Description
Indian Tandoori Chicken Tikka Kebab Skewers are smoky, juicy, and packed with bold Indian spices. These easy chicken skewers can be cooked in the oven, air fryer, grill, or BBQ for a flavorful restaurant-style meal at home.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken
- 400 g chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
For the Tandoori Marinade
- 35 g fresh ginger
- 3 garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 15 g fresh coriander, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 50 g yogurt
For Garnish
- Fresh chopped coriander
- Lemon wedges
- Yogurt sauce or mint chutney (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breast into evenly sized 1-inch cubes.
- Finely chop the coriander. Peel and grate the ginger. Mash the garlic into a paste using a pinch of salt.
- In a large bowl, combine the ginger, garlic, salt, cumin, Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, turmeric, coriander, lemon juice, oil, and yogurt.
- Mix until smooth and fully combined.
- Add the chicken pieces and coat thoroughly in the marinade.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for the best flavor.
- If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers.
Oven Method
- Preheat oven to 450°F (220°C).
- Place skewers on a wire rack over a baking tray.
- Bake for 15–20 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F internally.
Air Fryer Method
- Spray the air fryer basket lightly with oil.
- Cook skewers at 400°F for 12–16 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Broiler Method
- Preheat the broiler to high.
- Broil skewers for 15–18 minutes, turning halfway through cooking.
BBQ Method
- Sear skewers over direct heat for 1–2 minutes per side.
- Move to indirect heat and cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with lemon wedges and yogurt sauce.
Notes
Marinating overnight creates deeper flavor and more tender chicken.
Kashmiri chili powder gives vibrant color without too much heat.
Chicken thighs can be used instead of chicken breast for extra juiciness.
Always cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F.
A quick blast with a kitchen torch adds extra charred flavor.
- Prep Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling, Baking, Air Frying
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 444 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 895 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 68 g
- Cholesterol: 174 mg