Saffron chicken tikka swaps the usual food-colouring-heavy marinade for real saffron, blooming it in warm milk before it goes into the yogurt marinade. The result is a more subtle golden colour and a genuinely floral note under the char.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- No Artificial Colour: Saffron and turmeric do the colouring work honestly.
- Real Char: Works on a grill, under a broiler, or in a tandoor — whatever gets you high, direct heat.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: The longer marinade time (up to overnight) means most of the work happens before guests arrive.
Ingredients
Serves 4
- 500g boneless chicken, cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup thick yogurt
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- A pinch of Kashmiri saffron strands, soaked in 2 tablespoons warm milk
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, adjust to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons mustard oil or vegetable oil
- Salt, to taste
- Skewers
Instructions
- Bloom the saffron: Soak the saffron strands in the warm milk for 10 minutes.
- Make the marinade: Whisk the yogurt with ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, lemon juice, oil, salt, and the saffron milk.
- Marinate: Coat the chicken thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
- Skewer: Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers.
- Grill: Cook over high heat — grill, broiler, or tandoor — turning occasionally, for 12-15 minutes until charred and cooked through.
- Baste: Brush with a little melted butter or oil halfway through.
- Serve: Serve hot with mint chutney, sliced onions, and lemon wedges.
Tip: Don't skip the resting time in the marinade — saffron and the spices need a couple of hours to actually penetrate the chicken, not just coat the surface.
