Badami Chicken Tikka: A Mouth-Wateringly Delicious Dish
Image Credit: Marination is important in badami chicken tikka | Unsplash

One of the most loved recipes among the starters is definitely Chicken Tikka. The Badami Chicken Tikka version is an enticing version where the tender chicken pieces are marinated and grilled to get the right mouth feel of light crispy and all flavours intact. The marination process is what adds all the flavours along with the right cooking or grilling process. The almonds in the form of paste are used for providing the creamy taste and texture.

A lavish and loved recipe with the right creaminess, crispiness and spice, Badami Chicken or Murgh Tikka is everything you want in a starter. The chutney condiments give the best company and completion for the dish.

Chicken Tikka is a dish of the Indian subcontinent, came at the time of Mughal era, where marination or dipping of chicken pieces in yoghurt or spices is followed by grilling. The marinated chicken pieces, rested for some time, are followed by grilling over the coal or griller pan. Brushing with ghee while grilling enhances the overall taste of the Chicken Tikka Kebab.

The word tikka implies pieces or bits that have emerged from the Turkish language. This dish is popular in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. In India, it is a famous cuisine in the state of Punjab. In Afghanistan, the overall flavour is less spicy and some variants also use beef and lamb.

Badami chicken tikka | Unsplash

Here’s the recipe for Badami Chicken Tikka.

Ingredients:

For first marination:

  • 400 gms chicken cubes
  • 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • Salt, as required
  • 1 tsp Lemon Juice

For second marination:

  • ¼ cup curd
  • ¼ cup almond paste
  • 2 tbsps fresh cream
  • 2 tbsps chickpea flour
  • 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (crushed)
  • 1 tsp garam masala powder
  • 1 tsp chaat masala powder
  • Salt, as required

Method:

For first marination:

  • Take 400 gms chicken pieces (leg or breasts) in a bowl.
  • Add some oil to provide smoky flavour.
  • Now, add the ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, salt, and lemon juice to it.
  • Mix the spices by massaging the chicken thoroughly and keep the chicken to the rest for at least 30 minutes.
  • For second marination:
  • In a bowl, add ¼ cup curd, ¼ cup almond paste, and fresh cream.
  • To this, add chickpea flour, garam masala, coriander powder, kasoori methi, chaat masala.
  • Mix the masala thoroughly. 
  • Add the previously marinated chicken.
  • Set this aside for two and half hours.

For the chicken pieces:

  • Start putting chicken pieces one by one on the skewer.
  • Spread the marinate well around the pieces.
  • On a low flame, keep a pan with some oil.
  • Add two tbsps of oil to the pan.
  • Put some almond flakes on the chicken piece before placing them for cooking.
  • Keep turning the chicken so it gets cooked from all the sides.
  • Brush some mix of butter and fenugreek leaves so that the chicken remains soft from the inside.
  • Cook for about 7 to 8 minutes till the required brown colour appears.
  • Switch off the gas.

Add some freshly chopped coriander on the chicken tikka skewers on the plate for serving.