published Aug 25, 2021, updated Jun 22, 2023 Kebab recipes are fantastic to make for meals during the warm weather months. They take very little time to prep and they cook up quickly, but even better, you grill them outdoors, so your kitchen stays cool! They’re versatile, too; you can customize the ingredients for the skewers based on what you have on hand. Have some ground beef to use? Place a few Moroccan ground beef kabobs on the grill. If beef isn’t your favorite, make Persian lamb koobideh or Russian pork kabobs instead. Of course, there are plenty of ways to turn chicken into a grilled meal as well, including this recipe for Indian chicken skewers!That being said, if you don’t own a grill, or you prefer to cook inside because it’s too hot to be outdoors, you can bake your kebabs in the oven instead.
Chicken Tikka Kebab
Cuisine: Asian / Indian The flavors in this dish are similar to those of chicken tikka masala, a popular Indian curry. When your culinary travels take you through Asia, plan a visit to India. They offer some of the world’s best street foods, including grilled tikka kabab! Course: Entree or AppetizerPreparation: Baked or GrilledRecipe difficulty: Easy 🥄Description:Small pieces of boneless, skinless chicken, marinated in yogurt and Indian spices, then threaded onto skewers to be grilled or baked. Often, onion, bell pepper, or other vegetables are included.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Boneless, skinless chicken– Either thighs or breast meat may be used. I prefer thighs because they are higher in fat, which helps to keep the meat tender and juicy. Vegetables– I add wedges of red onion, red bell pepper and green bell pepper to my tikka kebab, which are all optional. Feel free to use different veggies, or add others if desired.Good choices are mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, and even sweet tropical fruits like mango or pineapple would be fantastic.
For Tikka Marinade
Yogurt– Any variety of plain flavor dairy or non-dairy yogurt works well. I use Greek yogurt for this recipe. Indian spices– The spices in the marinade are common for Indian cuisine; turmeric, cumin, coriander, dried fenugreek, garam masala seasoning, and kashmiri chile powder. I prefer homemade garam masala.
Can’t find kashmiri chili powder? Not a problem!If you’re in the U.S. and are unable to find kashmiri powder, substitute it with an equal amount of smoked paprika, with a bit of cayenne pepper added for spiciness.
Raw cashews– Be sure to use raw nuts if possible, not roasted or smoked. Raw nuts have a neutral flavor, and they blend into a creamier consistency as well. For this chicken tikka kebab recipe, walnuts are a good substitute for the cashews.
Serving Suggestions for Chicken Tikka Kebab
The skewers are great on their own, but even better with a squeeze of lime juice, some chopped cilantro, and pudina chutney for dipping. Good sides are rice or grilled vegetables, and warm roti, naan or other flatbread. Love this recipe? Share it with the world on Pinterest.
