Chicken Tikka
Tikka is an Indian dish of meat marinated in spices. For chicken tikka I mix the spices with whole milk yogurt, which helps tenderize the chicken. I thread chunks of chicken on wooden skewers before grilling them, and serve as a party appetizer with yogurt dipping sauce or over a bed of rice. If you like a little heat, add some red pepper flakes to the marinade.
Ingredients
Serves 8-10
Chicken Tikka:
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons finely grated peeled ginger
4 teaspoons ground turmeric
2 teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 cups whole-milk yogurt
1 tablespoon kosher salt
3 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts
12-15 wooden skewers, soaked in water
Yogurt Dip:
1 cup whole milk yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Zest of one lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
Process
Chicken:
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except chicken and stir well. Cut chicken into cubes or long 1” thick pieces. Put chicken into the marinade and refrigerate for at least one hour. You can marinate for up to 4 hours. Remove chicken pieces and thread on the soaked wooden skewers (the purpose of soaking them is to prevent them from burning). If you prefer to leave a long piece of skewer (for a handle), cover with foil before going onto the grill or broiler. You can cook these two different ways, by grilling or broiling in the oven. If grilling, place the skewers on a hot grill rack and cook about 3 minutes per side, until chicken is cooked through. If broiling, set your oven broiler to high heat and put the upper oven rack 6” below the broiling unit at the top of the oven. Line a broiler pan with foil and spray with non-stick cook spray. Place chicken skewers on foil and broil for 9-12 minutes, until browned and done. Depending on your broiler, it could take longer. Remove from oven (or grill) and serve with yogurt dip.
Yogurt Dip:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and let sit for 30 minutes before serving. Keeps in the refrigerator for 3 days.
