Chicken Malai Boti is a 30-minute staple Pakistani kabab (or kabob) dish which will just melt-in-you-mouth. These kababs are super delicious, luscious, delectable, super creamy and tender.
The boneless chicken chunks are marinated in malai (fresh cream) with a special blend of aromatic spices, herbs and then charred in the oven.
This Chicken Malai Boti is also known as Murgh Malai Tikka in Pakistan and India. Murgh means chicken, malai means cream and boti means piece of meat.
Kababs are very popular in South Asia, particularly in Pakistan where they are usually served with Roghni Naan.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This Malai Boti recipe is super easy to make just like these chicken lemon pepper drumsticks.
- The texture of these chicken pieces is soft, juicy and moist from inside with a golden brownish crispy exterior.
- Serve Chicken Boti as an appetizer or as a complete meal.
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts are perfect to make these kababs. Cut them in 1 - 2 inch of boneless cubes.
- Heavy cream is the star ingredient for this recipe. Use heavy whipping cream (full-fat) for this recipe.
- Yogurt is essential for the marination. Use full fat yogurt for optimal taste.
- Lemon juice (use fresh) adds tanginess to the marination and tenderizes the chicken pieces as well.
- Fresh coriander adds aroma. Use fresh coriander and chop finely.
- Green chilies chop finely or make a paste. Use as many green chillies as you like. Too little green chillies will make your Chicken Boti bland. You may also use Jalapeno peppers.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
Substitutes & Variations
- Boneless chicken thighs work well for these kababs as well.
- Substitute Single cream with 15 - 18 % fat content for heavy whipping cream.
- Use greek yogurt (full fat) as a substitute for yogurt.
- Bottled lemon juice can be used as a substitute for fresh lemon juice (but I do not recommend it).
- Barbecue Flavor: After grilling the chicken pieces, smoke them with a large piece of charcoal. Heat the charcoal on the stove until white, then place it in a foil cup in the serving dish with the kababs. Drizzle oil over the charcoal and cover the dish for 3-4 minutes.
- Malai Paratha Rolls: Use these kababs as a filling to make paratha rolls, wraps or sandwiches.
This recipe hasn't undergone testing with alternative substitutions or variations. If you decide to replace or incorporate any ingredients, we'd appreciate hearing about your experience. Please share your feedback in the comments section below!
How to Make Chicken Malai Boti
Detailed Instructions Below! See the key steps here, then head to the recipe card below for full instructions.
1. Combine chicken pieces and all other ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
2. Mix it well and cover the bowl with a plastic wrap. Place the marinated chicken pieces in the refrigerator for 3 - 4 hours.
3. Insert the chicken pieces in wooden or steel skewers.
4. Place the skewers on a wire rack in the baking tray.
5. Brush the kababs with remaining marination.
6. Then brush the kababs with oil and bake in the preheated oven at 425 F for 10 - 12 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
- Chutney goes very well with malai chicken boti. Try the traditional Pakistani green chutney or mint chutney.
- Eat these kababs with any bread of your choice like this turkish bread.
- Serve these charred chicken pieces with lemon wedges. Squeezing lemon over the chicken pieces will add even more flavor.
Alternative Cooking Methods
- Frying: Add 4 - 5 tablespoon cooking oil to a large frying pan and heat it up for about 3 minutes. Place the kabab skewers on the frying pan and let it fry at medium heat for 6 - 8 minutes (each side).
- Air Fryer: Pre-heat the air fryer at 330 F. Place the chicken skewers in the air fryer for around 10 – 12 minutes until the chicken turns to golden brown color and cooked thoroughly.
- Grilling: Thread up the chicken pieces into the wooden or metal skewers. Grill them from top and bottom side for about 8 minutes each. Total grilling time is about 16 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Marinate Overnight: Prepare the marination, dip the chicken pieces into it and place it in the refrigerator for overnight. The spices will seep through chicken pieces and will give very flavorful, moist and tender kababs the next day.
- Wooden Skewers: Dip the wooden skewers for 10 - 15 minutes in water and then thread up the chicken pieces in the skewers. Dipping the skewers in water will avoid burning of the wooden skewers during cooking.
Recipe FAQs
Meat tenderizer or papaya paste is used to tenderize the meat in most of the kababs (or kabobs) recipes from Pakistan and India. However, this recipe does not require meat tenderizer. The marination is enough to soften the chicken pieces.
Boti is essentially small pieces of meat. It could be chicken or mutton or any other meat. Botis' or small pieces of meat are commonly used in kababs and spicy Pakistani curries. The meat contain protein and key fat-soluble vitamins like vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Yes, feel free to double or triple this recipe easily.
How to Store
Refrigerator
Place the leftover chicken pieces in an airtight container and place in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezing Instructions
The leftover Chicken Malai pieces can be stored in the freezer in a ziploc bag or an airtight container for about 3 months.
Reheating
Thaw the tikka pieces overnight and warm in the microwave oven before serving.
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Related Kabab & Chicken Recipes
Recipe
Chicken Malai Boti
Equipment
- 8 Wooden or Steel Skewers
Ingredients
- 500 g boneless chicken pieces (about 2 large chicken breast pieces)
- ¼ cup yogurt (62 g) full fat
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream (60 g)
- 3 - 5 green chilies
- ½ cup coriander leaves (17 g)
- 1 teaspoon garlic (chopped) (3 g)
- 1 teaspoon ginger (chopped) (2 g)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper powder (2.3 g)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoon oil for brushing
Instructions
- Take a large bowl and add chicken pieces to it.
- Add all the other ingredients and spices to the chicken pieces.
- Mix and place in the fridge for 3 - 4 hours or overnight.
- Thread the chicken pieces on wooden or steel skewers. Bake in the oven at 425 F for 10 - 12 minutes until the chicken pieces are golden brown.
Notes
-
- Marinate Overnight: Prepare the marination, dip the chicken pieces into it and place it in the refrigerator for overnight. The spices will seep through chicken pieces and will give very flavorful, moist and tender kababs the next day.
- Wooden Skewers: Dip the wooden skewers for 10 - 15 minutes in water and then thread up the chicken pieces in the skewers. Dipping the skewers in water will avoid burning of the wooden skewers during cooking.
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