This Paneer Tikka recipe features tandoori-spiced crisp paneer and crunchy veggies with a zing, prepared in the Air Fryer, Oven or Grill. It adds a touch of fun, festive cheer to weeknight dinners, while also serving as a crowd-pleasing appetizer.
My family absolutely adores chicken tikka and fish tikka. They are flavorful, colorful, and feel so festive. And on nights when we want to steer towards a vegetarian gourmet treat, this masala paneer tikka is among our top picks!
Depending on how much time we have, we skewer the paneer cubes and veggies or grill them as it is.
In the end, it's a win-win meal in our home because it can easily fit into hubby and my preference for a low-carb, satisfying meal.
What is Paneer Tikka?
Paneer Tikka is an Indian dish made from paneer chunks marinated in a blend of yogurt and warm spices. It is then grilled in a tandoor (clay oven) and served as an appetizer or main meal.
Quick & Easy Paneer Tikka on Sticks
If the color and style of this dish didn't immediately catch your eye, I know you will love it because:
- Majority of ingredients are a trip (or click!) away from your local Indian grocery store for an easy and convenient shopping trip.
- Three cooking methods (air fryer / oven / grill) provide a versatile and customizable preparation to suit your needs.
- Tandoori marinated paneer and veggies get cooked until crisp, creating a party of flavors. This is one finger-licking good vegetarian meal.
- It can be served in two fashions - a quick vegetarian weeknight meal or a finger-food appetizer with friends.
Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
The bulk of ingredients includes paneer, peppers, onion, yogurt and a ton of bright and spicy Indian spices. All are easily available at your local Indian store, international food aisle of your supermarket or online.
- Paneer: You'll need a 14-16 oz paneer block from the dairy or freezer section. If frozen, thaw right on the kitchen counter or overnight in the fridge. Alternatively, make it at home using this easy homemade paneer recipe.
- Yogurt: Plain Greek yogurt makes for a thicker marinade, coating the paneer and veggies with more flavor. If unavailable, regular yogurt works too. Whisk until smooth before adding all the spices.
- Besan Flour: Besan flour is ground chickpeas and naturally gluten-free. It helps the marinade stick to the paneer. It may also be labeled as gram flour, chana flour, chickpea flour or garbanzo bean flour. If unavailable, an equal amount of rice flour, cornstarch or oat flour can be used.
- Indian Spices: The list of Indian spices may look long, but they are all staples probably already tucked inside your pantry. Just make sure to use regular paprika (not smoked) for the best flavor. Chaat masala is both in the marinade and as the garnish to offer that final zest of flavor.
- Bamboo Skewers: Bamboo skewers are easily available in major grocery stores, most likely hanging on the edge in the spice or baking aisle. Just make sure to soak the skewers in water for 30 minutes prior to assembling to prevent them from burning. If you have a batch of stainless steel or metal skewers on hand, those require no soaking and can be used.
Skewer Soaking Tip: Kebabs a common meal in your house? Soak the whole package of skewers, drain them well, use what you need and store the remainder in a plastic storage bag in your freezer.
Step By Step Instructions
This paneer tikka recipe can be ready in under 1 hour and most of that time is completely hands-off. While the paneer is marinating, I soak the skewers and gather together the sauce and condiments for serving.
1. Prepare Paneer, Marinade & Skewers
- Chop paneer in ½-inch thick pieces. Cut onions and bell peppers in 1-1½ inch chunks. Separate the onion layers (Pic 1).
- In a mixing bowl, combine yogurt, oil, lime juice, besan flour, minced ginger, garlic, kasoori methi, salt and all the spices (Pic 2).
- Add paneer pieces, capsicum and onion to the marinade, and toss well till everything gets coated. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (Pic 3). Meanwhile, soak the bamboo skewers.
- To make skewers, arrange paneer, peppers and onions on bamboo skewers, alternating with a paneer cube and then a few slices peppers and onions. Make the skewers as similar as possible (Pic 4).
- Individual Pieces: Alternatively, leave the paneer, peppers and onions as is and cook as instructed, making sure there is enough space between each piece for even cooking and color.
Pro Tip: When dealing with tandoori marinated food, I recommend wearing food grade gloves to prevent your hands from getting stained by the turmeric (plus - none of the residual smell stays on your hands!).
Cooking Method 1: Air Fryer Paneer Tikka
- Line the drip pan with aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Arrange the skewers (or individual pieces) ½-inch apart in a single layer. Avoid overcrowding the tray to enable even cooking. Insert the basket. Cook at 350°F for 5 mins (Pic 5).
- After 5 minutes, flip the skewers (or individual pieces) and lightly brush or spray with oil. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Follow the same process for the 2nd batch.
Cooking Method 2: Oven Baked
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Place the marinated paneer, onions and pepper skewers (or individual pieces) on an aluminum lined baking sheet. If using skewers, place them 1 inch apart.
- Place the baking sheet in the middle rack and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until the paneer browns with slightly charred edges. (Note: For even crispier paneer, brush with olive oil and broil for 1-2 minutes after cooking until paneer looks charred.)
Cooking Method 3: Outdoor Grill or Grillpan
- Preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grillpan over medium heat for 10 minutes. Place the marinated paneer pieces or skewers on the medium heat area for 5-7 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until paneer edges char slightly.
Serving Suggestions - Appetizer or Main Meal
Paneer tikka is most commonly served as an appetizer at restaurants, but it also makes a wonderful and complete vegetarian meal.
Appetizer:
I love to prepare the paneer tikka marinade on 5-6 inch bamboo skewers. This makes an easy, party-friendly finger food so that my guests can mix and mingle.
If individual pieces is more your style (or you just don't have bamboo skewers on hand), serve it on a large platter with toothpicks nearby and cilantro jalapeno sauce or green chutney for dipping!
Make a Meal:
For a colorful and festive weeknight dinner, serve it with onion slices, cilantro jalapeno sauce or mint chutney . A fresh batch of garlic naan makes this a complete and satisfying restaurant-style meal.
For a low-carb meal, serve it in lettuce cups with chutney, or alongside Indian spiced cauliflower rice.
Recipe Tips & Notes:
- Use besan flour, rice flour, cornstarch or oat flour. All can be used interchangeably while keeping the recipe entirely gluten-free.
- Pre-soak bamboo skewers. This prevents the bamboo from burning during the cooking process. A short 30-minute soak is sufficient, so do so while the paneer is marinating.
- For best results, wear food grade gloves while assembling the skewers. This prevents the turmeric from staining your hands. Plus, your hands are completely odor-free after cooking!
- Marinate for at least 30 minutes, but up to overnight. Paneer is a dense, fresh cheese, so it has a hard time holding on to flavors. A quick 30-minute soak works best for a weeknight meal, but a few hours or even overnight will really allow the paneer to soak up all those spices.
- Make sure there is enough space between the skewers. Whether you are using the Air Fryer, Oven or Grill, a 1-2 inch distance between each skewer (or piece) will allow the paneer and veggies to crisp up evenly.
- Use the Air Fryer for weeknights and the Oven to serve a crowd. The Air Fryer method ensures crisp, golden edges, but the cooking time is longer since you have to cook the skewers in batches. If looking to shorten the cooking time or serve a crowd, go with the Oven method and use two baking sheets, if necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, paneer tikka is full of protein, vegetables and calcium. It is slightly high in fat, but it's full of good fats that keep you full and satiated.
Tikka refers to a piece of meat, such as a cutlet. In our case today, it is the cubes of soft Indian cottage cheese known as paneer.
More Paneer Recipes From My Kitchen
- Matar Paneer: Spongy paneer cubes and tender green peas simmered in a richly spiced tomato-onion sauce prepared in the Instant Pot or Stove.
- Achari Paneer Biryani: A merge of two Indian favorites featuring nutty basmati rice cooked with soft paneer and seasoned with tangy Indian pickling spices.
- Chilli Paneer: A combinations of soft paneer cubes pan-fried to crispy perfection, then stir-fried with onions, peppers, chiles and a lip-smacking sauce.
- Paneer Naan Pizza: A fusion of flavorful pizza toppings with flatbread that's generously topped with yogurt-marinated paneer and fresh veggies.
- Paneer Butter Masala: A popular Indian vegetarian delicacy made with Indian cottage cheese simmered in tomato puree, Indian spices and finished with heavy cream.
- Palak Paneer: A popular north-Indian curry made by simmering soft paneer cubes in a flavorful spinach gravy ready in under 30 minutes!
- Paneer Tikka Masala: The king of vegetarian curries in north-Indian cuisine where tender pieces of paneer are simmered in an aromatic tomato-onion gravy.
- Kadai Paneer: A crowd-pleasing recipe featuring soft paneer cubes in a tomato gravy that's seasoned with an aromatic Indian spice blend, called Kadai Masala.
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Paneer Tikka- Air fryer| Oven| Grill
Ingredients
Tikka Ingredients
- 1 lb. paneer cut in 1-inch thick pieces
- 1 bell pepper or 1 cup rainbow peppers, de-seeded and cut in 1-1.5-inch pieces
- 1 onion cut in 1-inch chunks, separate the onion layers
Marinade
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt or 1 cup plain yogurt, whisked till smooth
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or light olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice about 1 lime (fresh)
- 1 tablespoon besan chickpea flour, sifted (see notes for substitute)
- 2 teaspoons ginger crushed or grated fine, about ½-inch ginger
- 2 teaspoons garlic crushed or grated fine, about 2 cloves
- 1 tablespoon kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder or 1 teaspoon paprika + ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon paprika (regular not smoked)
- 1 teaspoon chaat masala
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ¾ teaspoon turmeric
- bamboo skewers soaked for 30 minutes - see notes
Garnish After Cooking
- few drops of lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chaat masala optional (1 teaspoon sprinkled all over)
Instructions
Prepare Paneer, Marinade & Skewers
- Chop paneer in ½-inch thick pieces. Cut onions and bell peppers in 1-1½ inch chunks. Separate the onion layers.
- .In a mixing bowl, combine yogurt, oil, lime juice, besan flour, minced ginger, garlic, kasoori methi, salt and all the spices.
- Add paneer pieces, capsicum and onion to the marinade, and toss well till everything gets coated. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, soak the bamboo skewers.
- To Make Skewers: Arrange paneer, peppers and onions on bamboo skewers, alternating with a paneer cube and then a few slices peppers and onions. Make the skewers as similar as possible.Individual Pieces: Alternatively, leave the paneer, peppers and onions as is and cook as instructed, making sure there is enough space between each piece for even cooking and color.
Air Fryer
- Line the drip pan with aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Arrange the skewers (or individual pieces) ½-inch apart in a single layer. Avoid overcrowding the tray to enable even cooking. Insert the basket. Cook at 350°F for 5 mins.After 5 minutes, flip the skewers (or individual pieces) and lightly brush or spray with oil. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Follow the same process for the 2nd batch.
Oven
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Place the marinated paneer, onions and pepper skewers (or individual pieces) on an aluminum lined baking sheet. If using skewers, place them 1 inch apart.Place the baking sheet in the middle rack and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until the paneer browns with slightly charred edges. (Note: For even crispier paneer, brush with olive oil and broil for 1-2 minutes after cooking until paneer looks charred.)
Outdoor Grill or Grillpan
- Preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grillpan over medium heat for 10 minutes. Place the marinated paneer pieces or skewers on the medium heat area for 5-7 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until paneer edges char slightly.
Notes
- Use besan flour, rice flour, cornstarch or oat flour. All can be used interchangeably while keeping the recipe entirely gluten-free.
- Pre-soak bamboo skewers. This prevents the bamboo from burning during the cooking process. A short 30-minute soak is sufficient, so do so while the paneer is marinating.
- For best results, wear food grade gloves while assembling the skewers. This prevents the turmeric from staining your hands. Plus, your hands are completely odor-free after cooking!
- Marinate for at least 30 minutes, but up to overnight. Paneer is a dense, fresh cheese, so it has a hard time holding on to flavors. A quick 30-minute soak works best for a weeknight meal, but a few hours or even overnight will really allow the paneer to soak up all those spices.
- Make sure there is enough space between the skewers. Whether you are using the Air Fryer, Oven or Grill, a 1-2 inch distance between each skewer (or piece) will allow the paneer and veggies to crisp up evenly.
- Use the Air Fryer for weeknights and the Oven to serve a crowd. The Air Fryer method ensures crisp, golden edges, but the cooking time is longer since you have to cook the skewers in batches. If looking to shorten the cooking time or serve a crowd, go with the Oven method and use two baking sheets, if necessary.
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