Chicken tikka with coriander raita

This oven-baked chicken tikka is dead easy to make. The most time consuming bit is threading the pieces of chicken onto the skewers. It also works really well with chunks of paneer.

The recipe is an adaptation of Meera Sodha’s version in her Made in India cookbook.

Oven-roasted chicken tikka
(serves 4)

For the chicken tikka:

• a thumb of ginger, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 large green chilli, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 3/4 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 500g boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
• wooden skewers, soaked in advance
• lime wedges to serve

For the coriander raita:

• 1 bunch coriander, both leaves and stems
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• a thumb of ginger, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 2 Tb sunflower oil
• juice of a lime
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• salt

1. In a food processor or mini-chopper, blitz the ginger, garlic, salt, chilli powder, turmeric, cumin, caster sugar and garam masala into a paste. Mix with the Greek yogurt to make a marinade.
2. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Transfer to a non-metal bowl or ziplock bag, add the marinade and mix well. Leave to marinate for thirty minutes to three hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
4. Thread the chicken pieces onto wooden skewers, and arrange on baking trays lined with greaseproof paper.
5. Bake for about twenty minutes, turning the skewers after ten minutes so they cook evenly.
6. While the chicken is cooking, make the coriander raita. Combine the coriander, sugar, ginger, garlic, sunflower oil and lime juice in a food processor or mini-chopper and blend until it becomes a coarse purée. Stir into the yogurt and season to taste.

Tags: chicken, coriander, ginger, gluten-free, Indian food, paneer, yogurt