Quick Skillet Chicken Tikka Recipe....step by step.

Quick chicken tikka is an easy stove top method of making restaurant style chicken tikka on a skillet or tawa, right in your kitchen. You can make tikka even if you do not own an oven or even a grill, chicken tikka is one of the most popular dish of India, chicken cubes is marinated in yogurt with a blend of spices....this yogurt makes the chicken tender, soft, and juicy.

During one of our road travels; we had lunch once from a Punjabi "Dhaba" (these are highway roadside restaurants or cafes on all highways and outskirts of cities or towns or even villages; open 24/7). That day, it was past noon time and the Punjabi Bhai (Bhai is referred as brother) served us this hot spicy tender tikka and we devoured on it and asked for a second helping....and then after having the hearty meal, I visited the kitchen and the chef gave me his "special tikka recipe"...translated by Homey...(I don't speak Hindi, but my husband and kids does). After reaching home; I made the recipe exactly and it was perfect.....since then I make this for special occasions or when my kids demand something "restaurant like" really quick.

You need to marinated this in homemade curd or plain yogurt for at least 2 hours; though Punjabi Dhaba had traditional Indian Tandoors; for quick and easy tikkas, I prefer to cook this on my skillet or tawa, though sometimes use my skillet pan.....but .if I have all the time to myself I grill in the oven.....personally for me stove top skillet tikka method is quick and easy...with just the minimum oil. I have used tandoori masala and chat masala in this recipe; it does give a very restaurant taste to it, maybe because of "kala namak" black salt or other spices.
Read about chicken tikka here.

Chicken tikka, a perfect appetizer for parties...always a crowd puller. A low calorie starter.

Author: Nisa Homey.
Serves: 3-4.
Yield: 8 skewers.

Ingredients:
Boneless chicken breasts: 300 gm, cut into cubes.
Kashmiri chilli powder: 1 1/2 tsp.
Garam masala: 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp.
Chat masala: 1/2 tsp.
Tandoori masala: 1/2 tsp.
Ginger garlic paste: 1 tsp, heaped.
Ajwain: A fat pinch.
Kasuri methi leaves: 1 tsp.
Lime juice: Juice of half lime.
Curd/yogurt: 1/4 cup...or maybe a little more.
Salt: 1 tsp or according to your taste.

To assemble:
Skewers: 8
Capsicum: 1, cut into cubes.
Tomato: 2-3, cut into cubes.
Onion: 2, cut into large cubes and separated.
Oil 1/2 tbsp for each time (with this chicken, I got 8 skewers of tikka)

Method:
Add all the spices to the chicken.

Mix all well, and allow the marinated chicken to stay in fridge for up to 2 hours....if you are really quick then 1 hour at least is needed.

Meanwhile, in a tall glass or jar or whatever tall stuff you have...fill it with water and soak the wooden skewers.....the jar I got was not tall enough so, I changed sides of the skewers after sometime....soaking the skewers is important as this will help them from catching fire while grilling.

Cube the tomatoes, capsicum, and onion and keep aside. After the chicken was done marinating; I wove the chicken into the skewers alternating with the tomatoes, onion, and capsicum.

Then drizzled 1/2 tbsp of oil on my grill pan and place them gently on it.

Covered it and allowed the chicken to get cooked slowly.....simmer the fire all through out.

If you do not own a grill pan no worries....heat a skillet or tawa (I used my roti making tawa) with 1/2 tbsp of oil and place them on the hot oil, simmer the fire....cover it and let it get cooked ....turn to the other side after sometime....keep an eye on it otherwise it might get burned..

Notes: I cooked only two skewers each time, and drizzled only 1/2 tbsp oil. You can brush left over marinade on the chicken while one side is getting cooked. Since the chicken is cut into small piece and it is soaked in yogurt, it will get cooked really fast...and will be very tender.
If you own a grill, go ahead and grill it....or have oven...grill it in oven for 15-20 min at 180 degree C in a preheated oven.

Serve with Indian flat bread/roti or as a starter.

Homemade skinny chicken tikkas....for you....enjoy:)

Other options to serve: You can wrap it in Indian flatbread/roti...for kids lunch box.

Did you enjoy this recipe? then there are other recipes you might love, here is a few...
Quick Bhatura.(no fermenting needed)