Chicken Malai Tikka

About this recipe

Chicken malai tikka is the restaurant showcase—pale, creamy, refined, the kind of tikka that appears at special occasions. Fresh cream and cashew paste create a rich, luxurious coating that browns beautifully on high heat; processed cheese adds umami and helps the marinade stick while keeping the chicken juicy through the intense grilling. This is not everyday cooking; it's the dish you make when you want to feel fancy. The two-step approach works here too: first, rub the chicken with lemon, salt, and ginger-garlic paste, then rest 15 minutes. Then beat the hung curd, fresh cream, cashew paste, processed cheese, white pepper, garam masala, and kasuri methi into a rich marinade and gently mix in the chicken. Rest at least 2 hours, ideally overnight. The cream protects the chicken from drying out while the cashew paste helps the marinade set into the meat. When you grill, watch for the surface to brown to a pale golden—you need high heat but not so fierce it scorches the cream before the chicken cooks through. A 220°C oven or a hot flat pan works perfectly. Grill 16 minutes, turning once, until spotted golden. The chicken should be cooked through but still creamy inside. Brush with melted butter at the very end so it glistens and tastes like indulgence. Chicken malai tikka is meant for rice and a cool raita, or simply served alone with a squeeze of lemon and chaat masala. It's substantial and rich, the kind of dish that needs no other protein on the plate. Keeps refrigerated for 3 days and can be gently reheated before serving.