Ready for the best malai chicken tikka or Malai boti? These are kids-friendly, soft, Reshmi tikka that has a creamy moderately spicy taste. These turn out better than in restaurants and you will never order them again because they are so easy to make.
In Pakistan, Malai Chicken is called Malai boti. While the bone-in version with chicken leg or chest is called malai tikka. Like many amazing Indian recipes, we can safely assume that this recipe also originated in the hands of restaurant chefs like chicken 65.
Malai Chicken or Murg is boneless chicken cubes (called boti or tikka) marinated in cream (called malai) and Indian spices. It is a creamy milder version of traditional spicy red chicken tikka.
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Tips and how this recipe works?
Since this is not a traditional recipe, it has many versions and is pretty versatile. There are three factors for the best malai chicken
- Soft succulent chicken: The chicken needs to be marinated with a tenderizer like raw papaya or meat tenderizer. If you can plan fairly ahead and marinate for 12-16 hours in the fridge, then you can consider skipping meat tenderizer.
- Creamy factor AKA Malai: For the creamy factor, the cream is added, for the extra deliciousness factor cream cheese or milk powder, or other cheeses are added. Greek Yogurt or thick yogurt also gives you a creamy and tangy taste.
- Aromatic spices and flavors: Roasted cumin powder, garlic, onion, and green chili are the must for malai boti marinade. What makes this recipe taste just like a restaurant is chicken bullion or cube.
Ingredients and substitutes.
Ingredients and spices are easily visible below the image. I will discuss the ingredients for which I wish to suggest a substitute.
- Chicken: Use boneless thigh pieces for the best taste. Marinate longer like overnight if using chicken breast pieces for juicy tender chicken. You can easily adapt this recipe for any chicken cut, boneless chicken cubes, and chicken leg or chicken chest are popular.Â
- Greek yogurt: If you do not have greek yogurt just put plain yogurt in a fine strainer and let some water drain for 10 minutes. Use this thick yogurt in the recipe.
- Onions: You can substitute chopped onions with ½ tablespoon of onion powder.
- Raw Papaya paste: is raw green papaya processed into a paste. It is used in Indian cooking to tenderize meat. You can use meat tenderizer powder as well.
- Spices: Roasted and grounded cumin and coriander taste amazing in this recipe. But to keep the recipe simple I used regular cumin and coriander powder.
- Chicken cube: Most foods that are served at restaurants have flavor enhancers like MSG. With the chicken cube, you get the same taste. You may use MSG-free chicken cube or chicken powder or skip it altogether with a little compromise on the taste.Â
How to make it?
This is a very simple and quick recipe that is delicious and great for weekday meals. Let's move on to the simple recipe.
- Wash and pat dry chicken cubes. (If using chicken breast, wash and pat dry chicken breast first and then cut into 1-inch cubes.)
- Add the first set of ingredients and mix well. ( The tenderizer needs at least 45 minutes to work so the idea is to apply the tenderizer and available spice as soon as possible to save time.)
- Then I assembled the remaining ingredients that needed chopping. I mixed it with yogurt, cream cheese, and cream.
- And added this marinade also to the chicken. (Actually, you can mix all ingredients of the marinade together and apply in one go, I separate steps only to save time.)
- Mix well and marinate chicken for a total of 45 minutes at least or 2 hours preferably. You can marinate it up to12 hours ahead and store it in the fridge.
- Thread the chicken on the wooden skewers. ( Instruction for barbecue and baking are above in the FAQ section.)
- Grill malai chicken skewers in a nonstick pan. Heat oil and place the tikka skewer in the oil. Cover the skewers with a lid and let them cook for 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Then remove the lid and cook on high heat for 1-2 minutes until the water dries and tikka are lightly golden.
- Serve immediately, or you can smoke for 2 minutes with red hot charcoal and a drizzle of oil and serve. (Try to prepare the serving plate with veggies and heat the charcoal ahead of frying so you can smoke and serve immediately.)
Expert Tips to Serve
- It is best paired with fresh salad, sliced and wash onions, chutney, Raita, and mayo garlic or sour cream. The carb sideline can be naan, roti, or fried plain flour Paratha. It is often served in large gatherings and the recipe can be easily doubled or tripled.Â
- Malai boti Paratha roll: Take your thin Paratha and fill it with malai boti, onion slices, garlic Mayo sauce, and spicy green chutney. Roll it and your malai boti roll is ready. Serve with a dip.Â
- Use in Alfredo pizza: On the pizza add the thick cheesy Alfredo sauce, this smoked malai tikka, corns, jalapeño, olives, mushroom, and onions. Finish with garlic mayo and cheese. Bake!
- Use in a sandwich: This malai chicken can also be added to your grilled cheese sandwich.Â
FAQ:
For the best taste grill on a barbecue pit. You can thread Malai tikka on metal skewers.Â
If you do not have a metal skewer, you can use wooden skewers too. (We find wooden skewers a lot easy than metal ones as they are disposable, plenty, and hassle-free.) Just soak the wooden skewer for 4-6 hours because wet skewers do not catch fire easily. Then place skewers over a grilling basket or grilling cage. (Grilling cage can accommodate a number of skewers and you can flip them in one go.) Grill for 5-7 minutes until the chicken is tender and you see a few dark spots. Keep flipping for even cooking. Â
Yes! Just spread skewered chicken malai tikka on a lined baking sheet and bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 F on the middle rack for 15 minutes until cooked. Flip the tikka halfway after 8 minutes for even cooking.
You can add extra spices, yogurt, and cream, or coconut milk to the marinated chicken and make malai tikka curry with little gravy. Similarly, you can use leftovers also to make a gravy version.
Hungry for Chicken? Check these!
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📖 Recipe
Malai Chicken
Equipment
- 8 wooden skewers, see notes
Ingredients
- 500 gram boneless chicken
Marinade
- 1 teaspoon meat tenderiser , or 1 tablespoon papaya paste
- 1½-2 tablespoon green chilli paste, as per heat prefernce
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- ½ tablespoon cumin powder
- ½ tablespoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ chicken cube or bullion, optional
- ¾ teaspoon salt, more if not using chicken cube
- ¼ cup greek yogurt/ hung curd
- ¼ cup cream
- 3 tablespoon finely chopped onions , or paste or ½ tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro/fresh corriander
- 1 tablespoon cream cheese, or 1 cheese triangle, or 2 tablespoon milk powder, optional
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
other
- Oil, to fry
Instructions
- Wash and pat dry chicken cubes. (If using chicken breast, wash and pat dry chicken and then cut into 1-inch cubes.)
- Mix all the ingredients of chicken marinade in a bowl.
- Add chicken and mix well and marinate chicken for a total of 45 minutes at least to 2 hours preferably. You can marinate up to 12 hours ahead and store in the fridge.
- Thread the chicken on the wooden skewers. Set aside.
- Heat oil in anon stick pan and place the tikka skewer. Cover the skewers with a lid and let it cook for 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Then remove lid and cook on high heat for 1-2 minutes until water dries and tikka are lightly golden. Cook in batches.
- Serve immediately, or you can smoke for 2 minutes red hot charcoal and drizzle of oil and serve.
Notes
- Chicken: Use boneless thigh pieces for best taste. Marinate longer like overnight if using chicken breast pieces for juicy tender chicken. You can easily adapt this recipe for any chicken cut, boneless chicken cubes, and chicken leg or chicken chest are popular.Â
- Greek yogurt: If you do not have greek yogurt just put plain yogurt in a fine strainer and let some water drain for 10 minutes. Use this thick yogurt in the recipe.
- Onions: You can substitute chopped onions with ½ tablespoon onion powder.
- Raw Papaya paste: is simply raw green papaya processed into a paste. It is used in Indian cooking to tenderize meat. You can use meat tenderizer powder as well.
- Spices: Roasted and grounded cumin and coriander taste amazing in this recipe. But to keep the recipe simple I used regular cumin and coriander powder.
- Chicken cube: Most foods that are served at restaurants have flavor enhancers like MSG. With the chicken cube, you get the same taste. You may use MSG-free chicken cube or chicken powder or skip it altogether with a little compromise on the taste.Â
Sherbaz says
Could you please tell that if we Cook this recipe in oven so how can we Cook and use oil for cooking? Do we still need wooden skewers while cooking in oven? I'm confused a little bit.
Mariam Sodawater says
Hi Sherbaz, preheat the oven to 400 F. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes (Complete cooking time). Flip after 10, and baste with oil or ghee. Flip again after 10 minutes and baste with oil or ghee. Then broil for 7 minutes until lightly charred. ( Change butter paper in between if burned.)
Wooden skewers look cool plus they help to flip the boti easily. But if you do not have them in hand, you can skip it. I hope this help. I have tried making chicken boti in oven in this recipe plus I've done a video too in the same post.
Mudassir says
MashAllah nice recipes
Mariam Sodawater says
Alhamdulillah, thank you so much!
tas says
Hey Can I airfry it? if yes then how 🙂
Mariam Sodawater says
Yes, you can air fry these. But I haven't tried it myself.
Suhail says
Hi,
I loved your recipes. You are just amazing. I just want to know if your recipes are opensource. I want to use your recipes for my website. Please reply to me by email so that I can discuss more on it. I could send a query as your Contact Us seems to be broken.
Thanks