Tandoori Chicken Tikka

 - Serves 6-8
​My tandoori chicken recipe is mild, yet packed with flavors from aromatic herbs and spices. It's completely natural and free of artificial food coloring - the light orange hue you notice on the lightly charred crust comes from sweet, ground kashmiri chilies that one can easily find in Indian grocery stores. And if you'd like it spicier, simply add a generous pinch of hot chili powder. Enjoy the recipe!

Ingredients for Tandoori Chicken Tikka

10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (approximately 1.2 kg chicken chopped into 1-inch wide strips)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1.5 teaspoons sea-salt
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 tablespoon good-quality organic Kashmiri chili powder
1 teaspoon good quality garam masala powder
 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped or pounded using a mortar and pestle
1.5 tablespoons ginger, finely chopped or pounded using a mortar and pestle
1-2 green bird's eye chilies, finely chopped or pounded using a mortar and pestle
3-4 green cardamoms, pounded using a mortar and pestle
3-4 tablespoons ghee or butter ​

Recipe
1. Place chicken in a large bowl. Add lemon juice and sprinkle salt all over chicken - mix well using clean hands and set aside for 15 minutes. 
2. Place garlic, ginger and chopped green chilies in a mortar and pound away using a pestle until a fine paste comes together. Alternatively, you can finely chop the three ingredients together.
3. In a bowl, stir together Greek yogurt, cumin powder, turmeric, red chili powder, Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, garlic, ginger, chilies, and crushed green cardamoms.
​4. Pour spiced yogurt over chicken, and stir well, making sure the chicken is completely covered in the marinade. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 8 hours. Before cooking, remember to bring chicken back to room temperature by leaving it on your counter-top for about 30 minutes.
5. Heat a large cast-iron pan on medium flame. Add a tablespoon of butter and let it melt. Pan-fry chicken in batches making sure not to over-crowd the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, until fully cooked and slightly charred on both sides. Alternatively, thread the chicken on metal skewers, brush generously with melted butter and barbecue for 8-10 minutes until fully-cooked and slightly charred all over. Serve hot!
Note: Remember to scrape the bottom of your pan in between batches to discard any burnt bits stuck to the pan.
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