Tender and juicy chicken tikka that’s packed with amazing flavor and aromatic spices, topped with fresh veggies, drizzled with lots of chutney, and wrapped in warm buttery naan! The savory smoky chicken layered with crunchy veggies and luscious chutney creates the ideal combination of taste and texture that everyone loves!
Chicken Tikka is an extremely popular, saporous, and classic dish that’s incredibly simple to make! It’s small pieces of boneless chicken flavored with a delicious blend of ground spices, yogurt, and lemon juice to create a scrumptious and tangy taste!
Traditionally, it has a bright red/orange color to it which is from adding food color to the marinade. However, food color has no flavor or taste so I don’t use it. You can add a few drops of red or orange color to the marinade if you want to achieve that authentic look but it isn’t necessary.
Prepping & Cooking the Chicken
First, the chicken is marinated in just lemon juice for at least 20-25 minutes. This tenderizes the chicken, making it more soft and juicy. Be careful not to let it rest for too long or else it will make the chicken tough and rubbery. After about 20 minutes, mix in the yogurt, oil, and spices! Then let it rest for at least 30 minutes or a few hours if you can. The longer the marinate rests, the better the flavor in the end!
Traditionally, the chicken is threaded onto skewers and grilled on a cylindrical oven called a tandoor. You can either cook it on a stovetop grill, sear it on a pan, or bake or air fry it. I like to cook the chicken tikka on a stovetop grill to give it that smoky flavor with grilled spots. While it’s cooking, I brush the chicken pieces with some of the marinade mixture that’s left in the bowl so that all the spices and flavors are soaked into the chicken as it cooks.
Serving Options
The serving options are endless, making this a very versatile and customizable meal! You can serve the chicken over a bowl of rice or turn it into wraps or sandwiches. Pita bread, roti (flour tortillas), parathas, sandwich bread, and naan are just a few of the many delightful options!
I made naan wraps using my quick no yeast naan recipe that I put together while letting the chicken marinade rest. It comes together very easily and this way you get fresh, soft, buttery naan to enjoy with this chicken tikka!
Topping options include tomatoes, red onions, cilantro, cucumbers, lettuce, and jalapeños. The vegetables add lots of texture and nutrition to this meal making it more filling and wholesome.
Now for the chutney/sauce, there are many options to choose from since this chicken pairs delectably with almost anything. To serve it more traditionally, top it with imli (tamarind) chutney, mango chutney, or coriander chutney. They can be found at local indo-pak grocery stores or the international foods aisle at most other grocery stores.
Besides those, a cilantro yogurt sauce, spicy mayo, sweet chili sauce, garlic sauce, and even ketchup tastes amazing with this chicken tikka! These are just a few choices but feel free to use any chutney or sauce you like!
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Chicken Tikka Wraps
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless & skinless chicken cut into small pieces
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/3 cup (85 g) yogurt
- 2-3 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1.5 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
For the wraps
- 6 naan (or any other bread you like)
- chutney or sauce of your choice
- chopped lettuce and any other veggies you like (tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, jalapenos, cilantro, etc)
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken with lemon juice and let it sit for atleast 20-25 minutes. Don’t let it sit for longer than this or else the chicken might become tough and rubbery.
- Then add the yogurt, oil, and all the spices. Mix it all together, cover, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes to a few hours before cooking. The longer the marinate rests, the better the flavor.
- When you’re ready to cook, heat some oil in a pan or stovetop grill. Add the chicken and cook on medium-low heat until it develops a brown crust and charred spots and is fully cooked through. Don't overcrowd the pan and cook in small batches if necessary.
- To assemble, spread some sauce/chutney on the naan and then layer with lettuce, the chicken and veggies. Drizzle with some more sauce/chutney, wrap it all up and enjoy!
- Also, you can serve this chicken with any other choice of bread or turn it into a rice bowl. Add whatever toppings you like and lots of sauce/chutney to enjoy!
