Ingredients
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1.5kg Chicken Breast
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4 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
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120g Plain YoghurtI use just plain standard yoghurt, nothing fancy
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2 teaspoons Salt
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2 teaspoons Garlic Paste
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2 teaspoons Ginger Paste
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1 teaspoon Paprika Powder
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1/2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
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1 teaspoon Sugar
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1 teaspoon Lemon Juiceadd just before cooking
Directions
I love using chicken tikka in curries, but sometimes it can simply be too much. In delicate, creamy or mild dishes, a strongly spiced tikka marinade can overpower the sauce rather than complement it.
This is my alternative.
The chicken is lightly marinated to keep the breast meat beautifully soft and succulent, with just enough seasoning to give it flavour without turning it into tikka.
A little yoghurt, oil, garlic, ginger and gentle seasoning helps protect the chicken as it cooks, while the high heat of the air fryer gives the pieces a little colour around the edges without drying them out.
It’s perfect for milder curries such as Korma, Pasanda, Butter Chicken and other creamy dishes where you want the flavour of the finished curry to remain the star.
Cook the chicken separately, then add it to your curry towards the end of cooking. This keeps the pieces tender and juicy rather than simmering the chicken breast in the sauce until it becomes dry.
You can cook it in an air fryer, under a hot grill, on the BBQ or in a tandoor.
For stronger curries where you want that distinctive restaurant-style tikka flavour, stick with my Chicken Tikka Marinade. For everything else, this has become my go-to way of preparing chicken breast for curry.
Steps
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1
Done
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Cut the chicken breasts into roughly 3-4 cm chunks, keeping the pieces as even in size as possible so they cook at the same rate and place the chicken into a large bowl. |
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2
Done
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Add the yoghurt, oil, salt, garlic paste, ginger paste, paprika, turmeric and sugar and mix everything together thoroughly until every piece of chicken is evenly coated. |
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3
Done
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Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2-4 hours. For the best flavour and texture, leave the chicken to marinate in the fridge overnight. |
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4
Done
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Remove the chicken from the fridge around 30 minutes before cooking, add the lemon juice and mix through carefully. This takes some of the chill off the meat and helps it cook more evenly. |
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5
Done
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Preheat your air fryer to 200°C then place the chicken pieces into the air fryer basket in a single layer. Leave a little space between the pieces where possible. Don't overcrowd the basket, as the chicken will steam rather than colour. Cook in batches if necessary. |
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6
Done
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Air fry at 200°C for around 8 to 10 minutes, turning the chicken halfway through. The exact cooking time will depend on the size of your chicken pieces and your air fryer. You're looking for chicken that is lightly browned around the edges but still juicy inside. It doesn't need the heavy charring you would normally aim for with chicken tikka. |
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7
Done
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Check that the thickest pieces are completely cooked through. For accuracy, use a food thermometer and make sure the centre of the chicken has reached at least 74°C. Avoid cooking it for longer than necessary, as chicken breast can quickly start to dry out. |
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8
Done
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Once cooked, the chicken can be used immediately or allowed to cool and refrigerated for later. When using it in a curry, add the cooked chicken towards the end and simmer gently in the sauce for just a few minutes. |
