Make Chicken Malai Boti, a luscious North Indian appetiser where chicken is marinated twice and grilled to perfection. Here is how to make it.
Here are more chicken appetiser recipes that you can try – Tandoori Chicken, Chicken Pakora, Chicken Tikka and Mangalorean Chicken Sukka.
About This Recipe
Malai means “cream” and Boti means “chicken”. It is an easy and delicious North Indian appetiser where chicken pieces are marinated twice and then grilled to perfection until golden browned.
The first marination is prepared with minimal ingredients such as lemon juice, ginger and garlic, whereas the second is full of fresh cream, hung curd, and other rich ingredients. It is super creamy and known for its melt in mouth texture.
It is perfect to serve for barbecue parties, house parties or game/movie nights. It is a great make ahead dish for a bigger crowd.
Ingredients
Chicken – This recipe needs boneless chicken thighs, as it is skewed for grilling.
For first marination – You will need only 5 ingredients for the first marination – lemon juice, ginger paste, garlic paste, salt and red chilli powder.
You can adjust the red chilli powder depending on how spicy you want the chicken to be.
For second marination – Once the chicken is marinated for about an hour, we will add it in the second marination prepared with hung curd, fresh cream, green chilli paste, spice powders, oil, almond paste, processed cheese and corn flour.
You can either make hung curd at home or use a store bought one. Do not use regular curd, as it will add moisture in the chicken marination.
Addition of fresh cream and processed cheese makes it nice and cheesy.
Apart from this almond paste is also added, which makes the mixture extra rich. You can also use cashew paste instead.
This recipe uses basic spice powders such as garam masala powder, white pepper powder and roasted cumin powder. Adjust the quantity depending on your taste.
Serving Suggestions
Chicken Malai Boti tastes great with dahi chutney or green chutney, sliced onions and lemon wedges on the side. Leftover chicken malai boti can be used to make rolls and wraps with a smear of green chutney and sliced onions.
Storing Suggestions
Chicken Malai Boti can be stored in an air tight container for about 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in a pan, microwave or oven until nice and warm.

Recipe Card

Chicken Malai Boti
Ingredients
- 500 g Boneless chicken thighs
- Oil for basting
For the first marination
- 3 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- 1 teaspoon Ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon Garlic paste
For the second marination
- 3 tablespoon Hung curd
- 3 tablespoon Fresh cream
- 1 teaspoon Green chilli paste
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala powder
- 3 tablespoon Vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon White pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon Roasted cumin powder
- 2 tablespoon Almond paste (Blanch the almond, remove the skin and make a paste)
- 2 tablespoon Processed cheese
- 1 teaspoon Cornflour
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into small cubes.
- Gently pat the cubes with a kitchen towel to remove the extra moisture.
- Mix the ingredients for the first marination in a bowl.
- Add chicken into it and cover the bowl with a cling film.
- Refrigerate for an hour.
- Mix the ingredients for the second marination in another bowl.
- Add the chicken along with the first marinade in the second marinade.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the chicken for 20-24 hours.
- Thread the chicken pieces into skewers.
- Heat a grill pan and grill the skewers from both the sides until browned.
- Keep brushing with oil while grilling.
- You can also make this in oven.
- Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees C.
- Arrange the skewers on a baking sheet lined with aluminium foil.
- Grill for 15-20 minutes on each side.
- Serve Chicken Malai Boti with Mint and Yogurt Dip and Onion Laccha.
Anindya Sundar Basu
Noting this down for tat barbecue where all of us will be together in Bangalore 🙂
msnehamathur
Yes. Definitely 🙂
Divya
Hello
I am huge fan of your blog! Your recipes are mouthwatering.
In this recipe you mentioned processed cheese do you mean cheese slices or shredded cheese?
Thank you
Divya
Neha Mathur
Shredded means grated. So you can use a cube and grate it. In India Amul have processed cheese. It comes in a block too.