Chicken Kebab or Chicken Tikka or Chicken Tikka Kebab...something laal with something peela!!!

Chicken Kebab or Chicken Tikka or Chicken Tikka Kebab…that were made and served with Saffron rice…

Chicken Kebab or Chicken Tikka or Chicken Tikka Kebab

Ingredients:

• Chicken thigh, Boneless and skinless, 500 gms
• Bell peppers, yellow, red or both
• Oil, for greasing the skillet, grill or baking sheet

  

For the marinade:

(To be used for proportions, adjust according to quantity)

• Plain Yogurt/Dahi, ½ cup 
• Paprika or Kashmiri Red chili powder, 1 tsp (for color) 
• Red chili powder, ½ tsp
• Black pepper powder, ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder, a pinch
• Cumin powder, 1 tsp
• Cinnamon powder, ½ tsp
• Garlic, minced, 3 cloves
• Tomato Ketchup, 1 tbsp (optional)
• Lemon juice, 1 tsp
• Oil, 1 tsp
• Salt, to taste

Instructions:

Remove most of the fat from the thighs and cut them into 1- 1½ one inch long pieces. Wash and pat dry.

In a medium non-reactive bowl, whisk the yogurt well and then add the rest of the ingredients mentioned under the marinade.

Toss in the chicken and mix well with the marinade. Cover the bowl and let it marinate for at least a couple of hours or overnight. (if overnight, add salt just before skewering and mix well; not while marinating)

  

Soak bamboo skewers in cold water for at least half an hour.

Thread the chicken onto the skewers, folding and alternating with peppers without over cramming.

You can grill or bake them in the oven as well but most of the time I prefer doing mine on the tawa/griddle. 

Oil the tawa and heat on high flame. 

Place the skewers on the tawa and brown on all sides – about a minute on each side. 

Reduce the flame to medium low, cover the tawa and let the kebabs cook for about 10-15 minutes till cooked through – turn once in between. 

Remove the cover and then about cook for about 30 seconds on high on each side.

IMO, this method gives the best char, colour and the most succulent chicken pieces with the least amount of effort and time at home.

Serve as snacks with green chutney or as a meal with salad or with Saffron rice.

Notes:

• Ketchup (since it has sugar) helps with the colour and charring, you can avoid if using a grill.

• This tastes best using chicken thighs, but if using chicken breasts the above method works best without drying out the meat. Though must marinate overnight.

• You can add onions cut into wedges and petals separated along with or instead of bell peppers or even cherry tomatoes.