Tandoori Paneer Tikka is the recipe that gets me excited for BBQ season! Chunks of paneer & crunchy vegetables are smothered in my homemade tandoori sauce marinade then grilled to smoky perfection. I serve it restaurant style with Indian mint yogurt sauce .
Note – This recipe has been updated from the archives – first published in March 2012. I’ve added new images and helpful content, the recipe remains the same.
Paneer tikka the sets benchmark for Indian BBQ food. Perfect paneer tikka is lightly charred on the outside, soft and creamy inside, with a spiced marinade that clings like a savoury crust.
In my opinion, this homemade version comes as close (or even better) than what you would find at an Indian restaurant. You’ll generally find paneer tikka alongside other appetisers such as onion bhajis and malai broccoli .
Traditionally, paneer tikka is cooked in a clay oven, known as a tandoor. To recreate the smoky flavours, most will use their BBQ. The sound of the sizzle and the smoky smell is totally irresistible!
To make it in the kitchen, I char the paneer directly over the flame. The marinade blisters and the paneer darkens at the edges.
However, the air fryer, oven or a stovetop tawa do an “okay” job. I’m not as keen on these methods because the paneer becomes chewy and that isn’t the effect we’re going for.
Ingredients Notes and Tips
Paneer – I’m the first to champion homemade BUT for tandoori paneer, I find store-bought is so much better. It’s firmly set and holds it’s shape really well on heating. I find that homemade paneer tends to crumble. I use the paneer found in the chilled section of Indian grocery stores.
If you can’t find paneer near you, a decent alternative is my tandoori halloumi tikka which has similar textures.
Pat the paneer dry to prevent sogginess. I also find that damp paneer sticks. Brushing oil over the tikka generously prevents this too.
Vegetables – I like to use green peppers and red onion. Generally, restaurants will use a variation of these. I cut them into equal size as the paneer so everything cooks equally.
Tandoori marinade – all the flavour comes from this marinade. Kashmiri chilli powder is better for vibrant colour without too much heat, and a little chaat masala and lemon juice brings that tanginess. Plain yogurt works best IMO – I’ve tried with thick Greek yogurt but it coats the paneer too heavily.
Over the past few summers that I have made this recipe, I’ve made little changes to the marinate. My tried and tested technique to get the marinade to really stick and cling to the veggies is to use besan . To get the paneer and veggies crispy, restaurant style, I also add in a bit of rice flour .
For ease, you may want to use shop bought tandoori spice mix or keep a jar of this homemade tandoori masala ready.
Oil – A touch of mustard oil (warmed slightly) adds that signature smoky sharpness, but any neutral oil works in a pinch.
Don’t skip on the marination time to let the flavours meld.
Serving Ideas
The most common way to serve is with green mint and coriander chutney and crunchy tomato, cucumber kachumber salad on the side.
I’ve noticed that many Indian fine dining restaurants are now pairing tandoori paneer tikka with fruity flavours – and I love the idea! A punchy South Indian pineapple chutney or a tangy pickled mango (amba) sauce would be perfect accompaniments.
Use paneer tikka in other recipes such as paneer tikka masala or paneer tikka biryani . Try my tandoori paneer galette on Thanksgiving.
If I’m preparing paneer tikka for Diwali or dinner parties, I go for this creamy and luxurious Malai Paneer Tikka with cream and saffron.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
- YouTube
Tandoori Paneer Tikka
Equipment
- 6 Skewers wooden or metal
Ingredients
Paneer Tikka
- 500 grams paneer
- 1 large green capsicum
- 1 large red onion
- 2 tablespoon ghee/butter melted for brushing
Tandoori Marinade
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon red chilli powder kashmiri
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin-coriander
- 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 tablespoon chaat masala
- 2 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 2 teaspoon besan
- 1 teaspoon kasoori methi
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon oil I used mustard oil
- salt
Garnish/Toppings
- chopped coriander
- chaat masala
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in cold water for at least 3-4 hours.
- If using mustard oil, first heat in a small pan and allow to cool before using.
- Cut paneer into cubes.
Prepare Marinade
- Gently dry roast besan in a small pan on low heat, until it smells roasted.
- In a mixing bowl add all the marinate ingredients, and 2 tablespoon oil. Mix well and set aside.
- Add the paneer pieces to the marinating mix, toss gently and place it in the fridge after covering the bowl with cling film for at least one hour. Preferably 4–6 hours for deeper flavour.
- Cut the onion and capsicum into equal sized squares.
- When ready to cook, thread the paneer and vegetables on soaked bamboo or metal skewers. Alternate between paneer and veggies on the skewers. For example: onion → capsicum → paneer → onion→ capsicum → paneer → onion → capsicum.
- Brush with melted ghee/butter on all sides.
Cooking Direct on Open Stove Flame
- Hold the skewers tightly and hold over the direct flame on the stove. The tikka are ready when the edges of the paneer and vegetables are charred.
Outdoor Grill/BBQ
- Brush the grill and tikka generously with oil. Place the skewers directly on the BBQ and remove as soon as the edges char. This is to prevent the paneer cooking too much on the inside and becoming chewy.
On Tawa
- Brush oil over the tawa and place the tawa on high heat. Place the skewers down, and cook each side until golden and slightly charred. Press lightly for even browning and brush with oil as needed.
- Sprinkle finely chopped coriander, chat masala and squeez some lemon juice before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Tandoori Paneer Tikka
Equipment
- 6 Skewers wooden or metal
Ingredients
Paneer Tikka
- 500 grams paneer
- 1 large green capsicum
- 1 large red onion
- 2 tablespoon ghee/butter melted for brushing
Tandoori Marinade
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon red chilli powder kashmiri
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin-coriander
- 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 tablespoon chaat masala
- 2 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 2 teaspoon besan
- 1 teaspoon kasoori methi
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon oil I used mustard oil
- salt
Garnish/Toppings
- chopped coriander
- chaat masala
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in cold water for at least 3-4 hours.
- If using mustard oil, first heat in a small pan and allow to cool before using.
- Cut paneer into cubes.
Prepare Marinade
- Gently dry roast besan in a small pan on low heat, until it smells roasted.
- In a mixing bowl add all the marinate ingredients, and 2 tablespoon oil. Mix well and set aside.
- Add the paneer pieces to the marinating mix, toss gently and place it in the fridge after covering the bowl with cling film for at least one hour. Preferably 4–6 hours for deeper flavour.
- Cut the onion and capsicum into equal sized squares.
- When ready to cook, thread the paneer and vegetables on soaked bamboo or metal skewers. Alternate between paneer and veggies on the skewers. For example: onion → capsicum → paneer → onion→ capsicum → paneer → onion → capsicum.
- Brush with melted ghee/butter on all sides.
Cooking Direct on Open Stove Flame
- Hold the skewers tightly and hold over the direct flame on the stove. The tikka are ready when the edges of the paneer and vegetables are charred.
Outdoor Grill/BBQ
- Brush the grill and tikka generously with oil. Place the skewers directly on the BBQ and remove as soon as the edges char. This is to prevent the paneer cooking too much on the inside and becoming chewy.
On Tawa
- Brush oil over the tawa and place the tawa on high heat. Place the skewers down, and cook each side until golden and slightly charred. Press lightly for even browning and brush with oil as needed.
- Sprinkle finely chopped coriander, chat masala and squeez some lemon juice before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Paneer Tikka Biryani – Paneer and Biryani are two words that can make anyone’s mouth water. Put them together and you have a divine combination of the most flavourful rice with creamy paneer tikka masala.
Note – This recipe has been updated from the archives – first published in August 2019. I’ve added new images and helpful content, the recipe remains the same.
I’ve always loved the smoky flavours of paneer tikka , so when I decided to make a paneer biryani, I thought — why not combine the two? Instead of just tossing plain paneer into the creamy masala, I took the extra step to marinate in tandoori spices and grill first. It added so much more flavour and made the whole dish feel a bit more special. Tip: If you’re grilling the paneer on a pan or in the oven, make sure not to overcook it — just a slight char is enough to lock in the flavour without drying it out.
The rice is gently infused with a medley of warm, fragrant spices that give it that unmistakable biryani aroma — rich, royal, and comforting. But the real magic? It’s in the fried onions — or birasta . They add this incredible caramelised sweetness that ties everything together. Trust me, don’t skip them. Once you taste the difference, you’ll never make biryani without them again!
Yes, biryani can seem a bit intimidating at first glance — all those layers, spices, and steps — but once it all comes together, it’s so worth it.
My advice?
Pick a day when you’ve got time, your pantry’s stocked, and (most importantly) you’re surrounded by people you love. Because biryani is best made slowly, with care — and shared with good company.
Serving ideas
When it comes to serving paneer tikka biryani, I like to keep it simple and let the flavours shine. A side of cool cucumber raita is a must along with crunchy poppadoms and Indian kachumber salad . The raita provides a cool contrast to the spices and the papad gives texture.
Ingredients notes
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
Rice – to cook the Biryani the BEST rice you should be using is good quality aged basmati rice aka sella rice. It emits a good aroma when it is cooked with whole spices. Sella rice keeps its shape and prevents clumping (a nightmare that anyone who has cooked rice will relate). If you can’t find sella rice, use aged basmati rice (you can find it in British supermarkets).
Paneer – paneer is an Indian style cottage cheese which can be grilled or fried without losing its shape. It can be store-bought or homemade. Nowadays paneer is easily available in almost all British supermarkets.
Spices & masalas – biryani is all about the spices and masalas. Whole spices such as cardamom, cloves, bay leaves, shahi jeera and saffron increase the flavours of biryani. Basic masala powders such as red chilli powder, turmeric and garam masala add wonderful flavours to this dish.
I like to use my own spice combinations rather than relying on store-bought biryani masala. It gives the dish a more personal and authentic touch — plus, you can tweak it to suit your taste. If you’re going the from-scratch route, stick to the recipe closely.
Nuts and fats – a rich and sumptuous biryani is prepared with the good amounts of nuts and fats. You’ll need such as homemade ghee , oil, cream and yogurt.
Fresh spices and herbs – for an aroma and flavour, you’ll require a couple of fresh ingredients. Onion, garlic, mint, and fresh coriander.
Fried onion – The last but not least very important ingredient for biryani is deep-fried onions. Easily available in any south Indian grocery store but you can make it at home too. See below.
How to make homemade birista
Making homemade crispy fried onions for biryani takes a little time but the process is pretty simple.
To make the perfect birista, start by slicing onions thinly and evenly — this helps them cook uniformly and crisp up nicely. I usually use red onions for their deeper flavour, but yellow ones work too. Heat a generous amount of oil in a wide pan (don’t overcrowd the onions!). Fry them on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
The key is patience — let them slowly turn golden brown and caramelised. Once they’re evenly browned, remove them with a slotted spoon and spread them on a paper towel to crisp up as they cool.
They’ll deepen in colour slightly after coming out of the oil, so don’t wait until they’re too dark in the pan.
How to cook perfect rice for biryani
For the fluffiest biryani, it is very important that you cook your rice only 70%. First, wash the rice under the running water until the water runs clear then soak the rice in cold water for at least half an hour.
Then in a large pan or stockpot boil plenty of water, add whole spices such as cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf along with a spoon of ghee and some lemon juice or lemon slices. Once the cooked about 70% cooked, you’ll notice it still has a bite. Turn off the heat and drain all the water and leave it to cool.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
- YouTube
Paneer Tikka Biryani
Equipment
- large pot
Ingredients
- 500 gram paneer cut into cubes
- 2 green bell pepper cut into chunks
- 3 tablespoon yogurt thick
- 2 tablespoon ground cumin and coriander
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic puree
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder kashmiri
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon besan roasted (optional)
Masala Gravy
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic puree
- 3 tablespoon cashew and almond paste
- 2 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 4-5 tablespoon tomato puree
- 1 tablespoon kitchen king masala or curry powder
- 1 tablespoon whole spices cardamom, cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kasoori methi
- 1 tablespoon fried onion
- 4-5 tablespoon single cream
- salt
- 1 tablespoon red chilli powder
Rice
- 1 kilogram sella basmati rice
- 2 tablespoon whole spices cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves
- 2 tablespoon ghee
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice or lemon slices
Other ingredients
- pinch saffron
- 4 tablespoon warm milk
- 2 tablespoon fried onions
- 4 tablespoon mint
- 4 tablespoon coriander
- 3 tablespoon roasted cashew nuts
Instructions
Paneer Tikka
- First place all the ingredients in a big bowl except capsicum and paneer cubes.
- Combine everything and add panner, mix well and cover the bowl with the cling film and leave it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Add saffron in warm milk and set it aside for later use.
Rice
- Rinse rice under the running water and soak it in cold water for half an hour.
- In a stockpot bring the water to boil, add salt, whole spices, ghee, and lemon juice.
- Add soaked rice and cook till it is cooked 70%.
- Drain all the water and leave in a colander aside.
Paneer tikka masala
- In a large pot/pan, heat oil add cumin seeds and whole spices.
- Once seeds and whole spices splutter add chopped onion and fry till translucent.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and fry till light brown.
- Now add kitchen king masala, red chilli powder and fry for few seconds.
- Add tomato puree, cook till oil separates from the pan.
- Add kasoori methi and cashew and almond paste.
- Mix everything, add salt, single cream and fried onions.
- In a separate frying pan heat oil, add marinated paneer and capsicum. Pan fry until crispy on all side.
- Add paneer tikka in masala gravy, mix well.
- Turn off the heat.
Layer the Biryani
- On the layer of paneer tikka masala, top with some of the fresh mint, coriander, fried onions, and toasted cashews.
- Then add a layer of cooked rice evenly.
- Top the rice layer with saffron milk and ghee.
- Cover the stockpot with aluminum foil and then lid.
- Cook biryani 7-8 minutes on low heat.
- Remove the pot from the oven, add fresh mint leaves and fried onion.
- Gently mix the biryani without breaking the rice and paneer.
- Serve hot.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
