If you love Indian food, you’ll love these yogurt-marinated Chicken Tikka Kebabs. A flavor-packed summer dinner idea for grilling season!
Chicken Tikka Skewers
This Chicken Tikka Kebab recipe is made with chunks of boneless, skinless chicken thighs marinated in a spiced yogurt mixture with garlic, ginger, and warm Indian spices. They grill up juicy, tender, and perfectly charred on the edges. I tested this recipe several ways—under the broiler, in the air fryer, and on the grill. While all methods work, the grill is hands-down my favorite. It gives you that irresistible smoky char that takes the flavor to the next level. I shared all three cook options below for your convenience. More Indian-inspired chicken recipes to try, Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk, and Instant Pot Chicken Pulao.
Why You’ll Love These Chicken Tikka Kebabs
My love for Indian food started years ago when I was first introduced to the depth of Indian spices—and over time, I’ve learned from many of my Indian friends how to use them in my kitchen. These kebabs are inspired by those flavors, adapted to be approachable and doable at home.
If you make this chicken tikka recipe, I would love to see it. Tag me in your photos or videos on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook. And be sure to join the Skinnytaste Community to see what everyone’s cooking!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy chicken tikka kabob recipe. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Whole Milk Greek Yogurt slowly tenderizes the chicken to make it juicy. It’s a gentle, effective way to tenderize meat by slowly breaking down the proteins in the chicken.
- Tomato Paste for a rich tomato flavor
- Olive Oil thins the marinade to help it coat the chicken.
- Aromatics: Minced garlic and ginger. You can grate fresh ginger or use a ginger paste.
- Indian Spices: Turmeric, garam masala, coriander, cumin, cayenne pepper, and kosher salt
- Chicken Thighs: I tested this recipe with chicken breasts, but it came out a bit too dry for my liking. For the best texture and flavor, I recommend using boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Red Onion gets sweeter and softer as it cooks.
- Garnish: Lime or lemon wedges and chopped cilantro
How to Make Chicken Tikka Kebab
Follow these steps to make these juicy chicken tikka skewers. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
- Make the Chicken Tikka Yogurt Marinade: Combine the yogurt, tomato paste, oil, garlic, and ginger in a large bowl, then whisk in the spices. Add the chicken to the bowl and stir to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours.
- Make the Skewers: Thread the chicken and red onions onto metal skewers.
- Grill the Chicken: Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan on medium heat and lightly oil the grates. Grill the kebabs for a few minutes on each side, rotating them once they have grill marks and easily release from the grates. Once the internal temperature reaches 165°F, remove them from the grill.
- Garnish the kabobs with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges and extra yogurt.
Other Cooking Methods and Tips
- If using wood skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes first.
- Uniform Pieces: Cut the chicken into equal-sized pieces for even cooking.
- How to Tell When Chicken Is Done: Check the chicken with a meat thermometer, but make sure not to touch the skewer with the probe.
- How to Broil: Preheat the oven to broil on high and place the top rack 6 inches from the heating element. Put the kebabs on a foil-lined rimmed sheet pan and broil until the chicken is slightly charred. Remove the pan, rotate the skewers, and return to the oven. Repeat until the chicken is charred on all sides and the internal temp is 165°F.
- Air Fryer Chicken Tikka: Don’t use the skewers. Spray the basket with oil, and air fry the chicken and onions for 15 minutes at 400°F, shaking the basket halfway through.
Chicken Tikka Variations
- Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, just be sure you don’t overcook them, so they’re not dry.
- Greek Yogurt: Substitute 1% yogurt for a lighter option or omit for dairy-free.
- Add Extra Veggies, like bell peppers or mushrooms, to the skewers.
- Spiciness: Feel free to omit or add more cayenne to suit your tastes.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve the chicken tikka with warm naan, basmati rice, and cucumber raita, or wrap it in a pita with yogurt sauce and crunchy veggies.
- Pictured here, they are served with Turmeric Basmati Rice and Creamy Cucumber Salad.
Storage
- Refrigerate the chicken and onions in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- How to Reheat: Remove the chicken and onions from the skewers and microwave them until warm. You can also reheat them in the air fryer at 360°F for a few minutes or eat them cold on a salad.
- Freeze the kabobs for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge.
More Skewers You Will Love
See more Indian recipes here, plus these 5 kabob recipes:
Yield: 6 servings
Serving Size: 1 kabob
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Add the yogurt, tomato paste, olive oil, garlic, and ginger to a large mixing bowl and whisk until evenly combined. Add all of the spices and the salt to the bowl and whisk to incorporate. Add the chicken to the bowl and stir to coat the chicken evenly in the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-4 hours.
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Remove the chicken from the fridge. Thread the chicken and the red onion onto metal skewers, with a piece of onion in between each chicken cube.
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To grill, preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium heat and lightly oil the grates. Transfer the kabobs to the grill and cook until the chicken easily releases from the grates and has nice solid grill marks, about 3-4 minutes. Rotate and continue to cook the chicken until evenly charred and the internal temperature reaches 165° F, about 22 to 25 minutes total.
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Garnish the kabobs with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges and yogurt.
Last Step:
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To cook under the broiler, preheat the oven to broil on high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place the kabobs on the baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Broil 6 inched from the heating element, until the topside of the chicken is slightly charred, about 3-4 minutes. Keep an eye on them as everyone’s broilers are slightly different. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and rotate the kabobs. Return the baking sheet to the oven and continue the process until the chicken is evenly charred and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Air fryer recipe, skip the skewers and air fry 400°F 16 minutes, shaking the basket halfway.
Serving: 1 kabob, Calories: 230 kcal, Carbohydrates: 4 g, Protein: 31.5 g, Fat: 9 g, Saturated Fat: 2.5 g, Cholesterol: 144 mg, Sodium: 473 mg, Fiber: 0.5 g, Sugar: 2 g