Chicken Malai Boti Recipe

چکن ملائی بوٹی

Creamy Pakistani chicken malai boti marinated with thick yogurt, cream, green chillies and mild spices, then grilled until juicy with lightly charred edges.

Key cooking point: Pat chicken dry before marinating.

Pakistani chicken malai boti with creamy yogurt marinade and lightly charred grilled edges
Malai boti marinated with thick yogurt, cream, green chilli and mild spices, then grilled until juicy. Image: Miansari66 · Wikimedia Commons · CC0 1.0 · cropped/resized for display
Prep30 min plus 1 hr marinating Cook15 min Total Serves5 CategoryBBQ

Ingredients for Chicken Malai Boti

  • 750 g boneless chicken, cut into even cubes
  • ½ cup thick yogurt
  • ¼ cup cream
  • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 green chillies, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp garam masala
  • 1 tbsp cornflour
  • 1 tbsp cooking oil
  • Salt to taste

How to Make Chicken Malai Boti — Step by Step

  1. Step 1Pat the chicken dry and cut it into similar-size cubes so the pieces cook at roughly the same rate.
  2. Step 2In a bowl, mix the thick yogurt, cream, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, green chillies, cumin, black pepper, garam masala, cornflour and salt until smooth.
  3. Step 3Coat the chicken thoroughly with the marinade, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Keep the raw chicken chilled throughout marination.
  4. Step 4Thread the pieces onto skewers without packing them too tightly and brush the surface lightly with oil.
  5. Step 5Cook over a hot barbecue, grill or grill pan, turning as needed for even browning, until the chicken is fully cooked through and has lightly charred edges. Do not rely on surface colour alone to judge doneness.
  6. Step 6Rest the cooked malai boti briefly before serving with chutney, sliced onion and lemon.

Technique That Matters

Malai boti needs a thick, mild marinade that stays on the meat. Dry the chicken surface, use thick yogurt plus a small amount of cornflour for adhesion, chill for at least one hour, then grill hot and relatively fast so cream does not simply melt away before browning.

Visual & Doneness Cues

  • Raw marinade should visibly coat the chicken cubes rather than run off.
  • Skewered pieces should have small gaps for even heat exposure.
  • The exterior should have light golden-charred patches rather than a dark chilli crust.
  • The centre must be fully cooked while remaining moist.

Chicken Malai Boti Cooking Tips

  • Pat chicken dry before marinating.
  • Use thick yogurt so the coating stays on the meat.
  • Cook over strong enough heat to brown before the centre dries.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Using thin yogurt or wet chicken and ending with a sliding marinade.
  • Overloading cornflour until the coating tastes pasty.
  • Cooking over weak heat for a long time and drying the chicken before colour develops.
  • Judging doneness only from the pale creamy exterior.

Substitutions & Adjustments

  • Boneless thigh is especially forgiving; breast works with careful timing.
  • Green chilli can be reduced for a very mild version.
  • Do not replace all cream with extra yogurt if the goal is the characteristic malai richness.

Storage & Reheating

Storage: Cool cooked boti promptly and refrigerate covered; discard raw marinade left after chicken has been removed unless it is thoroughly cooked for another use.

Reheating: Warm briefly until thoroughly hot, preferably covered or in an oven, to limit moisture loss.

Questions About Chicken Malai Boti

Why is my malai boti marinade sliding off?

The chicken surface or yogurt is too wet. Pat the chicken dry and use thick yogurt; the small amount of cornflour also helps adhesion.

Why is malai boti dry?

The pieces may be too small or cooked too long. Keep cubes similar in size and use strong heat for a shorter cook.

Should malai boti be spicy?

It is usually milder than red chicken tikka, with green chilli, black pepper, cumin and creamy dairy doing more of the flavour work.

Serving idea: Serve hot with mint chutney, lemon and sliced onion.

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