hi Dennis,
We like ‘Raja’ brand of Tandoori Masala. It is available at most Indian Grocery stores. Hope you can find it.
Hi Anuja & Hetal,
The chicken Tikkas look absolutly yummy and I want to get it right the first time around so could you please let me know the best tandoori masala I can get from the Indian market??
Thanks
I made two big plates of these last night for a party and they were the gone in minutes! Thanks so much for making life easier!!
hey ! never knew u guys are from north texas! kewl! great job guys ! – yet another newbie benefiting from ur website.
Hi Gaja,
When you broil there is no temperature setting, usually it’s just high or low. For this recipe, you can broil on high – just keep an eye on it. You can only set the temperature when you use the oven for baking, not for broiling.
Hope this helps!
Hetal
HI Hetal and Anuja
.I have a doubt.is it oki to preheat oven in broil for 350 degree?thanks in advance
stupid recepie
Broiling is a bit different than baking, in that there is no temperature setting besides high and low. Broiling means that the heat comes from the top of the oven. You can turn the broil feature on and preheat the oven for a few minutes if you want, but it is not necessary.
Hi
Hetal and Anuja.your recipe is mouth watering & awsome.plz clarify my doubt we have to preheat the oven or directely ,can we on 200degree heat
hii!!!!!!!!!ur recipes r gr8 n really help us alot in our kitchen…but i wanted to ask u about how to present or serve paneer tikkas…
Hi Hetal and Anuja,
I tried out your Paneer Tikka recipe and it turned out great!!! I have linked this recipe in my blog to your website. I hope you do not mind!
Keep cooking 🙂
Sangeetha
Hi Vasantha, thanks for your feedback and kind words. Baking and broiling are very different. When we bake, the oven is at an even temperature and the food is cooked at an even heat from all directions. When broiling, the heat is usually a lot higher and from 1 or 2 direction(s). Hence, when we use the broil feature in the tikka recipe…we cook one side and then flip and cook the other. It gives the same effect as a tandoor.
Most but not all ovens have a ‘broil’ feature…you will have to look at the instruction book to see how to use it.
Hope this helps and Happy Cooking!
hi,
thanks for ur wonderful recipes…I tried out a few and they turned out awesome …I always had this question and never tried actually..what is the difference between baking and broiling…and i have this regular oven..can u tell me how to use the broil setting on my oven..
thanks
vasantha..