Tikka marinade
A tangy yoghurt and spice marinade that gives tikka its tender, charred, deep red finish, with a dairy free swap.
Make this once, then cook it into 27 different dishes.
- Time10 mins
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.21 a head
- Makesabout 320 g, enough for 2 batches of tikka for 4 people
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Spoon the yoghurt into a bowl. Add the lemon juice, garlic and ginger and stir well.
- 2
Add the chilli powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, garam masala and salt. Crush the dried fenugreek leaves between your fingers and add them.
- 3
Stir in the oil until the marinade is thick, smooth and evenly red.
- 4
Taste a tiny pinch of the marinade for salt and lemon. It should taste tangy and well seasoned.
- 5
Use straight away, or cover and chill for up to 3 days before it touches raw meat. About 150 g coats 500 g of chicken, paneer or vegetables.
About tikka marinade
Tikka marinade is a thick yoghurt based marinade of lemon juice, garlic, ginger and spices such as Kashmiri chilli, cumin and coriander, used to coat chicken, paneer or vegetables before grilling or roasting. The yoghurt and lemon tenderise, and the spices form a red crust that chars at the edges.
It is a marinade, not a sauce. The flavour is tangy and warmly spiced rather than hot, with a gentle chilli colour from Kashmiri chilli powder. Roughly 150 g coats 500 g of chicken thighs or paneer.
The marinade keeps well before it touches raw meat, so you can mix a batch and use it over two evenings. For a dairy free marinade, swap the yoghurt for unsweetened coconut yoghurt. Use thick Greek style yoghurt, as thin yoghurt slides off the meat.
Tips
- Use thick Greek style yoghurt. Thin yoghurt runs off and gives a pale, soggy result.
- Marinate chicken for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours in the fridge. Beyond that the lemon can make the meat mealy.
- Wipe off excess marinade before grilling so it chars rather than steams.
- For dairy free tikka, use unsweetened coconut yoghurt and add an extra squeeze of lemon, as it is milder.
- Salt the meat lightly as well. The salt in the marinade alone is moderate.
Storing and freezing
Unused marinade (never touched raw meat) keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Once raw meat is in it, cook within 24 hours, and throw away any leftover marinade. Marinated raw meat can be frozen for 3 months and thawed in the fridge before cooking.
Dishes you can make with tikka marinade
Lamb Tikka Masala with Charred Lamb Pieces
EFNFSalmon Tikka Masala
GFEFNFPaneer Tikka Masala (Restaurant Style)
EFNFVChicken Tikka Korma
EFNFMachli Makhani (Salmon in Makhani Sauce)
GFEFNFChicken Tikka Traybake with Peppers and Basmati Rice
GFEFNFPaneer Tikka Kathi Rolls
EFNFVSalmon Tikka with Cucumber and Red Onion Salad
GFEFNFTikka King Prawn Skewers with Coriander Rice
GFEFNFTikka Lamb Chops with Mint Yoghurt
GFEFNFTikka Chicken Burgers with Pickled Red Onions
NFHPRoast Tikka Cauliflower Steaks with Spiced Chickpeas
GFEFNFQuestions
Can I marinate chicken in it overnight?
Yes. Overnight (up to 24 hours) in the fridge gives the best flavour. Keep it covered and on a low shelf away from cooked food.
Can I reuse leftover marinade as a sauce?
No, not once it has touched raw chicken. Throw it away. If you want a sauce, make a fresh batch of marinade or simmer a separate spiced sauce.
Is tikka marinade gluten free?
Yes, as long as your garam masala is a gluten free one. The other ingredients are naturally gluten free.
How do I make a dairy free tikka marinade?
Replace the Greek yoghurt with the same weight of unsweetened coconut yoghurt. The marinade will taste slightly sweeter, so use a bit more lemon.
How do I get the red colour without food colouring?
Use Kashmiri chilli powder, which is deep red but mild. A teaspoon of paprika also helps. Both give colour without much heat.
More base recipes
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
