Chicken Tikka Kebabs

5 from 1 vote

These easy Chicken Tikka Kebabs are quick and simple to make – but packed full of flavour, thanks to my easy peasy chicken tikka marinade. And they are super flexible – you can grill them, griddle them, fry them or cook them on the barbecue – whatever you prefer!

Course BBQ, Main Course

Cuisine British, Fusion, Indian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 12

Total Time 22

Servings people

Calories 220kcal

Author Eb Gargano

Ingredients

Chicken Tikka Marinade

2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons garam masala
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ teaspoon chilli flakes (or to taste – see Note 1)
1 cm ginger grated
4 cloves garlic grated or crushed
1 tablespoon tomato puree
100 g plain yogurt (I used Yeo Valley Organic Natural Yogurt)
Juice of ½ a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste (see Note 2)

Chicken Tikka Kebabs

650 g chicken breast cut into large in chunks (roughly 2cm x 2cm)
2 tablespoons fresh coriander chopped (for garnish – optional)

You will also need…

4 metal skewers ideally flat skewers rather than rounded ones

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Place all the Chicken Tikka Marinade ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
Place your chicken chunks in the marinade and use your hands to ensure every piece of chicken is well coated in the marinade. (You can use a spoon if you don’t like getting your hands messy!)
If you have time, cover the bowl with clingfilm and place it in the fridge. Leave the chicken to marinate for 1-2 hours (or up to 24h if you can!)
If you don’t have the time, simply continue on with the recipe – it will still taste good!
Pre-heat your grill (broiler) as hot as it goes. (See notes for other cooking methods.)
Thread the chicken chunks onto the 4 metal skewers, ensuring that each skewer has roughly the same amount of chicken onto it. Push the pieces together so they are all touching – you should have plenty of space at the top and bottom of each skewer. (See Note 5.)
Place the skewers onto your grill tray and place the grill tray under your grill. The chicken should be very close to the grill – as close as possible without them actually touching the grill bars!
Grill the chicken for 6 minutes, then turn the skewers over and grill the other side for 6 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through in the middle and charred in places on the outside.
Serve scattered with fresh coriander.

Notes

Adjust the amount of chilli you use to suit your preferences: ¼ teaspoon (or none at all) for mild, ½ teaspoon for medium, 1 teaspoon (or more) for hot.
I recommend you use ½ teaspoon of salt here – it will really bring out the flavours of the marinade, without making it too salty.
If cooking on the barbecue… Place the skewers directly onto the grills of a pre-prepared barbecue – be sure to place them over a medium-hot spot to ensure the outside doesn’t burn before the inside is fully cooked. Cook the chicken for 6 minutes, then turn the skewers over and cook the other side for 6 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through in the middle and charred in places on the outside.
If cooking on a griddle pan / frying pan… Place your pan over a medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Then place the skewers directly onto the pan. Cook the chicken for 6 minutes, then turn the skewers over and cook the other side for 6 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through in the middle and charred in places on the outside.
I recommend threading the skewer through each piece of chicken TWICE – go in through the bottom and then back out through the top – kind of like sewing. This ensures each piece of chicken is more ‘stable’ on the skewer and should stop the chicken spinning round on the skewers. For the same reason, I recommend using flat metal skewers rather than rounded ones.
Suitable for freezing.
Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

Nutrition