Baked Chicken Tikka Tandoori by Go Healthy Ever After

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or regular chili powder
• 1 tbsp mustard oil, heated and cooled
• 1 tbsp besan (chickpea flour), roasted
• 1 tbsp ghee or melted butter, for basting
• 1 small cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
• 1 tbsp oil, for greasing or pan cooking

Instructions

1. If using chicken breasts, toss the cubes with baking soda and rest for 20 minutes, then rinse and drain well.
2. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, ginger-garlic paste, and lemon juice, then rest for 10 minutes.
3. Whisk yogurt, Kashmiri chili powder, cayenne pepper, and cooled mustard oil into a smooth marinade.
4. Mix the marinade into the chicken, then stir in roasted besan and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight for deeper flavor.
5. For optional smoke flavor, heat the cinnamon pieces until red hot, place them beside the marinated chicken, add a spoon of ghee, and cover for 10 minutes.
6. Heat the oven to 230°C/446°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
7. Thread the chicken onto skewers and prop them over the tray so they do not touch the bottom.
8. Roast for 10 minutes, baste with ghee, then broil for 10 minutes more until charred at the edges and cooked through.
9. For stovetop cooking, heat oil in a grill pan or frying pan and cook the skewers over high heat for 5 to 8 minutes per side until browned and cooked through.