Chicken breast - 2 (about 500 gms), boneless & skinless
Butter as required for grilling
First Marinate:
Salt - 1 tsp
Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
Ginger paste - 1 tbsp
Garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Second Marinate:
Hung curd - ¾ cup
Fresh cream - ¼ cup (Single or double)
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Green chilli - 2, finely chopped or grounded
Kasoori methi/dried fenugreek leaves - 1 tsp
White pepper powder - ½ tsp
Salt - ½ tsp or to taste
Cornflour/cornstarch - 2 tbsp
Freshly chopped coriander leaves - ½ cup
Instructions
Wash and pat dry the chicken breast. Then cut each chicken breast first into long strips of 1 inch width. Then cut each strip into 1-inch cubes. You can also use pre-cut chicken cubes.
Take the chicken cubes in a mixing bowl. Add salt, black pepper powder, ginger paste and garlic paste. Mix everything really well either using a spatula or by hand so that each chicken cube is evenly coated with aromatics and seasonings. Leave it for 30 minutes.
While the chicken is marinating, prepare the second marinate. Take another mixing bowl and add hung curd, fresh cream, garam masala, chopped green chilli, kasoori methi, white pepper powder and salt. Give everything a good mix using a wire whisk. This will break any lump in the hung curd.
Now add the cornflour (aka corn starch) and freshly chopped coriander leaves (aka cilantro). Give another good mix making sure all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed making a homogeneous mixture.
After 30 minutes, add the marinated chicken cubes along with any accumulated juice to this malai tikka marinate and mix the chicken well with the yogurt mixture. Take time to mix as this is the most crucial step to ensure you have the most flavorful chicken malai tikka.
Cover the marinated chicken with a cling wrap and refrigerate overnight or minimum 4 hours for the best flavors to build.
When you are ready to grill, take a bamboo skewer and thread the chicken cubes one by one as shown in the video. Leave about an inch gap at the top and bottom end of the skewer.
Heat a non-stick pan and brush some melted butter on it. Once the pan is hot, reduce the heat to medium and place the skewered chicken malai tikka in a single layer. Do not overcrowd the pan or do not put one skewer on top of another; then direct heat will not reach the chicken and it won’t cook evenly.
Let the chicken malai tikka cook on medium for 10 minutes without disturbing them. Then brush melted butter on top of the chicken and flip them over. Cook the other side for another 8 minutes on medium heat. Ensure there is no pink left and the chicken pieces are completely opaque.
Your chicken malai tikka is done and ready to devour! Serve with yogurt mint chutney and lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy!
Recipe by Flavor Quotient at https://www.flavorquotient.com/2023/06/chicken-malai-tikka-restaurant-style/