Topic: Tikka Style Chicken - Succulent Every Time

[Garp]

I've struggled to get consistently tender chicken for a while. I like tikka style and have tried some of the preferred tikka recipes on here, but always found them a bit dry or tough.

But recently I have found a recipe/method that works perfectly for me every time - and I thought I'd share it - just in case anyone else was struggling.

It is tikka/tandoori style chicken, intended for use in a curry.

Ingredients

3 or 4 chicken breasts
Lemon juice
Salt
Tandoori masala

Method

1/ Trim chicken and cut into pieces which are about twice the size you want in final curry and pierce the skin side of the chicken several times with a sharp knife. Place in a bowl or on a tray, skin side up.



2/ Sprinkle some salt over the chicken (about 1 tbsp) and rub into the chicken (take a minute to coat them)

3/ Sprinkle a few glugs of lemon juice over the chicken and rub this in well.

4/ Turn over chicken pieces and do the same on the other side.

5/ Set aside for about 30 minutes. The lemon and salt should have started to make inroad into the chicken and turn the edges white.

6/ Sprinkle Tandoori masala (I'm using Rajah at the moment) over chicken and mix well, using a blunt spoon. Use the back of the spoon to rub the powder into the chicken.



7/ Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 24 hours or overnight. Stir and rub in spices two or three times if possible.

8/ When ready to cook, pre-heat oven to 180 C (fan assisted)

9/ Place chicken pieces on a baking tray and cook on middle shelf for ten minutes. After that, the top should be dryish and the bottom still moist.



10/ Turn each piece over and cook for another 10 minutes - meanwhile melt some butter.

11/ Turn oven up to about 210-220 (probably more if you want burnt bits) remove chicken and turn each piece over again. Brush top side with melted butter and return to oven for 4 - 5 minutes. Keep an eye on it in case it burns.

12/ Remove from oven, turn each chicken piece, brush with melted butter and return to oven for another 4-5 minutes - again watch it.

It should come out kind of like this



13/ Take the thickest piece and cut through the middle to ensure it is cooked through



And there you have it - beautiful, tender chicken every time



Cut pieces in half, add to desired curry and enjoy. If you wish to reheat, I put in oven at about 150 C (covered) for 10 or 15 minutes before adding to curry.

Most people probably have their own methods, but this might help someone

[curryhell]

Thanks for sharing.  It certainly looks the business and is simple to do.  I'll give it a go next time i do some tikka.  Have quite a bit in stock at the moment  ;D .  I'll try it with Pat Chapmans tandoori powder which IMHO takes some beating for the flavour it produces.  And it stores really well and improves with age    Would you say the flavour is intense or more on the subtle side?

[Peripatetic Phil]

It looks good, but I am no fan of chicken tikka as an ingredient of curries, far preferring it as a starter.  How does it taste in stand-alone mode ?

** Phil.

[Garp]

CH - the Rajah masala is quite strong (and full of E's - hence the colour) but mellows if the chicken is left after cooking for a while. But yes, I'd like to cook with the same method and another masala.

Phil - I've never eaten it as a starter, but would probably cook it a little more (or at a higher heat in the final stages) to get some nice burnt bits.

[Stephen Lindsay]

I'll try it with Pat Chapmans tandoori powder which IMHO takes some beating for the flavour it produces. 

I agree entirely.

[mickdabass]

I use Rajah brand in my recipe, but I have been using TRS lately but have to add 1 tsp salt to the marinade because the Rajah is pretty salty compared to TRS. Must check out the Pat Chapman recipe. Is there a link on the forum?

[Naga]

...Must check out the Pat Chapman recipe. Is there a link on the forum?

Right here, Mick.

[mickdabass]

Thanks mate. It looks ream lol

[976bar]

It all looks good

The only thing I would change in your method is to not rub salt in with the lemon at the beginning. Salt will draw a lot of moisture out of the Chicken Breast. With Chicken Legs and joints with bone, will handle the 1 tsp of salt, but breast is too tender for that if you want ultimate moisture.

Try just the lemon juice at first and make sure you massage that into the Chicken breast, let it rest before adding the spice and that is where I would add the salt and about 1 tbsp of oil and a little water.

Massage that into the chicken and marinade for at least 4 hours. I marinade for at least 48 hours.

When I make Chicken Tikka at the Uni, I am talking about 15-30kg at a time, which takes a lot of time and effort and has been a lot of hard work to get it right, but having done that, and even when I make small portions at home, the oil and water ensures that the salt brings out the flavour of the Chicken but will not draw all the moisture out.

Cook to your prefer method and enjoy

[Unclefrank]

http://www.secretcurryrecipes.com/curryforum/showthread.php?6581-Quick-And-Simple-Chicken-Tikka&highlight=simple+chicken+tikka

The same thing i have been using for a while now.