Hariyali Chicken Tikka (Green Tikka)
ہریالی چکن تکہ (ہرا تکہ)
Hariyali means greenery, and this tikka gets its colour from a big handful of mint and coriander blended with green chilies, ginger, garlic and yogurt. It tastes fresher than red tikka, with a gentle heat from the chilies and a lemony tang. Because it uses boneless pieces, it cooks in about ten minutes, which makes it a quick weeknight BBQ.
- ⏱ Total: 32 min
- Prep: 20 min
- Cook: 12 min
- Easy
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Blend the mint, coriander, green chilies, ginger, garlic, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the yogurt into a smooth, bright green paste.
Stir the green paste into the rest of the yogurt with the cumin, garam masala, salt and oil. Add the chicken, mix well and marinate in the fridge for 3–4 hours.
Light the coals and let them burn down to a grey ash. Thread the chicken onto skewers with small gaps between the pieces.
Grill over medium coals for 10–12 minutes, turning every 2–3 minutes, until charred at the edges and cooked through. Brush with butter for the last minute.
Serve hot with naan, sliced onions, lemon and a yogurt chutney.
Kitchen notes
Blend the herbs with a little yogurt and lemon, not water. Water dilutes the marinade and makes it slide off the chicken.
Mint darkens if it's overheated in the blender. Blend in short bursts and use cold yogurt to keep the colour bright.
A fresher kind of tikka
Most Pakistani tikka is red: chili, yogurt and roasted spices. Hariyali tikka takes the same idea and swaps the red spices for green herbs, and the result is lighter and more aromatic. It has become a regular on BBQ restaurant menus across the country, and it’s a good choice when the rest of the table is already heavy with red masala.
The green paste
The marinade is essentially a thick green chutney: mint and coriander blended with green chilies, ginger, garlic and lemon, then mixed into yogurt. Use coriander with its tender stems, which carry a lot of flavour, and pick mint leaves off their tough stalks. Fresh, unwilted herbs give the brightest colour.
Thigh for juiciness
Boneless chicken thigh stays juicy on the grill and forgives a minute too long over the coals. If you prefer breast meat, shorten the marinating time and watch it closely, because breast dries out quickly and the green marinade won’t hide it.
Serving
Serve hariyali tikka with naan, onion rings, lemon wedges and a cooling kheera raita. It pairs well with red chicken tikka on a BBQ platter, and the contrast of colours looks beautiful on the table.
Questions people ask
Is hariyali tikka spicy?
Moderately. The heat comes from green chilies, which you can reduce to 1 or 2, or deseed, for a milder version.
Can I cook it in a pan?
Yes. Cook the marinated chicken in a hot pan with a little oil for 8–10 minutes, turning, until browned in places. Add a few minutes of coal smoke under a lid if you like.
Can I use chicken breast?
Yes, but marinate for only 2 hours and grill for 8–9 minutes, so it stays juicy.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 360
- Protein
- 40 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Carbs
- 5 g
