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Grilled Chicken Tikka Skewers

Grilled Chicken Tikka Skewers reads citrus 6.4, sourness 6.2 and fruity 4.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Indian main, about 2 hr 18 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.6 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.1 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 8.2 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 3.5 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 2.9 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.6 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Citrus 6.4 · Sourness 6.2 · Fruity 4.3 · Salinity 4.1 · Allium 3.8 · Warm Spice 3.3 · Herbaceous 3.1 · Smoke 3.0 · Umami 2.9 · Heat 2.8 · Sweetness 2.6 · Richness 2.6 · Funk & Ferment 2.3 · Earthy 2.2 · Floral 1.7 · Bitterness 1.3 · Nutty 1.1

What's in it (16)

• plain yogurt — 237 g
• vegetable oil — 41 g
• garlic — 12 g
• ginger — 15 g
• garam masala — 30 g
• cumin — 5 g
• smoked paprika — 5 g
• cayenne pepper — 3 g
• turmeric — 5 g
• lemon juice — 30 g
• salt — 10 g
• boneless chicken — 907 g
• red onion — 110 g
• red bell pepper — 100 g
• cilantro — 15 g
• lemon — 65 g

Time & effort: about 2 hr 18 min (13 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 127.8 kcal, 18.4 g protein, 4.5 g fat, 3.7 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Whisk together the yogurt, 2 tablespoons of the oil, garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, turmeric, lemon juice, and salt into a smooth marinade.
2. Add the chicken, toss to coat every piece, cover, and refrigerate 2-4 hours, up to overnight for deeper flavor.
3. Toss the onion and bell pepper with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.
4. Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers, alternating every second or third piece with onion or bell pepper (soak wooden skewers in water 20 minutes first so they don't scorch).
5. Heat a grill to medium-high, about 450 F, and scrape and oil the grates.
6. Grill the skewers, turning every 3-4 minutes, until deeply charred in spots on all sides and an instant-read thermometer reads 165 F in the thickest piece, 12-14 minutes total.
7. Transfer to a platter and rest 5 minutes off heat so the juices settle back into the meat.
8. Scatter with chopped cilantro and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Sheet-Pan Tandoori Chicken Thighs — Indian
• Ground Turkey Shawarma Skillet — Middle Eastern
• Grilled Peri-Peri Chicken — Portuguese
• Grilled Chicken Shawarma Skewers — Middle Eastern
• Tandoori Shrimp Skewers — Indian

Keep reading: what citrus, sourness, fruity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.