This Chicken Malai Tikka Recipe uses chicken breast, hung curd, fresh cream, ginger, garlic, green chilli, and spices for juicy, creamy tikka.

The first time I made a proper Chicken Malai Tikka Recipe at home, I was not trying to be impressive. I was mostly trying to rescue dinner from becoming another boring grilled chicken situation. You know the kind. The sort of meal that is technically fine, but nobody at the table looks especially thrilled. I wanted something softer, creamier, more interesting. Not the fiery red tikka that grabs you by the collar. I wanted the gentler one. The one that smells buttery and rich and makes you hover near the pan a little too long.

And honestly, that’s what keeps pulling me back to this Chicken Malai Tikka Recipe. It feels special without being showy. The flavor is mellow, but not sleepy. Rich, but not heavy in that why did I do this to myself kind of way. It reminds me of those dinners where people go weirdly quiet after the first bite. Not because they’re being polite. Because they’re trying to process how something so creamy and soft can still have so much flavor. That always feels like a win to me.

I’ve made this creamy chicken tikka for family dinners, for random weekend cravings, and once on a night when I was absolutely not in the mood to cook but also not willing to settle for plain food. Sound familiar? The marinade looked almost too simple to be this good. I remember thinking, well, let’s see. Then I tasted it and immediately understood why this dish has such a loyal following. A good Chicken Malai Tikka Recipe has that effect. It sneaks up on you a little.

Why you’ll Love this Chicken Malai Tikka Recipe?

There are a lot of reasons to love this Chicken Malai Tikka Recipe, but the biggest one is probably the texture. This is not dry, stiff, “drink some water with it” chicken. Not even close. The double marinade makes the chicken tender and flavorful, and the creamy second marinade gives it that soft, rich finish that makes malai tikka feel different from other chicken tikka recipes. If you’ve ever had grilled chicken that tasted fine but felt a bit joyless, this recipe fixes that fast.

Another reason this Chicken Malai Tikka Recipe works so well is the flavor balance. It’s creamy, yes, but it doesn’t just taste like dairy. The ginger and garlic in the first marinade wake the chicken up right away. Then the hung curd, fresh cream, garam masala, green chilli, kasoori methi, and coriander step in and do the real charm work. The whole thing tastes layered and warm and just a little luxurious. It’s not loud. It doesn’t need to be.

And maybe this is my favorite thing: this malai chicken tikka recipe feels restaurant-worthy without demanding restaurant-level energy from you. Once the marinating is done, the cooking is pretty straightforward. Skewer, grill, flip, butter, serve. That’s it. The kind of recipe that makes you look more capable than you might have felt an hour earlier. I’m always grateful for those.

Ingredient Notes

One thing I really appreciate about this Chicken Malai Tikka Recipe is that the ingredients feel thoughtful. Nothing random. Nothing thrown in just to sound fancy. Since this is a creamy, mild chicken tikka recipe, every ingredient has space to matter. That’s part of why the final flavor feels so rounded and complete.

• Chicken breast: Boneless, skinless chicken breast works beautifully here when cut into even cubes. I know chicken breast can be a bit unreliable sometimes, a little dramatic even, but in this Chicken Malai Tikka Recipe, the marinade does a lot of heavy lifting. So it stays juicy if you treat it properly.
• Butter: Butter for grilling is not just there for appearance. It adds richness, helps the outside cook beautifully, and gives the chicken that slightly indulgent finish that makes this creamy chicken tikka so memorable.

First Marinate

• Salt: This starts seasoning the chicken directly and helps the first marinade do its job properly.
• Black pepper powder: Black pepper gives a mild heat and a little edge without making the chicken aggressive or overly spicy.
• Ginger paste: Ginger brings freshness and that familiar tikka-style warmth that makes the chicken smell incredible while it cooks.
• Garlic paste: Garlic gives the chicken a savory backbone. I’d say it’s essential here. Without it, the recipe would still be okay, maybe, but definitely less exciting.

Second Marinate

• Hung curd: This is one of the stars of the Chicken Malai Tikka Recipe. It’s thick, tangy, and coats the chicken beautifully without making the marinade watery.
• Fresh cream: This is where the “malai” part really comes alive. It softens the sharper flavors and gives the marinade that smooth, rich finish.
• Garam masala: A little warmth, a little depth, no need for drama. It rounds out the creamy marinade nicely.
• Green chilli: This adds just enough fresh heat to stop the marinade from feeling too soft or too rich.
• Kasoori methi: Dried fenugreek leaves bring that distinct restaurant-style aroma that makes everything smell immediately more serious. In a good way.
• White pepper powder: White pepper gives a gentler heat than black pepper and works beautifully in this creamy style of tikka.
• Salt: The second marinade needs proper seasoning too, not just the first.
• Cornflour or cornstarch: This helps the marinade cling and gives the cooked chicken a nice finish.
• Fresh coriander leaves: Coriander keeps the marinade feeling fresh and adds a bright note to all that richness.

That’s what I like about this Chicken Malai Tikka Recipe. It’s rich, but balanced. Creamy, but not dull. Very important distinction.

How to Make Chicken Malai Tikka Recipe?

If you’ve never made a Chicken Malai Tikka Recipe before, don’t let the double marinade scare you off. It looks like a lot written out, but once you start, it makes perfect sense. The first marinade builds flavor straight into the chicken. The second creates that creamy, fragrant coating that makes malai tikka what it is. It’s actually quite logical. Which I appreciate, because some recipes feel like they’re making things difficult just for fun.

Step 1. Cut and prepare the chicken

Start by washing the chicken and patting it dry. Then cut each breast into strips about 1 inch wide, and cut those strips into 1-inch cubes. Try to keep the pieces roughly the same size so they cook evenly. They do not need to be perfect little cubes from a geometry textbook. Just close enough that you don’t end up with one skewer cooking beautifully while another is still catching up.

Step 2. Make the first marinade

Take the chicken cubes in a bowl and add the salt, black pepper, ginger paste, and garlic paste. Mix really well so each piece is coated. I think using your hands works best here, even though it’s not exactly elegant. It just helps you get everything evenly distributed. Let the chicken sit for 30 minutes. This first stage gives the Chicken Malai Tikka Recipe its first layer of flavor, and it matters more than people sometimes think.

Step 3. Prepare the creamy second marinade

While the chicken rests, grab another bowl and add the hung curd, fresh cream, garam masala, chopped green chilli, kasoori methi, white pepper powder, and salt. Whisk it until it’s smooth. Then add the cornflour and chopped coriander leaves and mix again until everything comes together into one creamy, even mixture. This is the moment when the marinade starts looking like the kind of thing you already know is going to taste good.

Step 4. Combine the chicken with the second marinade

After the first 30 minutes, add the chicken and all its juices into the second marinade. Mix it thoroughly. And yes, I do mean thoroughly. This is probably the most important step in the whole creamy chicken tikka recipe, because every piece needs that marinade clinging to it properly. Rushed mixing here usually leads to less flavor later, which is deeply annoying.

Step 5. Refrigerate and marinate properly

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the chicken for at least 4 hours, though overnight is definitely best. I know overnight marination can feel a little inconvenient when you want food now, but it really makes a difference. The flavors deepen, the chicken softens, and the whole Chicken Malai Tikka Recipe tastes more complete. More confident, even. Shorter marinating works, but overnight is where the magic really settles in.

Step 6. Thread the chicken onto skewers

When you’re ready to cook, thread the chicken cubes onto bamboo skewers one by one. Leave a little space at the top and bottom so they’re easier to handle. Don’t pack the cubes too tightly. A little space helps the heat move around them more evenly.

Step 7. Grill the tikka in a buttered pan

Heat a non-stick pan and brush it with melted butter. Once hot, reduce the heat to medium and lay the skewers in a single layer. Don’t overcrowd the pan and definitely don’t stack skewers on top of each other. That only leads to uneven cooking and mild resentment. Let the first side cook for about 10 minutes without fussing too much. Then brush the top with melted butter, flip the skewers, and cook the other side for another 8 minutes.

Step 8. Check for doneness and serve

The chicken should be fully opaque with no pink left. Once it’s cooked through, your Chicken Malai Tikka Recipe is ready. Serve it hot with yogurt mint chutney and lemon wedges. And yes, this is the part where people usually start appearing in the kitchen pretending they’re “just passing through.”

Storage Options

One of the nice surprises about this Chicken Malai Tikka Recipe is that it stores better than you might expect. Once cooked, let the chicken cool completely, then keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It reheats best gently, either in a pan over low heat or in the microwave if you’re doing what real people do on busy days and taking the easy route.

Fresh is still best, I think, especially when the buttery outside is at its nicest. But leftovers are still very good. In fact, I’d say leftover malai tikka tucked into a wrap or flatbread the next day is a very smart use of your time. It almost feels like a second recipe without the effort of actually making a second recipe. Which I fully support.

If you want to freeze it, I’d recommend freezing the raw marinated chicken instead of the cooked version. This works really well with a Chicken Malai Tikka Recipe because the marinade protects the chicken nicely. Freeze it in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge before skewering and cooking. Future-you will be extremely pleased, even if present-you is currently chaotic.

Variations & Substitutions

A really good Chicken Malai Tikka Recipe should let you adapt a little without losing the whole point of the dish. This one does. It still wants to stay creamy, mild, and fragrant, of course, but there’s enough room to work with what you have or follow your mood a bit.

• Use chicken thighs instead of breast: If you want even juicier pieces and more forgiveness during cooking, boneless thighs work beautifully in this chicken malai tikka recipe.
• Adjust the cream: You can slightly increase or reduce the cream depending on how rich you want the marinade. The balance here is lovely, but there’s some wiggle room.
• Make it milder: Reduce or skip the green chilli if you want the malai tikka to stay extra gentle and creamy.
• Add cheese: Some people add a little grated cheese to the marinade for even more richness. It’s not required, but it can be fun if you want to lean fully into the indulgent side of things.
• Use thick Greek yogurt instead of hung curd: If hung curd is hard to find, thick Greek yogurt works well. Just make sure it isn’t watery.
• Bake or broil it instead: This Chicken Malai Tikka Recipe can absolutely be made in the oven if that suits your kitchen better. The pan method gives lovely buttery flavor, but the oven works too.

That’s one of the things I like about this malai chicken tikka recipe. It knows what it is, but it’s not impossibly rigid about it.

What to Serve With Chicken Malai Tikka?

This Chicken Malai Tikka Recipe goes beautifully with things that either brighten the richness or help soak up all that flavor. It’s the sort of main dish that makes the rest of dinner easy to figure out, which I always appreciate when I’m already putting effort into marinating chicken overnight.

• Yogurt mint chutney: This is the classic pairing for a reason. Cool, herby, fresh, and exactly what this creamy chicken tikka wants beside it.
• Lemon wedges: A squeeze of lemon right before eating changes the whole bite. Such a tiny thing, such a big effect.
• Naan or roomali roti: Warm bread with this Chicken Malai Tikka Recipe is always a very good idea.
• Jeera rice or plain basmati rice: If you want to make it a fuller meal, rice is perfect with the rich, creamy chicken.
• Pickled onions: Something sharp and tangy on the side cuts through the richness beautifully.
• Simple cucumber-onion salad: Cool, crisp, and very welcome next to all that creamy flavor.
• Wraps or paratha: Leftovers tucked into warm bread with chutney and onions are honestly brilliant.

That’s the nice thing about this creamy chicken tikka recipe. Once the chicken is ready, dinner mostly takes care of itself.

FAQ

Why is my Chicken Malai Tikka not creamy?

Usually that means the marinade was too thin. Thick hung curd or thick yogurt makes a huge difference here. Watery yogurt won’t cling the same way.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast?

Yes, absolutely. Thighs work beautifully and usually stay even juicier.

How long should I marinate Chicken Malai Tikka?

At least 4 hours, but overnight is best for the fullest flavor and best texture.

Can I bake Chicken Malai Tikka instead of pan grilling it?

Yes, you can. The pan method gives lovely buttery flavor and color, but baking or broiling works very well too.

There’s something really special about a Chicken Malai Tikka Recipe that gets the balance right. It should be creamy but not heavy, flavorful but not harsh, rich but still fresh enough that you want another bite instead of a nap. This one really does that. It feels a little indulgent, a little restaurant-style, and still completely doable at home.

So now I’m curious, if you made this tonight, would you keep it classic with mint chutney and lemon, or go straight for wraps and make that your perfect dinner?