Tikkas – Chicken & Paneer

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.

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0 thoughts on “Tikkas – Chicken & Paneer

  1. Hi! ,

    I tried this recipe out and it was a big hut at a potluck. Love you guys.. you guys are the best!

    Love
    Gayathri

  2. Hi Anuja and Hetal,

    Both of you are doing a great job and being in a foreign land, your website has proved really helpful for me. Have learnt day-to-day cooking from your site and my husband just loves the dishes. So I am really happy.
    With regards to this video, it stops playing after around 1.10 mins so I dint get a chance to see your recipe. Do you have any other link for this video that I can refer to.
    Please let me know.

    Thanks a lot

  3. Hi, great job on the website! I often refer to it for inspiration and new recipes. I would like to make a restaurant style chicken tikka masala. What is the recipe for the sauce that would go with the above tikka recipe and the method for combining? Thank you.

    1. Hi Preeti,

      You could use our Butter Chicken sauce recipe and add the chicken tikkas. Make them separately and mix them at the end and heat all the way through.

  4. Hi,

    I saw a lot of queries and answers, but still have 1 question. My oven does not have a broiler option at all. It has just the temparature option. Can you kindly guide me how best to make paneer tikkas with it?.
    You 2 ladies r super super awesome. Your quantities are so precise that it takes away all the trouble one ingredient being more than the other :-). You ladies just rock!!!!

  5. Hi can you use a sil pat – the nonstick silicone baking sheet instead of foil or does the foil being able to attract heat work better for this dish?

  6. The recipe is very good . I used the same recipe for my outdoor gas grill, just that chicken and paneer were little dry. Can you pls tell me if I need to additional oil or cream in the marinade for moist chicken and paneer pieces. Also what is the best way to serve it , I mean do we need to serve it with any chutney. Pls guide me

    1. Hi Poonam,

      You can add a little extra oil if you like or you can use some of the leftover marinade to baste the chicken or paneer every now and then. Tikkas will definitely taste awesome with some coriander or mint chutney. Alternately, you can sprinkle some chaat masala and squeeze some lime/lemon juice over it.

    1. Hi Kanika,
      Yes, you can. keep in mind that chicken breast do not have a lot of fat so they tend to cook really fast and dry up quickly as well. Don’t cook as long as we have mentioned…

  7. hi i tried this recipe but was unable to thread the marinated paneer in the presoaked skewers..the paneer started breaking from the middle thru which the skewers pass…but then I placed them directly on the cookie sheet without greasing…it oozed water from the yogurt but after cooling they were yummy….
    is there any way i can use the skewers without breaking the paneers?

    1. Hi Deepali,

      Did you use homemade paneer or store bought? If homemade, you can try to add just a bit of all purpose flour while kneading the paneer to help it hold shape.

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