Chicken Tikka Kebab VS. Chicken Tandoori: Mumbai Maska

Most people are familiar with chicken tikka kebabs and chicken tandoori, though it is a common misconception that they are two different names for the same thing. They are in fact two very different dishes but are both cooked in a Tandoor.  You can easily get these Chicken Tikka and  Chicken Tandoori at every Indian restaurant easily.

So what are the key differences?

Chicken tikka kebabs specifically use skinless and boneless chicken whereas chicken tandoori can use either a half or full chicken. It’s common to use legs, breasts and wings for chicken tandoori as well.

Chicken Tikka Kebabs

Chicken tikka kebabs are only made using boneless chicken breast which are mixed in a marinade of yoghurt, lemon juice and a variety of fragrant spices. The chicken pieces are threaded onto a skewer and then grilled for around 25 minutes until perfectly tender.

Chicken Tandoori

It’s common for all the chickens to be used for tandoori especially the legs, breasts and wings. Usually, they are coated with a mix of red chilli paste, ginger, garlic, different types of masala, curd, lemon juice and salt. The chicken pieces are then cooked in a tandoor oven at around 250°C-300°C for around 40 minutes.