Achari Chicken Tikka
Boneless chicken pieces marinated in pickling spices (achari masala) and grilled (BBQ, tandoor or pan) to make these delicious melt-in-the-mouth kekabs!
Achari Chicken Tikka is the simplest, easiest chicken tikka recipe to prepare if you have Punjabi homemade Aam ka Achaar (mango pickle) at hand.
Why? Because, that jar has all those pickling spices that go in to this recipe!
If not, get looking for easily available ingredients in your pantry and bring it all together! Delicious both ways!
For anyone wondering, no this recipe of Achari Chicken Tikka is not the same if made with ready off-the-shelf pickles filled with yellow mustard seeds. Just no.
Serve Achari Chicken Tikka with a simple onion salad or a kachumber. Makes for a terrific appetiser to any Indian Curry.
While you’re here, check out these small plates recipes from WhiskMixStir for your next Indian meal!
Kothimbir Vadi (steamed and fried coriander fritters)
Batata Vada for Vada Pav
Connect with me on social media for (errrmmmm) not-so-regular updates! Yes, I’m not going to be on your screen all day every day!
This recipe of Achari Chicken Tikka is naturally gluten-free.
Serves: 2
Time taken: 10 minutes
(plus marination 2-6 hours)
Ingredients to make Achari Chicken Tikka
300 gm chicken – boneless, cut in to bite size pieces (tikka)
3 tbsp dahi / curd / yoghurt
For the Achari Masala
¼ tsp fenugreek seeds / methi dana
¼ tsp fennel seeds / saunf
¼ tsp nigella / kalonji
¼ tsp mustard seeds / rai
¼ tsp red chilli powder
¼ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp raw mango powder / amchur
Salt to taste
2 tsp cold-pressed mustard oil
Or simply
1 tbsp Punjabi homemade Aam ka Achaar masala
Method of making Achari Chicken Tikka
For the Achari Masala
Mix all the spices and powders together, grind only enough to break the seeds open – we are not grinding them to a powder. Or simply use a mortar and pestle – a couple of knocks should do it!
This coarse texture helps the spices coat the chicken tikka pieces better than whole spices would. Powdering the spices may give you a bitter aftertaste, thanks to the fenugreek seeds.
Add in the cold-pressed mustard oil and mix the pickling spices well.
Marinating the chicken tikka
First marinade
Place the chicken tikka pieces in a bowl. Add the pickling spices mix. Gently massage in into the chicken tikka pieces.
If you’re using Punjabi homemade Aam ka Achaar, shuffle the mango pieces around and remove 1 tbsp of the masala and mustard oil from the jar. Add this achar masala to the chicken tikka pieces. Mix well.
Cover the bowl and leave it to rest for about an hour or two (if you have the time). Place the marinated chicken tikka in the refrigerator, if you live in a warmer place.
Second marinade
Add yoghurt or dahi to the achar spices marinated chicken tikka. Mix well and massage lightly again.
Cover the bowl and place it back in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight (if you have the time.)
If you’re short on time, simply add all the marination ingredients to the chicken tikka pieces all at once – mix well, massage gently and rest the marinated chicken for about 15 minutes.
Time to get cooking!
As you know from my earlier posts about chicken tikka and kebabs, there are multiple ways to cook this delectable Achari Chicken Tikka recipe!
Tandoor or BBQ
Heat your tandoor or BBQ, thread the marinated chicken tikka pieces on to a metal skewer. Grill on the BBQ or in the tandoor. Baste, grill, baste – done! Serve!
Pan-grilling
Heat a flat bottom pan on medium high heat. Once the pan is hot enough for the chicken tikka to sizzle as soon as it is laid on the pan, add the marinated Achari Chicken Tikka pieces one by one to the pan.
Leave enough space between pieces so that the chicken juices dry out almost as quickly as they are released. We don’t want to broil the chicken tikka in its juices.
Don’t quite need extra oil, as there’s already mustard oil in the marinade. Add more if you feel like it.
In about 2 minutes, flip the chicken tikka pieces. The one side should be well seared by now. Cover the pan – without lowering the heat. Cook the Achari Chicken Tikka for a couple of minutes more. Turn off the heat. Let the Achari Chicken Tikka rest in the pan for about a minute and then place the cooked tikka pieces on a plate.
Serve Achari Chicken Tikka with a simple salad of sliced onions. Or pickled onions / sirke wale pyaz.
As for me, I like to pair Achari Chicken Tikka with a veggie pulao and onion tomato capsicum salad (slightly different from a kachumber). Makes a meal by itself.
Take a look at the other Indian small plates recipes (there are other chicken tikka and kebabs recipes on here too – mint chicken kebabs, chicken seekh kebabs, stir fried chicken, reshmi chicken kebab, tandoori chicken drumsticks and loads more!) and quick & simple meal ideas.
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