Very flavorful Smoky Grilled Chicken Tikki Kebabs are a perfect appetizer to please the crowd. Chicken chunks with vegetables marinated in a rich sauce and grilled to perfection on skewers.
Have you ever heard of Grilled Chicken Tikki Kebabs?
You might have tried a popular Indian delicacy by the name of Chicken Tikka Masala in any Indian restaurant. The chicken pieces that are used in this curry are basically smoky kebabs. In India, they use a tandoor oven which is sort of a furnace to make dishes like these Tikka Kebabs, Naan Bread (Indian Flatbread), Tandoori Chicken etc.
Today I will be sharing with you this Smoky Grilled Chicken Tikka Kebabs recipe. If you are a fan of Indian flavors and spices, you will definitely love this recipe.
Smoky Grilled Chicken Tikki Kebabs Recipe
These chicken kebabs are rich, tasty, smoky, irresistible, full of flavor, and easy to make! These are perfect for appetizers, potlucks, and summer picnics. If you have leftovers, you can easily make a chicken tikka masala curry out of it. Or you can simply wrap them in a flatbread with some greens and dressing or sauce like these naan bread wraps for lunch or dinner.
How to make these grilled chicken tikka kebabs?
Marination is the most important step in this recipe. The longer you marinate, the more flavorful the chicken and veggies will be.
Prepare the marinade by adding garam masala, chili powder, salt, minced ginger, garlic, and some lime juice to the greek yogurt. Use of greek yogurt is recommended because it is thick and has less water compared to regular yogurt. You need to keep the water levels in the marinade as low as possible for quick grilling. Cook the marinated chicken and vegetables on skewers on a barbecue grill or a preheated oven. If you have a charcoal grill, it’s even better. You’ll get a nice smoky flavor in the kebabs!
Serve these perfectly cooked kebabs with some mint yogurt sauce. These kebabs taste great on their own even without dipping sauce or chutney.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb skinless boneless chicken thigh cut into 1" cubes
- 1 red and 1 green pepper cut into 1" pieces
- 2 small red onions diced into 1" size
- 3/4 cup full-fat greek yogurt (or fat-free)
- 1 tbsp red chili powder (or more)
- 1 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 2-3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- oil spray
- salt
- 1 cup greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup coconut flakes
- 2 small garlic cloves
- 1 jalapeno seeded
- 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder
- salt
Instructions
- Prepare the marinade using yogurt, ginger, garlic, garam masala, chili powder, lime juice, and salt.
- Add cubed chicken and vegetables. Mix well to evenly coat the marinade on chicken and vegetables. Keep in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours.
- Meanwhile, prepare the yogurt sauce. Combine all the ingredients listed under yogurt sauce in a blender and blend until it gets to a smooth consistency.
- Soak the skewers in water for at least 15 minutes to avoid burning during grilling or baking.
- Assemble the marinated chicken and vegetables on a skewer alternately.
- Spray oil on the preheated barbecue grill rack. Place the assembled skewers on the rack allowing for some space between the skewers. Grill them for 10-15 minutes on medium heat each side or until well done.
- Alternatively, if using an oven, preheat the oven to its highest temperature (mine is 550ºF). Bake kebabs for 15 minutes on the middle rack of the oven. Then flip them and bake further for 12-15 minutes.
- Serve with prepared yogurt sauce (aka chutney).
Notes
Home Chef Tips: Keep an eye on the kebabs towards the end of cooking to avoid burning.
Marinate chicken for more than 2 hours to make the kebabs even more flavorful.
These kebabs taste great even without chutney or sauce.
We hope you love this Smoky Grilled Chicken Tikka Kebabs recipe from SoFabFood Contributor, Swati from Watch What U Eat, as much as we do. If you enjoyed this recipe and you’re trying to get ready for any upcoming parties you may be hosting or attending, be sure to stop by our Outdoor Grilling section for more amazing recipes. For daily recipe inspiration, subscribe to our newsletter, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Pinterest. Enjoy!
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