Try pairing with Garlic naan and green chutney!
What is Paneer Tikka?
‘Paneer’ is Indian cottage Cheese and ‘Tikka’ is marinated and cooked. Just toss the paneer, onion and peppers in a spicy yogurt marinade and then thread on the skewers. Simply air fry. If you have time, leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Now If you are planning to cook in the oven, the good news is, you really don’t need thread the skewer too. And my shortcut in a hurry - If you want to skip the spices from the ingredients list, I’ve got you sorted. Use 3 table spoons store bought tikka masala paste instead. How convenient is that!
Why you’ll love this Paneer tikka recipe?
This easy Tandoori Paneer Tikka is fun, colorful, and delicious, taking about 15-20 minutes of prep time and 10 minutes of cook time in the air fryer. Incredibly Versatile – Perfect as a starter/appetizer, side dish or delicious as a meal. Perfect dish for serving a crowd too! Easy and Budget-friendly too. The majority of the ingredients – Paneer, Pepper, Onion, Yogurt, and Indian spices, that are easy to find locally at a reasonable cost. Cook anyway you like! Make them in the Air fryer, Oven, or even on the Grill. Dietary needs- Suitable for Vegetarian and Gluten-free diet. Paneer – also known as Indian cottage cheese. It is easily available to buy in grocery stores across the UK, in Costco, or in Asian Stores. Some of the popular ones are Everest Paneer Block Cheese, Shagun Paneer Cheese, Sugam Paneer, and Apetina Paneer Cheese. I would highly recommend buying the cheese block rather than diced paneer. You can also make Paneer at home, however, it is time-consuming! Gram Flour - Also known as Besan or Chickpea flour for a tasty crispiness and helps the marinade to stick to paneer and veggies. Onion – I prefer using Red Onion for Tikka recipes. Although even White Onion works work. Pepper - We are using colorful peppers - red, yellow and green. Did you know green peppers are called Capsicum in India? Greek Yogurt – I like to use Greek Yogurt as its thick yogurt and you can skip the process of making hung curd and use in the recipe directly. Spices – I use Turmeric, Red Chili Powder, Cumin powder, Coriander powder, Garam masala, Chaat masala and Kasuri methi for my tikka masala spice blend. Ginger- Garlic – I use store bought Ginger Garlic Paste for convenience, easy to find at any Asian store near you. You can use fresh minced ginger and garlic too. Oil – I use hot Sunflower Oil to add to the marinade. Traditionally Mustard oil is used, but I find it too strong in my tikka recipes. Salt and Pepper to taste Prepare the Paneer, Vegetables & Skewers. – Dice the Paneer to 2-2.5 cm cube. Cut the Onion and Peppers to a similar size. Make the Yogurt Marinade – To a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients for the marinade and combine to make a smooth mixture. Heat the sunflower oil until hot and add it to the marinade, stir. Marinate – Add the Paneer, Onion, and Bell Peppers into the marinade and mix them with hand. Cover with cling film and place the marinade in the fridge for atleast 30 minutes. If I have time, I would it over night - The flavours are so good. Thread the Skewers – Arrange the Paneer, Onion, and Bell Peppers in alternate on the skewers. Prep the remaining skewers in a similar way. Air fry – Preheat the air fryer at 180 C. Arrange the threaded paneer tikka skewers in the air fryer basket and air fry at 380 F / 180 C for 8-10 minutes. Repeat the process with the remaining skewers too. Sprinkle with chaat masala if you wish, just before serving.
How to make Paneer Tikka in the oven?
Until I started using my air fryer, I have always made paneer tikka in the oven. It’s convenient for parties and large batches. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Arrange the paneer tikka skewers on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Place the tray in the oven and cook for 15-18 minutes or until the tikka is sizzling, and the paneer is crispy on the outside yet tender inside. Serve hot! Soak the Wooden Skewers in cold water at least for 30 minutes. This is to ensure the skewers don’t burn while cooking. If you are using Stainless Steel Skewers like me , give this step a miss! Marinate and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes to overnight. The longer resting time allows the paneer and vegetables to soak up all the flavors, really well. In a rush, simply mix 3-4 Tablespoons of Tikka masala paste or your favorite storebought madras curry paste into the greek yogurt and gram flour mixture. I like to use Air fryer when I make Paneer Tikka for my family. However when I am making for a party, I prefer using the Oven.
Variations of Paneer Tikka
Don’t have a Skewer, no worries! Try this Non Skewered version. Place the marinated Paneer and Vegetables in the air fryer basket or a baking dish and cook until golden. Paneer Tikka Masala – Remove the prepared Paneer Tikka from the skewer and serve with a rich onion tomato based gravy. You can use my Paneer curry gravy recipe.
How to make a Super Easy Paneer Tikka recipe?
They are also delicious with Flatbread: Serve with naan bread or Yogurt flatbreads Raita: With my easy cucumber raita or onion raita. Rice: Serve with cumin rice, steamed basmati rice or for instant serving use ready to eat microwave-able rice from the packet. Simply heat in the microwave and its ready to serve in 2 minutes. Poppadoms, Mango Chutney and Mint Sauce. To reheat, place it back in the air fryer and air fry at 150C for 4-5 minutes. Serve. I don’t recommend freezing the cooked paneer tikka for the texture. The flavors will still be delicious. It is a delicious protein rich Indian Vegetarian appetizer, where pieces of paneer, onion, peppers are marinated in yogurt and spices. It is then threaded on a skewer and cooked to perfection either in an Air fryer, Oven, Grill, Tandoor, or Barbecue. Traditionally, tikka is always cooked in tandoor clay. I have simplified the cooking process and always make it in my oven or air fryer. They are so good! This recipe is adaptable and versatile, so you can make it with Tofu for a Vegan Version. Use spices that are easily available.
More Indian Inspired Air fryer recipes
Cauliflower Steaks Onion Bhaji Masala Smashed Potatoes Roast Potatoes
Paneer Tikka recipe below: Make in Air fryer/ Oven
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