Murgh Malai Tikka - Tandoori Chicken Kebabs with Dipping Sauces
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1” chunks and patted dry with a paper towel
- ½ teaspoon kala salt**
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon raw cashews +1 tablespoon raw almonds, soaked in 1 cup hot water for 3-4 hours & drained
- 4 ounces muenster cheese (or other light, mild cheese), roughly chopped
- ½ cup greek yogurt (whole or 2%)
- 4 tablespoons heavy cream or half & half
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- juice of ½ a lemon
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves — optional
- ½ green chili, seeded and roughly chopped — optional
- lime wedges for serving — optional
- 8-10 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30-60 minutes***
- Peanut Sauce & Mint-Yogurt Chutney, recipes to follow
- **If you don't have kala salt, simply substitute regular salt
- **Soaking the skewers will help them stay intact when placed on the grill
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, season the chicken breast chunks with a ½ teaspoon kala salt (or regular salt), black pepper and crushed garlic, mixing well to ensure everything is coated.
- Set aside for 30-60 minutes while you make the marinade.
- For the marinade, add all the ingredients (drained nuts, cheese, yogurt, cream, ginger, garlic, salt, oil, spices, and lemon juice plus cilantro & chili, if using) to a large food processor and blend on high for 30-60 seconds until everything is creamy and smooth.
- Pour marinade over the seasoned chicken chunks.
- Cover and let marinate in your refrigerator 4-8 hours or overnight, should time allow.
- When ready to cook, preheat your girl to 500*F and prepare your chicken kebabs.
- To do so, shake some of the marinade from the chicken pieces and skewer the chicken onto the pre-soaked skewers, leaving an inch or so of room at each end of the skewer so you can easily grab them when on the grill.
- Lightly grease your grill to avoid sticking then place the kebabs on the grill, turning every 2-3 minutes once char marks have formed until fully cooked (8-10 minutes).
- Serve immediately with dipping sauces, naan, and lime wedges.
Notes
Mint Yogurt Chutney
2 cloves roughly chopped garlic, toasted (see recipe below)
½ cup packed mint leaves, stems removed
½ cup packed cilantro leaves, stems removed
¼ teaspoon kala salt**
½ teaspoon grated ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons water
**If you don’t have kala salt, simply substitute regular salt in its place.
To toast the garlic, lightly spray a frying pan with olive oil and heat to medium-high. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly until garlic begins to brown. Be careful not to burn the garlic or it will become bitter. Remove toasted garlic pan and place in a food processor.
Add all other ingredients except the water to the food processor with the garlic. Blend on high for 20-30 seconds to combine the ingredients. Drizzle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time until a sauce-like consistency is reached and herbs are well chopped. Place in a small bowl for serving.
Peanut Sauce
½ cup creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon grated ginger
1 small clove of garlic
2 tablespoons water
pinch of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons roughly chopped peanuts, optional for topping
Add all ingredients except the water to a food processor. Blend on high for 10 seconds to combine the ingredients. Drizzle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time until a sauce-like consistency is reached. Pour into a small bowl and top with chopped peanuts before serving.
2 cloves roughly chopped garlic, toasted (see recipe below)
½ cup packed mint leaves, stems removed
½ cup packed cilantro leaves, stems removed
¼ teaspoon kala salt**
½ teaspoon grated ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons water
**If you don’t have kala salt, simply substitute regular salt in its place.
To toast the garlic, lightly spray a frying pan with olive oil and heat to medium-high. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly until garlic begins to brown. Be careful not to burn the garlic or it will become bitter. Remove toasted garlic pan and place in a food processor.
Add all other ingredients except the water to the food processor with the garlic. Blend on high for 20-30 seconds to combine the ingredients. Drizzle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time until a sauce-like consistency is reached and herbs are well chopped. Place in a small bowl for serving.
Peanut Sauce
½ cup creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon grated ginger
1 small clove of garlic
2 tablespoons water
pinch of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons roughly chopped peanuts, optional for topping
Add all ingredients except the water to a food processor. Blend on high for 10 seconds to combine the ingredients. Drizzle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time until a sauce-like consistency is reached. Pour into a small bowl and top with chopped peanuts before serving.
Recipe by Her Modern Kitchen at https://www.hermodernkitchen.com/murgh-malai-tikka/