Hariyali Chicken

Want some spiced herbal flavors wrapped around creamy tikkas? This hariyali chicken provides a big flavor with simple ingredients in this easy recipe. Just 10 minutes prep and 10 minutes cooking!

The word Haryali literally means greenery attributed to the green color of this chicken. A tikka is usually a bite-size grilled boneless meat or paneer. Since chicken is called murgh in Urdu and Hindi, Hariyali chicken and Hariyali murgh are the same things.

This delicious chicken originated in Northern India, in the region of Punjab. In this region cilantro and mint-based green chutney (dipping sauce) is very popular. This chicken is an extended version of green chutney.

Why would you like this recipe?

Ingredients

Have a look at the ingredients for hariyali chicken tikka. This is a very simple recipe that requires very basic ingredients.

• Chicken: The recipe calls for boneless chicken breast cubes, but you can use chicken legs or drumsticks as well.
• Spices: I used roasted cumin powder and garam masala which have intense flavor. Regular cumin powder can be substituted. Garam masala can be substituted with black pepper.
• Cream: The chicken breast lacks in fat, and the cream in the recipe keeps the tikka juicy and moist. You can substitute cream with yogurt.
• Herbs: I used a combo of mint and cilantro. You can use anyone as well.
• Peanuts: This ingredient is optional. The peanut powder holds the chutney on the tikka as the peanut absorbs the moisture. And also provides nutty flavor. You can use cashew or coconut or almond powder as well.

How to make it?

Here, I present steps to make Hariyali chicken with pictorials and tips.

1. Wash and pat dry chicken breast. Cut it into cubes.
2. Transfer all ingredients of green chutney to a blender. Use as little water to blend as possible, preferably just 2 tablespoons. Add the green paste to the chicken and apply it all over thoroughly.
3. Marinate for at least 30 minutes on the counter or preferably 4 -12 hours in the fridge for best results.
4. After marination thread the chicken into wooden skewers.

Tip: Bring the tikka to room temperature before grilling otherwise they'll char quickly on the outside and the inside will remain uncooked.

If you wish to smoke tikka then heat a piece of charcoal at this stage. (It takes some time to turn red hot.)

5. Transfer skewers to a grill pan and cook on high heat for 8-10 minutes (4-5 minutes on each side). Brush little oil on the chicken on both sides. Make sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked and lightly charred. Serve immediately or proceed to smoke.
6. To smoke, keep haryali tikka in a pot, and keep a piece of foil between the chicken. Place the red hot charcoal carefully on the foil.
7. Drizzle a few drops of oil and immediately cover the lid. (Lid should be tight and smoke shouldn't escape. You can also put a heavy object on the lid.) Smoke for 10 minutes.
8. You can store hot tikka in a hot pot or foil until serving.

Variation

Haryali chicken is basically chicken marinated in cilantro and mint paste. You can turn this marinated chicken into a Hariyali chicken curry or Hariyali chicken legs. Find paneer tikka recipe at theyellowdaal.com.

What to serve along?

Haryali chicken is great as a starter or a protein side with biryani or any other Indian curry.
You can serve it with a dip like mayo garlic sauce or creamy garlic yogurt sauce. If you serve it as a main course pair it with garlic naan, paratha or chapati, and kachumber salad along with garlic yogurt dip (lahsooni raita).

Tips

• Hariyali chicken can be made on a regular pan, on a grill pan, in the oven, or over a barbecue pit.
• If you have a few tablespoons of extra green paste left, you can mix it with mayonnaise or yogurt, or sour cream to make your hariyali dip.)
• If you don’t have time for skewering, you can simply cook your boneless tikka on a pan over high heat until the water dries and the tikka are a little charred here and there.

Recipe FAQs

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📖 Recipe

Hariyali Chicken

The taste of these tikka is very refreshing and aromatic, do check recipe notes spice guide.

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 10 minutes

Resting Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings : 9 skewers

Calories: 204kcal

Author: Mariam Sodawater

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Equipment

• Wooden Skewers

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• ▢ 500 g chicken cubes

Green paste for marination

• ▢ 1 cup cilantro leaves, loosely packed
• ▢ ½ cup mint leaves, loosely packed
• ▢ 2-5 small green chillies, adjust heat to taste
• ▢ 4-5 cloves garlic
• ▢ 1 inch ginger
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin powder*, preferably dry roasted
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
• ▢ 2 tablespoon lemon juice
• ▢ 2 tablespoon cream, or yogurt for low fat
• ▢ 2 tablespoon oil, more to brush while cooking.
• ▢ 2 tablespoon peanut, roasted and salted
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt , or to taste

Instructions

• Wash and pat dry chicken, set aside.
• Grind all ingredients except chicken in the blender with as little water as possible.
• Apply green marinade over the chicken and let it rest on kitchen counter for at least 20 minutes (or preferably for 4-12 hours in fridge.)
• Thread the marinated chicken in wooden skewers. (optional)

To cook on pan

• Heat a piece of charcoal until red hot. ( If smoking) Bring the chicken to room temperature before cooking.
• Cook on high heat for 8-10 minutes on a grill pan and turn the chicken after 4 minutes. Haryali chicken is ready when you see charred lines on the chicken.
• Smoke chicken by placing hot skewers in a pot. Place the red charcoal over a foil in the pot. Drizzle a few drops of oil on hot charcoal and immediately cover the pot. (Video is helpful here.)
• Let chicken rest for 4-5 minutes then serve with any garlic dip.

To bake in oven

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Place chicken on the baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes until the water runs clear or the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 F.
• Rotate the tray after 10 minutes for even baking. Broil in the last 3-4 minutes for a charred look. Flip the chicken midway for even cooking. Smoking is optional.

To grill over barbecue pit

• (Make sure your wooden skewers are soaked in water for 4-6 hours, wooden skewers do not catch fire.)
• Place the chicken skewer on the barbecue grill and cook for about 8 minutes until charred then serve immediately.

Notes

• Chicken: The recipe calls for boneless chicken breast cubes, but you can use chicken legs or drumsticks as well.
• Spices: Garam masala can be substituted with black pepper.
• Cream: You can substitute cream with yogurt.
• Herbs: I used a combo of mint and cilantro. You can use anyone herb as well.
• Peanuts: This ingredient is optional. You can use cashew or coconut or almond powder as well.
• If you have a few tablespoons of extra green paste left after applying on the chicken, you can mix it with mayonnaise or yogurt, or sour cream to make your hariyali dip.)
• If you don’t have time for skewering, you can simply cook your boneless tikka on a pan over high heat until the water dries and tikka are a little charred here and there.
• For dry roasting cumin just heat cumin in a pan on medium heat and stir until cumin is fragrant. Transfer cumin to a plate and use as needed.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1skewer ,Calories: 204kcal ,Carbohydrates: 13g ,Protein: 10g ,Fat: 13g ,Saturated Fat: 3g ,Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g ,Monounsaturated Fat: 5g ,Trans Fat: 0.01g ,Cholesterol: 11mg ,Sodium: 13559mg ,Potassium: 237mg ,Fiber: 1g ,Sugar: 10g ,Vitamin A: 279IU ,Vitamin C: 5mg ,Calcium: 120mg ,Iron: 1mg

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