Murg Malai Tikka Kabab (Chicken Malai Tikka Skewers)

This Chicken Malai Tikka is melt-in-your-mouth tender. I usually marinate this on Sunday afternoons, cover and store it in the coolest part of the refrigerator then pull it out midweek two hours before I want to make dinner, thread the chicken on bamboo skewers and air fry them for 12- 15 minutes for the most juicy succulent chicken.

I find the longer I marinate the chicken the more tender and juicy it turns out, then I serve these over a salad, stuffed inside a fluffy naan, or between a flakey paratha with smothered with spicy green chutney.

Turn any leftovers into a Mumbai Style Chicken Frankie.

If you don’t want to use pre-packaged Tandoori or Tikka mix, I have recipes for homemade mixes below!

Ingredients:

2 Chicken breasts, skinless, boneless (1 and 1/2 pounds cut into equal-sized medium chunks 1.5 inch cubes)
1/2 onion, thinly sliced or grated
8 tablespoons heavy cream (1/2 cup)
4 tablespoonsplain Greek yoghurt/natural yoghurt
1.5 tablespoons fresh ginger paste
1.5 tablespoons garlic paste
1 teaspoon Tandoori masala (Shan or any other brand)
1 teaspoon Tikka masala (Shan)
1 tablespoon of Kastoori Methi OR LESS* (dried fenugreek leaves available in Indian stores)
1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon of red chili powder (Optional)
1 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds powder
½ cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons light oil- Avocado or olive oil
1/2 lemon juiced
2 teaspoon salt
1/2 TEASPOON of orange food (Optional)
Wooden skewers

Watch me make it here!

Method:

Wash and pat dry the cubed chicken pieces with a paper towel to remove moisture then add all the marinade ingredients and mix well.
Transfer to a Ziploc bag or cover and place in the refrigerator overnight/or in the coldest part of the fridge for 2 days until needed.
To grill the chicken: skewer the chicken with bamboo skewers (presoak the skewers).
Preheat the Air Fryer to 390 and arrange a few sticks in the fryer basket and air fry for 12 -15 minutes ( temperatures vary by Air-fryers).
Alternatively, grill them on charcoal or gas grill for 6 minutes on each side basting with a little oil and a little bit of the marinade.
Alternatively , stove top in a grill pan: Heat a l grill pan, place the skewers on the pan and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes turning them around halfway and basting with a little oil and a little bit of the marinade.
OR broil the chicken skewers for 7-8 minutes on each side – just be sure to cover the wooden skewers with some foil.
Serve the chicken on toasted naan or taboon bread, or alongside a salad or over a bed of rice.
Leftovers: use them to make the Frankie’s the next day!

Notes:

Kasuri methi/ Fenugreek leaves have a strong flavor. If you’re new to this ingredient I recommend trying the recipe with a little less than the given amount. Rub a pinch full between your palms to crush the leaves to release the flavor- add more the next time or leave it out all together.
The key to making the juiciest chicken is to combine the yogurt with the heavy cream in your marinade. Yogurt is a natural tenderizer. Ideally marinate the chicken overnight, or if you don’t have time then at least do it for 2 hours in the fridge.
The Malai in this recipe refers to the heavy cream not cheese, I use the same base and sometimes leave out the Fenugreek leaves and or the tikka or Tandoori masala to create different variations of the chicken.
Don’t overcrowd the air fryer and try to keep everything in a single layer to allow the air to circulate and the chicken to get nice and crispy. If you have a smaller air fryer, then cook in batches.

Variations

Sumac– I love hitting the chicken with a sprinkle of sumac as soon as I paint the chicken with melted butter and parsley. It gives the final dish fuchsia speckles and a tangy lemony taste.

Sumac comes from the seeds of Berries found on wild bushes in the Mediterranean. Once ground it is tangy and lemony and a bit sour, but not bitter.

Bonus Homemade Tandoori and Tikka Mix recipes!

Tandoori Masala Powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon red food coloring
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg (Jaiphal)
1 tablespoon mace (Javitri)
1 pod of brown cardamom (Badi elaichi /kali elaichi
2 tablespoons Kasturi fenugreek
2 tablespoons Kashmiri red chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 teaspoons whole black pepper
2 teaspoons whole cloves
3 pcs- I (One) inch long cinnamon bark (Taj)
7 pods of green cardamom (Elaichi)

Roast on low heat the following: Mace, cumin, coriander, black pepper, cloves, cardamoms, and cinnamon.
Once they are roasted( approx. 5-6 mins) add the kasturi methi leaves and give it a quick stir.
Remove from the heat and let it cool down, then grind to a coarse mixture using a coffee grinder.
Then add the powdered spices: garlic, ginger, nutmeg, and red chilli powder, grind everything to a fine powder, and transfer to a plate.
Add the red food coloring if using, mix, and let it cool down before storing it in a clean airtight glass jar away from bright light and heat. It will stay fresh for several months.

Tikka Masala Powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon nutmeg powder
½ piece Star Aniseed (optional)
½ teaspoon whole aniseed
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 – I inch cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons powdered paprika
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons fenugreek leaves (optional)
4 pcs. Whole Kashmiri chilies
4 tablespoons coriander seeds
6 pods green cardamom pods

Roast on low heat the following: Cumin, coriander, black pepper, cardamoms, and cinnamon, after 3 mins of roasting add the Kashmiri chilies.
Once they are roasted (approx. 5) add the kasturi methi leaves and give it a quick stir.
Remove from the heat and let it cool down, then grind to a coarse mixture using a coffee grinder.
Then add the powdered spices: nutmeg, turmeric, and paprika powder, grind everything to a fine powder, and transfer to a plate.
Let it cool down before storing it in a clean airtight glass jar away from bright light and heat. It will stay fresh for several months.