Broiled Chicken Tikka Burgers with Cucumber Raita

Name: Broiled Chicken Tikka Burgers with Cucumber Raita
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: North Indian
Ingredients: 1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat (4 thighs, about 6 oz/170 g each); ½ cup (120 g) plain whole-milk yogurt; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; 3 cloves (15 g) garlic, finely grated or minced; 1 tbsp (15 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 2 tsp (4 g) garam masala; 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin; 1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander; 2 tsp (5 g) Kashmiri chili powder; ½ tsp (1½ g) ground turmeric; 1¼ tsp (5 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal); 1 tbsp (14 ml) neutral oil such as avocado or canola; 1 cup (245 g) plain whole-milk yogurt; 5 oz (150 g) small cucumber, peeled, coarsely grated, then squeezed dry in a towel; 2 tbsp (6 g) fresh mint leaves, finely chopped; ¼ tsp (½ g) ground cumin; ¼ tsp (1 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal); 4 buns (240 g) burger buns, split; 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter, softened; 4 leaves (60 g) crisp lettuce leaves such as romaine or butter lettuce, washed and dried well; ½ onion (60 g) small red onion, thinly sliced into rings; 1 tomato (150 g) medium tomato, cut into 4 slices (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Yogurt-marinated chicken thighs, spiced like classic tikka masala, are broiled until juicy with charred edges, then stacked on buttery toasted buns with crisp lettuce, red onion and a cooling mint-cucumber raita. No grill needed.

Prep: 35 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 2 hr 5 min
Total: 3 hr
Makes: 4 burgers

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the chicken
1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat (4 thighs, about 6 oz/170 g each)
½ cup (120 g) plain whole-milk yogurt
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
3 cloves (15 g) garlic, finely grated or minced
1 tbsp (15 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 tsp (4 g) garam masala
1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
2 tsp (5 g) Kashmiri chili powder
½ tsp (1.5 g) ground turmeric
1¼ tsp (5 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
1 tbsp (14 ml) neutral oil such as avocado or canola
For the cucumber raita
1 cup (245 g) plain whole-milk yogurt
5 oz (150 g) small cucumber, peeled, coarsely grated, then squeezed dry in a towel
2 tbsp (6 g) fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground cumin
¼ tsp (1 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
For serving
4 buns (240 g) burger buns, split
1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter, softened
4 leaves (60 g) crisp lettuce leaves such as romaine or butter lettuce, washed and dried well
½ onion (60 g) small red onion, thinly sliced into rings
1 tomato (150 g) medium tomato, cut into 4 slices (optional)

Equipment (8)

Rimmed baking sheet, about 18×13 inches (46×33 cm)
Wire cooling rack that fits inside the baking sheet
Aluminum foil
Large bowl or zip-top bag for marinating
Box grater
Clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth
Instant-read thermometer
Large skillet for toasting buns

Steps

Before you start

The chicken needs at least 2 hours in the marinade (up to 12 hours in the fridge), so start well ahead.
Use full-fat plain yogurt. Low-fat or Greek-style yogurt is too thin or too tangy for the marinade and makes a watery raita.
Position an oven rack so the chicken will sit 4–5 inches (10–13 cm) below the broiler element. Remove any rack above it.
You need an instant-read thermometer. Thighs vary in thickness, so timing alone is not reliable.

1
Mix the marinade
- In a large bowl, stir together the marinade yogurt, lemon juice, grated garlic, grated ginger, garam masala, ground cumin, ground coriander, Kashmiri chili powder, turmeric, kosher salt and neutral oil until it forms a smooth, thick, evenly orange-red paste.
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Ready when: No streaks of dry spice remain and the paste is uniform in color.
Tip: Grate the garlic and ginger on a fine grater so they disperse evenly and don't leave raw chunks.
2
Marinate the chicken
- Place the thighs on a cutting board, cover with plastic wrap and pound or press the thicker parts until each thigh is an even thickness of about ¾ inch (2 cm).
- Pat dry with paper towels.
- Add to the marinade and turn to coat every surface, working some marinade into the folds.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 12 hours.
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Ready when: Every thigh is fully coated in a thick layer of marinade.
Tip: Don't marinate longer than 12 hours. The lemon and yogurt acid can make the meat mushy.
3
Make the raita
- While the chicken marinates, grate the peeled cucumber on the large holes of a box grater.
- Wrap it in a clean towel and squeeze firmly over the sink until it stops dripping.
- In a bowl, combine the squeezed cucumber, raita yogurt, chopped mint, ground cumin and salt.
- Stir well, taste, and add a pinch more salt if needed.
- Cover and refrigerate until serving.
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Ready when: Raita is thick, creamy and spoonable, with no pool of liquid.
Tip: Squeezing the cucumber is essential. Skip it and the raita turns watery and soaks the buns.
4
Prep the toppings
- Pat the lettuce leaves completely dry and tear or trim them to roughly the size of the buns.
- Slice the red onion into thin rings and cut the tomato (if using) into 4 slices.
- Refrigerate until assembly.
5
Preheat the broilerOven 500°F / 260°C
- About 20 minutes before cooking, take the chicken out of the fridge.
- Line the rimmed baking sheet with foil and set the wire rack on top.
- Set an oven rack 4–5 inches (10–13 cm) below the broiler element and heat the broiler on high (about 500°F/260°C) for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: The element glows bright orange-red.
Tip: A foil-lined sheet makes cleanup easy, and the rack lets the heat reach the underside so the chicken doesn't steam.
6
Broil the first sideOven 500°F / 260°C
- Lift each thigh from the marinade, letting the excess drip off but leaving a thin coating.
- Arrange the thighs on the rack with space between them.
- Broil on high for 8 minutes.
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Ready when: The top is browned with darker charred spots at the edges.
Tip: If the surface is blackening faster than it is browning, lower the rack one position.
7
Flip and finishOven 500°F / 260°C
- Flip the thighs with tongs and broil for 6–8 minutes more.
- Check the thickest part of each thigh with an instant-read thermometer.
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Ready when: Thermometer reads at least 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part, juices run clear, and edges are charred.
Tip: Remove thighs that reach temperature early and keep cooking any thicker ones.
8
Rest the chicken
- Transfer the thighs to a clean plate or cutting board and let them rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes so the juices settle.
- Turn off the broiler.
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Ready when: Juices no longer pool when you press the chicken lightly.
Tip: Toast the buns during this rest so everything is ready together.
9
Toast the buns
- Spread the softened butter over the cut sides of the buns.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Place the buns cut side down and toast for 1–2 minutes.
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Ready when: Cut sides are golden brown and smell buttery.
Tip: Toast in batches if the skillet is crowded so the buns brown rather than steam.
10
Assemble and serve
- Spread 2 tablespoons of raita on each bottom bun.
- Add a lettuce leaf, a tomato slice if using, and a thigh, trimming it to fit if needed.
- Top with red onion rings and another spoonful of raita, then cap with the top bun.
- Serve immediately with extra raita on the side.
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Ready when: Burgers hold together and the raita is cool against the hot chicken.
Tip: Put the lettuce directly on the bottom bun to act as a barrier against the juices.

Good to know

Tips

Don't wipe off all the marinade. The thin coating is what chars and builds the tikka flavor under the broiler.
Keep the chicken on a rack, not directly on the foil, so it browns on both sides and doesn't sit in rendered juices.
For more heat, add ¼ tsp cayenne to the marinade or a sliced green chili to the raita.
Chill the raita while the chicken cooks. The contrast of cold raita and hot chicken is the point of the burger.

Make ahead

"Marinate the chicken up to 12 hours ahead. Make the raita up to 1 day ahead and keep covered in the fridge (stir before serving). The cooked chicken can be broiled a day ahead and reheated."

Storage & reheating

"Store cooked chicken, raita and toppings separately in airtight containers. Chicken keeps 3–4 days in the fridge and raita 2 days. Cooked chicken freezes up to 3 months. Reheat chicken, covered, in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10–12 minutes, or until it reaches 165°F (74°C). Do not leave assembled burgers at room temperature for more than 2 hours."

Substitutions

Kashmiri chili powder → sweet paprika plus a pinch of cayenne. Use 2 tsp paprika and ⅛ tsp cayenne to approximate the color and mild heat.
boneless, skinless chicken thighs → boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Slice horizontally into thinner cutlets and shorten the broiling time to 5–6 minutes per side. Pull at 165°F (74°C) to avoid dryness.
plain whole-milk yogurt → dairy-free coconut yogurt. Use unsweetened yogurt for both the marinade and raita. The flavor will be a little sweeter.
fresh mint leaves → fresh cilantro. Use the same amount for a more herbal raita.