It’s grilled skewered pieces of marinated chicken thigh fillets. If you take those cooked chicken pieces and throw them in a spicy orange-colored sauce, it becomes chicken tikka masala which we don’t cook here at home because we prefer butter chicken. Ahhh… but I’m rambling on and you’re here for a la chicken tikka.
Okay, so, grilled skewered chicken is something you’ll find in just about every country in Asia. Chicken sate / satay and yakitori are just two examples. So what makes chicken tikka distinct? The flavor, of course. The list of spices that go into the marinade is rather long but each has a role in this dish. Chicken tikka is spicy but spicy-hot is just one part of the flavor profile.
But why is my dish called a la chicken tikka? Well, because of two things.
First, the wet ingredient in the marinade is traditionally yogurt. I substituted coconut cream which is sweet (as opposed to yogurt being sour) and, for me, sweetness and spicy-hot are natural partners. Meanwhile, the high oil content of coconut cream keeps the chicken meat moist.
The second thing is that I did not brush ghee (clarified butter) on the chicken during grilling. I didn’t gave to because each piece of meat was already coated with oil from the coconut cream.
A la chicken tikka
Ingredients
- 1.5 kilograms boneless chicken thighs (skin on or skinless; both work), cut into 2-inch squares
- 2 tablespoons rock salt
- 1 tablespoon grated turmeric (or use 1 teaspoon powdered turmeric)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 thumb-sized pieces ginger peeled and grated
- 6 cloves garlic peeled and grated
- 1 tablespoon bird’s eye chilies finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon cayenne powder
- 1 cup coconut cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a large bowl. Add all the ingredients and mix well. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least six hours.
- At least 30 minutes before grilling, soak about 15 bamboo skewers in water to prevent them from burning while grilling.
- Thread the chicken in the bamboo skewers. Five to six pieces are a good number.
- Grill the chicken over live coals, at least six inches from the heat. Turn over once the undersides are nicely charred, about five to six minutes, and grill for another four to five minutes.
- Serve the chicken tikka with white rice and a light vegetable salad on the side.
