Recipe for Chicken Malai Boti

malai boti

Malai Boti. Think about tender chunks of yummy chicken marinated in creamy yogurt, rich Indian spices, and flavorful herbs. It’s a delicious treat you won’t want to miss!

While there are many ways Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, and Nepalis prepare this BBQ dish, our recipe is inspired by the methods of India’s renowned chef, Sanjeev Kapoor known for his exquisite mastery of traditional Indian cuisine.

The best part is – Malai Boti isn’t just about the incredible flavor; it’s also a dish that brings people together. Serve it hot off the grill with a warm naan, a side of tangy mint chutney, and a refreshing salad, and you’ve got yourself a meal as satisfying as it is memorable.

Let’s dive right into the smoke and get grilling!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

  1. Quick and Easy: It’s quick and easy to prepare and grill the meat for Malai Boti.
  2. Customizable Recipe: This dish is typically mild, but you can adjust the level of green chili to suit your taste. You can also swap out chicken cubes for beef, though this will require a longer marinating and cooking time.
  3. High Nutritional Value: The recipe uses yogurt and lemon juice to naturally tenderize the meat. Additionally, the marinade is easy to prepare with common household ingredients, so you can avoid unhealthy packaged alternatives.
  4. Versatile Serving Options: Malai Boti is so flavorful that you can enjoy it on its own. However, it pairs wonderfully with puri, parathas, chapati, or pulao.

Malai Boti

You can use either an outdoor BBQ charcoal grill or a grill pan to sear and cook the meat. Just make sure you have the right skewers, a well-balanced marinade made from yogurt, and traditional South Asian spices.

Ingredients
  

  • 400 grams boneless chicken
  • 1/4 cup yogurt
  • 4 tbsp fresh cream
  • 1/2 tsp green chilli paste
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • white pepper powder to taste
  • 1/4 tsp green cardamom powder
  • salt to taste
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
  • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp green chillies finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup grated processed cheese
  • butter for greasing
  • lemon wedges to serve
  • onion rings to serve
  • green chutney/raita to serve

Instructions
 

The Marinade

  • Place the yogurt in a mixing bowl.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of cream, green chili paste, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, white pepper powder, green cardamom powder, salt, nutmeg powder, ginger-garlic paste, garam masala powder, and chopped green chilies. Mix all ingredients until well combined.
  • Remember, yogurt is the heart of the marinade, giving the dish its rich, creamy texture. Use hung or Greek yogurt as it absorbs all the flavors of the spices and adds a hint of creaminess.
  • Secondly, lemon juice is a natural alternative to meat tenderizer. It softens the meat, making it tender and melt-in-your-mouth, without altering the dish's flavor.

Marinating

  • Once your marinade is ready, slather it generously over the chicken cubes. Ensure each cube is 1 to 1.5 inches thick for perfect, bite-sized morsels. Poke the chicken cubes with a fork to help them absorb all the flavors.
  • While many prefer using chicken breast because it’s easy to cut into the desired size, I opt for boneless thigh meat. Thigh meat is more flavorful and tender, and its higher fat content prevents it from drying out during slow grilling.
  • Ideally, marinate your chicken overnight, but if you're short on time, even 1-2 hours will do.

Skewing

  • After marinating the chicken for at least a couple of hours, it's time to place the pieces on skewers. Flat metal skewers are ideal for outdoor BBQs but you can achieve equally great results at home using wooden skewers and a non-stick grill pan. Be sure to soak the skewers in water for 30 minutes before using them. This step helps keep the meat tender and prevents the skewers from burning.
  • Additionally, soaking the skewers helps prevent the meat from rotating as you flip them, ensuring even cooking on all sides.

Grilling

  • Achieving the perfect malai boti grill requires precise temperature control. You don’t want burnt or undercooked chicken to spoil your meal.
  • For a medium-sized grill, use 50-60 charcoal briquettes and set up two heat zones. Pile most of the lit coals on one side for high heat and spread the remaining coals on the other side for low heat. This setup allows for better control over the cooking process and ensures it turns out succulent and juicy.
  • Start with high heat to sear the meat on the outside and lock in the juices. Then, reduce the heat to medium to cook the chicken without drying it out. Rotate the skewers regularly to ensure the meat cooks evenly on all sides.
  • Cooking or grilling the chicken thoroughly takes just 10-15 minutes. Avoid overcooking, as it will dry out the juices and result in a rubbery, chewy texture.

Serving

  • Malai Boti is typically served with green raita, onion rings, and lemon wedges, and is often paired with puri paratha in an authentic South Asian restaurant,.

Notes

The TopGrills Twist

For a unique twist, serve the Malai Boti with pulao. This flavorful rice dish is easy to prepare and complements the Malai Boti perfectly. 
Check out Sanjeev Kumar's Malai Boti Pulao recipe for more details.

Additional Tips To Make Tender Malai Boti

  • Don’t overcrowd your grill with skewers. Leave space between them to allow heat to circulate evenly, ensuring that the chicken chunks cook thoroughly.
  • Brush the meat with melted butter once it is nearly cooked to achieve a juicy, moist texture. 
  • Simmer your dish with charcoal smoke for five minutes to impart an authentic BBQ flavor
  • Once cooked, let the Malai Boti rest on the skewers for 5-7 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the chunks, making each bite a flavorful delight. Additionally, once cooled, the chicken chunks will slide off the skewers easily and won’t break apart.

FAQs

To marinate, mix boneless chicken cubes with a blend of hung yogurt, cream, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, and spices such as garam masala, cumin, white pepper, green chili paste, cardamom powder, nutmeg powder, and salt. Ensure the chicken is well-coated with the marinade and let it sit for at least a couple of hours or overnight for best results.

Add grated cheese to enhance the creamy, rich flavor of the Malai Boti. Mix well and coat the chicken thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, or ideally overnight, to allow the spices and cream to infuse and tenderize the meat. This will result in a perfectly soft, juicy, and melt-in-your-mouth texture!

While desi cuisine is known for its rich spices, Malai Boti is not typically spicy. Instead, it offers a rich, creamy flavor with a mild hint of spices. Based on my experience with this recipe, the subtle warmth from spices like white pepper, cumin, and garam masala, combined with the creaminess of the marinade, makes Malai Boti enjoyable even for those who prefer milder flavors!

Malai Boti is best served hot off the grill, bursting with flavor and spices. Pair it with soft garlic naan or crispy paratha for a delightful experience. Enjoy this mouthwatering dish with mint chutney, raita, or garlic sauce to complement its creamy richness.

For a complete meal, add a fresh salad with onion slices, cucumbers, and tomatoes, and a squeeze of lemon for a zesty tang. You can also turn your Malai Boti and paratha into a delicious roll by drizzling chutney or sauce inside. For another desi twist, transform the dish into a flavorful pulao!

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