Heavy cream
मलाई · क्रीमملائی
malāī
Heavy cream.
Its job: Richness and browning.
Science-backed recipe
From the MedRise Food Science kitchenPublished
Afghani Malai Chicken: Creamy, Mild and Charred
Also called Malai Tikka · Afghani Chicken · Malai Boti · अफ़ग़ानी मलाई चिकन · افغانی ملائی چکن
Chicken soaked in cream, cashews, cheese and cardamom, then roasted until golden and charred at the edges and basted with butter.
In short
Afghani malai chicken is mild, creamy chicken tikka marinated in cream, cashew, yogurt and cheese and roasted until charred. It has about 49 g of protein per serving.
From the MedRise Food Science kitchenPublished - Active
- 40 min
- Marinate
- 4 hours or overnight
- Total
- 4 hr 40 min
- Serves
- 4
Why this recipe works
- ✓Two-step marinadeTender and well seasoned.
- ✓Mild and creamyNo red chili; white pepper and cardamom.
- ✓Air fryer or ovenCharred edges without a tandoor.
- ✓High proteinAbout 49 g per serving (estimated).
What is Afghani malai chicken?
Afghani (or malai) chicken is chicken marinated in cream, cashew, yogurt and cheese and cooked over high heat. It’s the mild, rich cousin of tandoori chicken, popular in North Indian and Pakistani restaurants and barbecues.
Meet the ingredients
The main ingredients, with their English, Hindi and Urdu names.
Cashews
काजूکاجو
kājū
Soaked and blended.
Its job: Body that clings.
White pepper
सफ़ेद मिर्चسفید مرچ
safed mirch
Ground.
Its job: Heat without red color.
Green cardamom
इलायचीالائچی
ilāychī
Ground.
Its job: Floral aroma.
Grow it yourself: Green chilies, Methi (fenugreek), Garlic, Ginger
The lab notes
The science behind every step
Restaurant cooks do these things by habit. Here’s what each step is actually doing to the food, so you can cook by understanding instead of guesswork.
Lab note01
Salt and acid first
Season with ginger-garlic, salt and lemon for 20 minutes before the cream.
Salt penetrates and dissolves some muscle proteins, so the meat holds more juice; doing it first, before a thick fatty coat, lets it reach the meat.
Lab note02
Cream and cheese brown fast
Cook hot: 400°F in the air fryer or 450°F in the oven.
Milk sugars and proteins in cream and cheese brown quickly (the Maillard reaction), giving the golden, charred spots.
Lab note03
White pepper for a pale tikka
Use white pepper instead of red chili.
White pepper is the seed with its dark skin removed, so it adds heat without coloring the creamy marinade.
How to make it, at a glance
- First marinadeMix the chicken with the ginger-garlic paste, salt, lemon juice and white pepper. Rest 20 minutes.
- Malai marinadeBlend the drained cashews, cream, yogurt, cream cheese and green chilies until smooth. Stir in the cardamom, kasuri methi, garam masala and oil, and coat the chicken. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
- CookAir fry at 400°F for 14–16 minutes, flipping halfway, or roast on a rack in a 450°F oven for 18–20 minutes, until charred at the edges and 165°F inside.
- Baste and finishBrush with melted butter, broil or air fry 2 more minutes, then sprinkle with chaat masala and serve with lemon and onion.
Exact amounts and timings are in the recipe card below.
Health benefits, honestly rated
Very high in protein; rich in fat from cream and cheese.
Macros per serving High protein
Calories520
Protein49 g
Carbs6 g
Fat33 g
Fiber0 g
Sodium820 mg
9.4 g protein per 100 calories. Estimated from the ingredients with USDA FoodData Central values.
Gym-friendly tip: Already high in protein. For a leaner plate, serve with salad and roti instead of rice, and use skinless thighs or breast.
High-quality protein
About 49 g per serving (estimated).
Keep in mind
- High in saturated fat; use Greek yogurt in place of some cream to lighten it.
- Cook to 165°F (74°C).
General nutrition information, not medical advice. Numbers marked “estimated” are calculated from the recipe’s ingredients and vary with brands and portions. If you have diabetes, heart or kidney disease, a food allergy, or are pregnant, ask your doctor or a registered dietitian how this dish fits your diet.
Health sources: Dietary Guidelines for Americans
See the full ingredient health guide: benefits, traditional roots and the science →
Questions, answered
Is Afghani chicken spicy?
No; it’s mild and creamy. Add more green chilies for heat.
Why Afghani?
The name refers to the mild, cream-based style; it’s a restaurant dish of North India and Pakistan.
About MedRise Food Science
Desi restaurant favorites, recreated at home and explained with food science: every recipe is tested in a home kitchen and comes with the why behind each step.
Recipe card
Afghani Malai Chicken
Afghani malai chicken: chicken in a two-step marinade of ginger-garlic and lemon, then cream, cashew, hung yogurt and cheese, cooked in the air fryer, oven or grill until charred at the edges. Mild, creamy and high in protein.
Prep20 minMarinate4 hours or overnightCook20 minTotal4 hr 40 minServes4 servings
Ingredients
First marinade
Malai marinade
To finish
Instructions (Air fryer or oven)
- First marinadeMix the chicken with the ginger-garlic paste, salt, lemon juice and white pepper. Rest 20 minutes.
- Malai marinadeBlend the drained cashews, cream, yogurt, cream cheese and green chilies until smooth. Stir in the cardamom, kasuri methi, garam masala and oil, and coat the chicken. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
- CookAir fry at 400°F for 14–16 minutes, flipping halfway, or roast on a rack in a 450°F oven for 18–20 minutes, until charred at the edges and 165°F inside.
- Baste and finishBrush with melted butter, broil or air fry 2 more minutes, then sprinkle with chaat masala and serve with lemon and onion.
Grill method
- GrillThread onto skewers and grill over medium-high heat, turning and basting with butter, 12–15 minutes, to 165°F.
Notes
- Smoky finish
- For dhungar smoke, set a hot coal in a small steel bowl in the pan, drop on a little ghee and cover for 2 minutes. Only with good ventilation, and never in a closed room.
- Bone-in
- Bone-in pieces take 22–25 minutes in the air fryer.
- Storage
- Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Equipment
- Air fryer or oven with rack
- Blender
- Instant-read thermometer