Easy Chicken Hariyali Kabab (Chicken Hariyali Tikka)

A complete tutorial on how to make chicken hariyali kabab in the oven, grill or in a pan without the oven (with or without skewers). Looking for easy starters for your party? Make this chicken hariyali tikka to wow your guests. Find out the secret shortcut that can be used only with this hariyali chicken recipe.

Chicken hariyali kababs on skewers with green chutney on a white plate.

Why You’ll Love This Hariyali Chicken Recipe

Chicken hariyali kabab, also called hara bhara kabab literally means green chicken kabab.

Like all my kabab and tikka recipes, they are very easy to make. More importantly, you don’t need a grill or oven (or even skewers) to make hariyali chicken tikka. They can be easily cooked either on the stove or in the oven, with or without skewers.

Now there’s nothing that is stopping you from enjoying these restaurant-style kababs at home. Whether you cook these hariyali chicken kebabs in the oven or without the oven, it takes just about 20 minutes or even less.

Similar to hariyali paneer tikka and pudina chicken legs, this hariyali kebab gets its unique flavor from herbs like mint and coriander.

To go with tandoori chicken tikka, you’ll have to make green mint chutney, avocado chutney, or mango ginger chutney. That’s not the case with this hara bhara kabab recipe.

SECRET shortcut?

The green chicken kabab marinade can double up as chutney. With this recipe, you don’t have to take the extra effort of making the chutney 🙂

You can also turn this appetizer into a quick dinner with chicken tikka paratha rolls by replacing the tikka with these kababs.

Video

Ingredients

(You can find the exact measurements and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this page.)

Labelled ingredients for chicken hariyali tikka.
  • Chicken: Use any boneless chicken pieces. I’ve used chicken breasts here.
  • Mint and coriander leaves: I’ve used 1 cup of mint and ½ cup of coriander leaves. You can reduce mint and use more coriander leaves if that’s what you like. Coriander stems can also be added. They are as flavorful as the leaves. I use them often in my recipes like Thai green curry paste and tomato chilli prawn pasta.
  • Garam masala: I’ve used homemade garam masala here. If you’re using a store-bought one, remember to check out the recipe tips section below.
  • Oil for basting: I’ve used a mix of peanut oil and melted butter/ghee. This way you limit your saturated fat intake and also get the rich buttery flavor. (This is the hack I used in recipes like honey lemon pepper wings and oven baked garlic parmesan chicken kabobs, too.) Win-win!
  • Salt: Himalayan pink salt is more flavorful. If not available, regular salt is fine.

How To Make Hariyali Chicken Kebab: Step by step

Green Chicken Kabab Marinade

Roughly chop coriander leaves and stems, mint leaves, chillies and ginger. Place them in a blender jar along with the spices, lemon juice and yogurt.

Blend until you get a smooth paste. Reserve and refrigerate ¼ cup of the marinade to use as chutney.

Marinate The Chicken

Clean and chop the chicken into 1½ inch pieces. Add the remaining green marinade to the chicken. Add mustard oil and mix well.

Marinate in the refrigerator overnight for the best results, if possible. If you’re in a rush, marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Bake Chicken Hariyali Tikka

Thread the marinated chicken cubes onto skewers. Place the skewers on a baking pan lined with foil. Baste with the oil-ghee mixture.

Place in the oven. Roast at 230°C/ 446°F for 10 minutes. Take out the pan and baste with oil+ghee again.

Change the oven setting to “broil” and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until browned. Serve with the reserved chutney.

Hariyali chicken kebabs with green chutney on a white plate.

How To Make Chicken Hariyali Kababs Without Oven

If you don’t have an oven, no worries. As with tandoori prawn tikka recipe, cooking the kababs in a pan is equally easy and delicious.

(I’ve made hariyali kebabs both ways and nobody could decide which one tasted better!)

Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers. Spread about ½ of the oil-ghee mixture in a grill pan or a regular one.

Place the skewers on the greased pan and cook for 5 minutes. Keep basting with the remaining oil+ghee.

Flip and baste. Cook for 4 to 5 more minutes. Done!

How To Grill Hariyali Chicken Tikka

Shake off excess marinade and thread the chicken onto skewers. Grill for 12 to 14 minutes, basting with oil/ghee and turning once halfway through.

Common Questions About Hariyali Kababs

Can I make kebabs without skewers?

You can cook these chicken kababs without skewers both in the oven and in a pan.
Cooking in a pan: Place the chicken cubes on the greased pan. You’ll just have to ensure they are placed well apart. Cook on one side for 5 minutes while basting with oil+ghee. Flip each kabab and baste it with oil again. Cook for 5 more minutes.
Cooking in the oven: Line a sheet pan or baking pan with parchment paper. Place the marinated chicken cubes at least 1 inch apart from each other. Baste with ghee+oil and roast at 230°C/ 446°F for 8 minutes. Flip each of the kababs. Change the oven setting to broil and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until they are browned.

Should I poke holes in chicken before marinating?

If you’re cooking large cuts of chicken like baked chicken breasts or tandoori chicken legs, you have to poke holes or make cuts in the chicken so that the marinade gets absorbed better.
Chicken tikka and kababs are bite-sized pieces of chicken. The marinade gets absorbed anyway. So it is not necessary to poke holes.
However, if you’re using breasts, you might want to marinate them longer or tenderize them (as mentioned above).

Do you rinse marinade off chicken before cooking?

Never rinse the marinade off the chicken. The marinade, especially with yogurt, might get watery. So ensure there is no extra moisture. Everything from chicken to herbs should be blotted dry before marinating. If you’re using homemade yogurt, hang it using a tea towel until all the water drains through. Before cooking, just shake off excess marinade. That would ensure that you get perfectly browned kababs.

Do you cover marinated chicken in the fridge?

Marinated chicken should always be stored in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the fridge. Since the marinade is full of flavors, the aroma gets absorbed easily by other foods. You wouldn’t want your fruits, milk and chocolates to be smelling of the marinade.

Green chicken kabab with green chutney on a white plate.

Tips To Make The Best Chicken Hariyali Kebabs

  • Tenderize: If you’re using chicken breast, and marinating the chicken for more than half an hour, the yogurt marinade is enough to tenderize the chicken. If you’re marinating only for 30 minutes, use this hack to tenderize chicken breast before marinating. That way you’ll get super soft and juicy kababs. (Totally worth the 15 to 20 minutes of soaking.)
  • Secret to easy browning: After cleaning and tenderizing, blot the chicken with paper towels to remove extra moisture. This will help brown the kababs.
  • Garam masala: I use homemade garam masala made by roasting the whole spices individually and grinding them. Some store-bought garam masalas may have a raw flavor. In that case, add garam masala (later on) to the chicken directly (when you add mustard oil) rather than blending it with other spices.
  • Flavor hack: Would you like to enhance the amazing hariyali flavors? Add a pinch of sugar to the marinade.
  • Well-browned hariyali kebabs: Whatever method you use to cook, grilled, oven-roasted or pan-fried, with or without skewers ensure 2 things:
    • Shake off the excess marinade before cooking.
    • Place the chicken pieces well apart from each other. This will help you make well-browned tender kababs. (A similar technique I use for chicken keema kebabs.)
  • Leftovers: Spread mint chutney on tortillas or parathas, and stuff with leftover chicken kababs and veggies to make roll-ups. You can also substitute chicken tikka with these kababs in tandoori chicken wraps.
  • Have an filling dinner by pairing these chicken kababs with biryani pulao.
Hariyali chicken kebab with green chutney on a white plate.

Easy Chicken Hariyali Kabab Recipe

Learn how to make chicken hariyali kabab (chicken hariyali tikka) in oven, grill or simply in a pan. Find out the secret shortcut that can be used only with this hariyali chicken recipe.
Author: Sheeba
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Marinating time 30 minutes
Total Time 53 minutes
Course Appetizer, brunch, Party food
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4
Calories 248.3 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams/1.1 pounds boneless chicken breasts or legs (Note 1)

Hariyali marinade

  • 1 cup mint leaves tightly packed
  • ½ cup coriander leaves tightly packed
  • 3 green chillies
  • 2 inch piece of ginger
  • ¼ cup yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon pink salt (or fine sea salt)
  • 1 tablespoon mustard oil

For basting

  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil (peanut oil/olive oil/sunflower oil)
  • 1 teaspoon melted butter or ghee

STEP BY STEP IMAGES

Scroll back to find detailed recipe photos!

Instructions
 

  • If using the oven, preheat to 230°C/ 446°F.

Prepare the chicken

  • Clean and chop the chicken into 1½ inch cubes. (note 1)
    500 grams/1.1 pounds boneless chicken

Make hariyali marinade

  • Roughly chop coriander leaves and stems, mint leaves, chillies and ginger. Place them in a blender jar along with the spices, lemon juice and yogurt.
    1 cup mint leaves, ½ cup coriander leaves, 3 green chillies, 2 inch piece of ginger, ¼ cup yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala, ¼ teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon pink salt
  • Blend until you get a smooth paste.
  • Reserve and refrigerate ¼ cup of the marinade to use as chutney.

Marinate the chicken

  • Add the remaining green marinade to the chicken. Add mustard oil and mix well.
    1 tablespoon mustard oil
  • Marinate overnight for the best results, if possible. If you're in a rush, marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Bake chicken hariyali kababs

  • Thread the marinated chicken cubes onto skewers. Place the skewers on a baking pan lined with foil. Baste with the oil-ghee mixture.
    1 tablespoon cooking oil, 1 teaspoon melted butter or ghee
  • Place in the oven. Roast for 10 minutes.
  • Take out the pan and baste with oil+ghee again.
  • Change the oven setting to “broil” and cook for 6 to 8 minutes more, until browned.
  • Serve with the reserved chutney.

Cook hariyali kababs in a pan

  • Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers. Spread about ½ of the oil-ghee mixture in a grill pan or a regular one.
    Place the skewers on the greased pan and cook for 5 minutes. Keep basting with the remaining oil+ghee.
    Turn the skewers and baste. Cook for 5 to 6 more minutes.

Cook hariyali kebabs using grill

  • Shake off excess marinade and thread the chicken onto skewers. Grill for 12 to 14 minutes, basting and turning once halfway through.

How to cook kababs without skewers

  • In the oven: Line a sheet pan or baking pan with parchment paper. Place the marinated chicken cubes at least 1 inch apart from each other. Baste with ghee+oil and roast at 230°C/ 446°F for 8 minutes.
    Flip each of the kababs. Change the oven setting to broil and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until they are browned.
  • In a pan: Place the chicken cubes on the greased pan. Ensure that they are placed well apart. Cook on one side for 5 minutes while basting with oil+ghee.
    Flip each kabab with tongs and baste it with oil again. Cook for 5 more minutes.

Video

Notes

  1. Tenderize: If you’re using chicken breast, and marinating the chicken for more than half an hour, the yogurt marinade is enough to tenderize the chicken. If you’re marinating only for 30 minutes, use this hack to tenderize chicken breast before marinating. That way you’ll get super soft and juicy kababs.
  2. Blot: After cleaning and tenderizing, blot the chicken with paper towels to remove extra moisture. This will help brown the kababs.
  3. Garam masala: I use homemade garam masala made by roasting the whole spices individually and grinding them. Some store-bought garam masalas may have a raw flavor. In that case, add garam masala (later on) to the chicken directly (when you add mustard oil) rather than blending it with other spices.
  4. Flavor hack: To enhance the amazing hariyali flavors, add a pinch of sugar to the marinade.
  5. How to make well-browned tender hariyali kebabs: Whatever method you use to cook, grilled, oven-roasted or pan-fried, with or without skewers ensure 3 things:
    • Shake off the excess marinade before cooking.
    • Place the chicken pieces well apart from each other.
    • Baste all sides of the kababs with the oil-ghee mixture.
  6. Cooking time: The total time for this recipe does not include the time for tenderizing (20 minutes).
Nutrition Facts
Easy Chicken Hariyali Kabab Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
248.3
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
12.1
g
19
%
Saturated Fat
 
2.4
g
15
%
Trans Fat
 
0.1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
2.4
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
5.8
g
Cholesterol
 
84.7
mg
28
%
Sodium
 
859.6
mg
37
%
Potassium
 
596.8
mg
17
%
Carbohydrates
 
6.3
g
2
%
Fiber
 
2.5
g
10
%
Sugar
 
2
g
2
%
Protein
 
27.8
g
56
%
Vitamin A
 
701.5
IU
14
%
Vitamin C
 
11.5
mg
14
%
Calcium
 
62.1
mg
6
%
Iron
 
1.4
mg
8
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Author profile photo

Hi! I’m Sheeba, welcome to Go Healthy ever after!

I have a passion for cooking delicious nourishing food that’s easy to cook with fresh natural ingredients free from additives or preservatives. The easy healthy recipes you find here will inspire you to cook with creativity.

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4 thoughts on “Easy Chicken Hariyali Kabab (Chicken Hariyali Tikka)”

  1. 4 stars
    I used this for veggie kabobs and it was SO GOOD. I used coconut yogurt instead of dairy. The ingredient list says mustard oil, but it’s not mentioned when everything goes into the blender. Is it meant to be incorporated into the sauce? We just loved this, I’m already looking forward to making it again!

    1. Hi Merin, thanks for trying out the kabab recipe 🙂 You don’t have to blend the mustard oil. Just add it along with the blended marinade to the chicken.

    1. Hi, thanks for visiting. It is ginger. There is no garlic in the recipe.
      Thanks for pointing it out. I’ve updated the post 🙂

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