Vaibhu at 10:42, 28 February 2026

2026-02-28T10:42:38Z

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{{Short description|Boneless chicken pieces cooked in a tandoor}}
{{distinguish|Chicken tikka masala|text=[[chicken tikka masala]]}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2025}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Chicken tikka
| image = Tandoorimumbai.jpg
| image_size = 240px
| region = [[South Asia]]
| national_cuisine = [[Bangladeshi cuisine|Bangladeshi]], [[Indian cuisine|Indian]], [[Pakistani cuisine|Pakistani]]
| course = [[Hors d'oeuvre]]
| main_ingredient = [[Chicken]], [[dahi (curd)|curd]] ([[yogurt]]), red chili powder, ginger and garlic paste, [[lemon juice]]
| variations = [[Paneer tikka]]
| caption = Chicken tikka
}}

'''Chicken tikka''' is a dish of roasted marinated chicken pieces traditionally cooked in a [[tandoor]]. It is associated with [[Mughlai cuisine|Mughal cuisine]], reflecting Central and South Asian cooking techniques and the use of yogurt-based marinades and spices. It is now popular across South Asia and worldwide. The dish later served as the basis for the British curry [[chicken tikka masala]].”

== History ==

{{further|Mughal cuisine}}

The English word "tikka" is borrowed from Urdu/Hindi (تکہ)/टिक्का ''[[Tikka (food)|tikkā]]'' "small pieces of meat", itself a borrowing from [[Persian language|Classical Persian]] تکه ''tikka'', "pieces".<ref>{{cite Merriam-Webster|tikka}}</ref>

Chicken tikka was created in the reign of the Mughal Emperor [[Babur]] (r. 1526–1530) by [[marinating]] pieces of chicken meat in [[Yogurt|yoghurt]] and spices, and then grilling them in a [[tandoor]] oven.{{sfn|Iyer|2022|pp=132–134}}

[[File:Evolution of Chicken Tikka Masala.svg|thumb|center|upright=2.5|Chicken tikka was created in [[Mughal Empire|Mughal India]] using Persian [[Marination|marinading]] of meat in [[Yogurt|yoghurt]] and Central Asian [[tandoor]] roasting with Indian spices.{{sfn|Iyer|2022|pp=132–134}}<ref name="Collingham 2006">{{cite book |last=Collingham |first=Elizabeth M. |author-link=Lizzie Collingham |title=Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors| publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=2006 |pages=27, 232 |isbn=0-19-517241-8 |url=https://archive.org/details/currytaleofcooks00coll |url-access=registration}}</ref> In 20th century Britain, a sauce was added to satisfy the British liking for gravy with meat.<ref name="Godeau 2009">{{cite news |last=Godeau |first=Lucie |date=2 August 2009 |title=Chicken tikka masala claims its origins in Scotland |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |agency=[[Agence France-Presse|Agence France Presse]] |url=http://www.smh.com.au//breaking-news-world/chicken-tikka-masala-claims-its-origins-in-scotland-20090802-e5mr.html |access-date=19 May 2017}}</ref> The dish has evolved further to a [[taco]] filling in the US,<ref name="Glenn 2022">{{cite book |last=Glenn |first=Jane K. |title=The joy of eating : a guide to food in modern pop culture |date=2022 |isbn=978-1-4408-6210-6 |publisher=[[Bloomsbury Publishing]] |pages=238 |oclc=1264746520}}</ref> and to a [[pizza]] topping in India.<ref name="Sen 2004">{{cite book |last=Sen |first=Colleen Taylor |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YIyV_5wrplMC |title=Food Culture in India |publisher=[[Greenwood Publishing Group]] |year=2004 |isbn=0-313-32487-5 |page=137}}</ref> Tacos originated from Mexico.<ref>{{Cite journal |url=https://read.dukeupress.edu/hahr/article/94/1/153/10959/Planet-Taco-A-Global-History-of-Mexican-Food |access-date=2024-07-22 |journal=Hispanic American Historical Review |doi=10.1215/00182168-2390303 |title=Planet Taco: A Global History of Mexican Food |date=2014 |last=Boyer |first=Christopher R. |volume=94 |pages=153–154 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> Pizzas originated from Italy.<ref name=Helstosky21>{{cite book |last=Helstosky |first=Carol |title=Pizza: A Global History |date=2008 |publisher=Reaktion |location=London |isbn=978-1-86189-391-8 |pages=21–22}}</ref>]]

== Dish ==

Chicken tikka consists of small pieces of boneless chicken baked after [[marinated|marinating]] in [[Indian spices]] and [[dahi (curd)|dahi]] (yogurt). It is flavourful and tender, essentially a boneless version of [[tandoori chicken]].<ref name=Curryclub>{{cite book |last=Chapman |first=Pat |author-link=Pat Chapman (food writer) |title=Curry Club Tandoori and Tikka Dishes |year=1993 |publisher=[[Judy Piatkus|Piatkus]] |location=London |isbn=0-7499-1283-9 |pages= }}</ref>

The pieces are brushed with [[ghee]] (clarified butter) at intervals, while being continuously fanned, to increase flavour. It is typically eaten with green [[coriander]] and [[tamarind]] [[chutney]], served with onion rings and lemon, or used in preparing [[chicken tikka masala]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/videos/food-dining/chicken-tikka-recipes.html |title=Chicken Tikka Recipes |date=12 January 2019 |website=[[Deccan Chronicle]] |access-date=24 January 2019 |archive-date=24 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190124102333/https://www.deccanchronicle.com/videos/food-dining/chicken-tikka-recipes.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

<gallery class="center" mode="nolines" widths="180" heights="180">
File:Chk Tikka.jpg|Chicken tikka with salad
File:Chickentikka2.jpg|Chicken tikka BBQ style
</gallery>

== Variants ==

It is a dish in [[Punjabi cuisine]].
The Kashmiri version is grilled over red-hot coals, and does not always contain boneless pieces.

A chicken ''tikka'' sizzler has the dish served on a heated plate with onions.

The Afghan variant is less [[spicy]] than those in the Indian subcontinent, and can use beef and lamb in place of chicken.<ref name=London>{{cite book |first=Pat |last=Chapman |author-link=Pat Chapman (food writer) |title=India: Food & Cooking |year=2007 |publisher=[[New Holland Publishers]] |location=London |isbn=978-1-84537-619-2 |pages= }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://gulf-times.com/story/619496 |title=Popular hariyali chicken tikka is mouthwatering |date=17 January 2019 |website=[[Gulf Times]] |language=en |access-date=24 January 2019}}</ref>

[[Curry in the United Kingdom|In Britain]], the dish was transformed in the late 20th century by the addition of tomato, cream, and spices into [[chicken tikka masala]].{{sfn|Iyer|2022|pp=132–134}}

<gallery class=center mode=nolines widths=180 heights=130 caption="Variants">
File:Chicken tikka biryani.jpg|Chicken tikka [[biryani]]
File:Chicken Tikka Kebab.jpg|Chicken tikka [[kebab]]
File:Zeera-chicken-tikka.jpg|Chicken tikka [[zeera]] (with cumin)
File:Chicken tikka masala (cropped).jpg|[[Chicken tikka masala]]
</gallery>

== See also ==

* [[Chicken lollipop]]
* [[Çiğ köfte]]
* [[North Indian cuisine]]
* [[Pakistani meat dishes]]

== References ==

{{reflist}}

== Sources ==

* {{cite book |last=Iyer |first=Raghavan |author-link=Raghavan Iyer (chef) |title=On the Curry Trail: Chasing the Flavor That Seduced the World |publisher=[[Workman Publishing Company|Workman Publishing]] |location=New York |year=2022 |isbn=978-1523511211 |oclc=1374192575}}

{{Chicken dishes}}
{{Indian Dishes}}
{{Pakistani dishes}}

[[Category:Afghan cuisine]]
[[Category:Bangladeshi cuisine]]
[[Category:Bengali cuisine]]
[[Category:Indian cuisine]]
[[Category:Indian chicken dishes]]
[[Category:Pakistani chicken dishes]]
[[Category:Grilled skewers]]
[[Category:Baked foods]]

Chicken tikka - Revision history

Vaibhu at 10:42, 28 February 2026