Paneer Tikka

This is the best recipe of Paneer Tikka in the oven you'll ever make at home! Enjoy restaurant-style taste without going into the restaurant! In today’s post, learn easy Paneer appetizer recipe which is simple and delectable!

We love paneer tikka. It is our favorite appetizer in the grilling season. I use them in so many ways like in wraps, pizza, sandwiches, in pulao, and making curry with this Makhani gravy.

Jump to:

• What is paneer tikka?
• How to make Paneer tikka in the oven? step by step process –
• Notes. pro-tips and quick FAQs –
• Some more easy paneer recipes –
• Paneer Tikka

What is paneer tikka?

It's a famous Indian appetizer made with paneer cubes, onion, and bell pepper which are marinated with spices and yogurt and then roasted in the oven!

Once cooked, it's served with cilantro mint chutney, onion slices, and lemon wedges.

Traditionally paneer tikka is grilled in a clay oven (tandoor) but you get the same amazing taste by broiling in the oven and even on the gas stove using Tawa.

This recipe is

• so quick to prepare, that you would often find yourself including it in your bbq menu during summer!
• Finger licking good which none of us can resist!
• restaurant style
• perfect for pool parties or any other parties and get-together
• great snack or appetizer
• crowd-pleaser
• kids friendly

For preparing this recipe, firstly the paneer pieces are marinated for some time and then they are nicely grilled till they turn golden brown. The soft and juicy pieces of paneer coated with spicy and tangy masala is a delight to eat.

How to make Paneer tikka in the oven? step by step process –

Step 1. Prepare all the ingredients

For this recipe, you will need

• Paneer, bell pepper and onion, chopped into big cubes
• Spices like red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, chaat masala, salt, cumin powder, coriander powder.
• Grated garlic and ginger
• Greek yogurt or hung curd
• Kasuri methi
• Cilantro and mint leaves
• Oil

step 2. Prepare marination and marinate the paneer and vegetables

The main taste of this recipe is in its marination. So to make a good paneer tikka you first need to make a very good marinade with lots of flavorful spices and yogurt.

Take yogurt in a large mixing bowl. I have used greek yogurt here. You can use regular curd too, strain it for several hours until you have thick yogurt left and then use in the recipe. (photo 1)

Add all the ingredients for the marinade to the yogurt- ginger garlic, oil, coriander powder, cumin powder, chaat masala, turmeric powder, garam masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, Kasuri methi, and salt. (Photo 2 to 4)

Add in chopped cilantro and mint. Whisk to combine everything. (Photo 5 and 6)

Stir in the paneer cubes, onion and bell peppers. (Photo 7 to 9)

Mix until all the paneer pieces and veggies are well coated with the marinade. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours. (Photo 10)

step 3. Skewer it

After 2 hours, take the marinated paneer and vegetables out of the refrigerator. Take a skewer and arrange onion, pepper, and paneer on a skewer, alternating with each other. Prepare all skewers the same way.

step 4. bake/roast them

Pre-heat oven to 450 F degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Arrange all the skewers.

Spray or apply some oil on the tikka. This is important so that the veggies don’t dry out.

Bake at 450 F degrees for 8 to 10 minutes and then turn your oven on the broil.

Broil for 2 to 3 minutes until paneer pieces look little charred. Keep an eye on it.

step 5 Serve

Remove from oven, squeeze lemon juice, sprinkle chaat masala and serve them hot with mint chutney, onion slices, and lemon slices.

Notes. pro-tips and quick FAQs –

• Use the best quality paneer. It will make a lot of difference.
• Marinate the paneer in the marinade for at least 2 hours. You can also keep the marinated paneer overnight in the fridge.
• Use greek yogurt or hung curd only for the marinade. If the curd is not thick, it will not stick to the paneer and the taste will be compromised. If it’s not thick enough, hang them in a muslin cloth for half an hour or so to remove whey and then use.
• To get deep color, use Kashmiri red chili powder. It has all the color but no heat.
• Make sure to use firm paneer. Because the paneer may lose its shape during grilling. I recommend using a store-bought paneer to make this recipe.
• To avoid rubbery and chewy paneer texture, spray the tikka with oil before putting it in the oven and don’t cook for a longer time.
• I didn’t use besan/chickpea flour in marination as my curd was thick enough to stick to veggies and paneer cubes.
• Do not overload the veggies and paneer to skewers.
• If you don’t have skewers, heat oil in a pan, add marinated ingredients and pan roast them for about 10 minutes, flipping frequently.
• You can use your choice of vegetables. I used red and green bell pepper with onions. You can use baby corn, mushrooms, cauliflower, tomatoes, broccoli, etc.
• Don't overcook the paneer otherwise it will become rubbery, dry and hard. The paneer should be soft, well cooked.

How to make it on tava?

To make this recipe on Tava, heat a grill Tava or a regular tawa and brush it with oil. Arrange the skewers on hot tava and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes on each side.

To give that charred looks, increase the heat to high and cook for 2 minutes on each side until the paneer is slightly blackened.

Can I make paneer tikka in a microwave?

I'm sure you can but I've never tried it. The char on the paneer and vegetables will not be able to achieve in the microwave.

Some more easy paneer recipes –

Paneer Pulao

Matar paneer

Palak paneer

Paneer and potato tortilla wrap

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Warm regards,

Dhwani.