Achari Chicken Tikka in Air Fryer
on Jun 26, 2026
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This Achari Chicken Tikka recipe is spicy, tangy, and has the most amazing chatpata flavor from the pickle masala. It can be easily alleviated to make it restaurant-style with a quick dhungar (smoking) step. Versatile and easy to serve, this one’s a must try!
In my humble opinion, chicken tikka is the BEST way to enjoy chicken. It’s literally juicy pieces of chicken in the most amazing masalas and don’t even get me started on the crispy, charred bits… it’s heaven! If you found yourself nodding along so far, then this achari chicken tikka recipe is for you.
Achari chicken tikka uses achar or Indian pickle in the marinade, and what this does is, it delivers the most amazing spicy, tangy, lip smacking flavor that feels absolutely addictive. This one’s a fairly simple recipe that comes together in the air fryer. So you know that it gets perfectly crispy with very little oil. But what takes this one to the next level is a dhungar or smoking step, which even though optional, I highly recommend. Because when you serve these achari murgh tikka, no one will believe you made them at home.
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Achari Chicken Tikka Ingredients
Chicken: I recommend boneless chicken thigh pieces as they stay juicy and tender. Breast pieces tend to dry out through the cooking process and the dish ends up tasting chewy and stringy
Pickle masala: The hero ingredient that’s responsible for the chicken tikka’s unique flavor. I have used the masala from a homemade raw mango pickle, but you can use a store-bought pickle as well
Hung curd: Helps tenderise the chicken and adds a creamy richness to the dish. Greek yogurt works in a pinch too
Spices: Basic powdered Indian spices such as turmeric, coriander, and cumin powders along with black salt, and salt for flavor, seasoning, and color
Mustard Oil: Adds a subtle smokiness while preventing the chicken from drying out
Ginger garlic paste: For loads of flavor and aroma
Besan: AKA gram flour or chickpea flour dry roasted to remove rawness. Used as a binding to prevent the marinade from falling of the chicken, improves flavor, as well as adds a lovely nuttiness
Lemon: Adds a tangy fresh flavor to every bite
Oil: Any neutral-flavored oil for brushing
Pickled onions: Homemade pickled onions for serving. Check out the recipe notes for how to make it
Green chillies and coriander: Slit green chillies and chopped fresh coriander as accompaniments for serving
What is Achari Chicken Tikka
Achari chicken tikka is a delicious variation of classic chicken tikka that’s flavoured with achar (Indian pickle) masala. Instead of relying on a long list of spices, the marinade gets its signature tangy, spicy and slightly mustardy flavour from pickle masala, along with yogurt, ginger, garlic and a few everyday spices. The result is juicy, smoky chicken with bold, punchy flavours that are unmistakably achari.
This recipe uses raw mango pickle masala, but you can also use the masala from lemon or mixed vegetable pickle depending on what you have at home. Cooked in the air fryer until lightly charred around the edges, this pickle chicken tikka makes a fantastic appetiser, party snack or even a filling for wraps and rolls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, absolutely! Cook in a pan (preferably cast iron) until cooked through and you see little charred bits.
Yes. The dhungar method adds a wonderful smoky aroma, but the achari chicken tikka is still delicious without it.
Raw mango pickle works best, but you can also use the masala from lemon pickle or mixed vegetable pickle. Just use the spice mixture rather than the pickle pieces themselves.
Richa’s Top Tips
- Use chicken thighs for the juiciest tikka. Chicken thighs stay tender during air frying and are much less likely to dry out than chicken breast.
- Separate the masala from the pickle. Use only the pickle masala and avoid adding large pieces of mango or vegetables, as they can burn during cooking.
- Marinate for at least an hour. While 1 hour is enough, marinating for 4-8 hours gives the chicken a deeper achari flavour and makes it even more tender.
- Leave a little space between the skewers. Overcrowding prevents the hot air from circulating, resulting in uneven cooking and less browning.
- Don’t skip the dhungar method. Unless you are really short on time, I would high recommend smoking the chicken. It adds such a restaurant-style flavour and aroma and really takes the whole dish up a few notches.
Storage Tips
- Refrigerate: Store leftover achari chicken tikka in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: You can freeze both the marinated raw chicken and the cooked tikka for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before cooking or reheating.
- Reheat: Reheat in the air fryer at 180°C for 3-4 minutes until heated through. This helps retain the lightly charred exterior.
Serving Ideas
- As an appetizer: If you’re having a party, serve this achari chicken tikka as a starter with pickled onions, green chutney and lemon wedges for a classic restaurant-style platter.
- Part of a meal: You can also turn it into a complete meal by pairing it with jeera rice, naan, lachha paratha or roomali roti.
- In a wrap: Leftover chicken tikka is equally delicious stuffed into wraps, kathi rolls, sandwiches or pita pockets with onions, lettuce and mint yogurt.
- For a lighter meal: serve it alongside a fresh cucumber salad and a coriander mint dip.
Customisation Ideas
- Try different pickle masalas: Mango pickle is traditional, but lemon pickle or mixed vegetable pickle masala also work well and give the tikka a slightly different flavour.
- Use paneer or tofu instead of chicken: Replace the chicken with paneer or tofu cubes and reduce the air frying time to 8-10 minutes.
- Cook it in the oven: Bake at 220°C (425°F) for 15-18 minutes, turning halfway through. Finish under the broiler for 2-3 minutes if you’d like extra char.
- Add vegetables to the skewers: Bell peppers, onions and tomatoes pair beautifully with the achari flavours and make the skewers more colourful.
If you’re looking to switch up your usual chicken tikka, this achari chicken tikka is a must-try. You’ll love the tangy kick from the pickle, and the air fryer does most of the heavy lifting. Serve it as a party appetiser or stuff it into wraps, I promise you’ll be making this one again and again.
If you make this recipe, DM me your pictures or tag me in stories over on my IG @my_foodstory ❤️
Air Fryer Achari Chicken Tikka
Equipment
Ingredients
For marination
- 450 grams boneless chicken thighs cut into 1.5 inch pieces
- 1 ½ tablespoons mango pickle masala, refer note 1
- 2 tablespoons greek yoghurt or hung curds
- 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon black salt, kala namak
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons mustard oil
- 1 teaspoon roasted gram flour, besan
- Juice of ½ lemon
For tikka
- 4-5 skewers
- 1 – 2 teaspoons cooking oil for brushing
For dhungar / smoking
- 2-3 inches long charcoal
- 1 teaspoon oil
For serving
- ½ cup pickled onion rings, refer note 3
- 2 green chillies, slit
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves
Instructions
Marinating chicken
- Take chicken in a bowl, add rest of the ingredients for marinade, mix well and set aside for at least an 1 hour. toss until all chicken pieces get well coated with the marinade450 grams boneless chicken thighs cut into 1.5 inch pieces, 1 ½ tablespoons mango pickle masala, 2 tablespoons greek yoghurt or hung curds, 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste, 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, ¼ teaspoon cumin powder, ¼ teaspoon black salt, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 ½ tablespoons mustard oil, 1 teaspoon roasted gram flour, Juice of ½ lemon
Dhungar (smoking) of chicken
- Place charcoal on the gas flame and heat it for 5-6 minutes till it turns red. keep a small steel katori or bowl in the centre of the marinated chicken bowl & keep a proper lid for the marinade bowl to trap the smoke.2-3 inches long charcoal, 1 teaspoon oil
- Hold the hot charcoal with tongs and put it in the bowl, pour ghee on it and immediately cover the lid. Rest it for 3 minutes, discard the charcoal bowl and keep the marinated chicken resting for 30 mins
Airfrying tikka
- Preheat the airfryer to 200C. Brush the airfryer basket with oil. Thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers and place them on the airfryer basket with some gap in between. Brush them with oil and air fry at 200C for 3 minutes, flip once, brush with oil & air fry at 200 C for another 3-5 minutes or until they are cooked through & slightly browned around the edges and serve.4-5 skewers, 1 – 2 teaspoons cooking oil for brushing
- Serve tikkas with pickled onions, green chillies and coriander leaves½ cup pickled onion rings, 2 green chillies, 2 tablespoons coriander leaves
Notes
- Any pickle masala may be used, I have used home made raw mango pickle masala. Try to separate the masala from the pickle and avoid using the raw mango, veggies in the marinade.
- Mustard oil is used for its authentic fragrance and flavour.
- How to make pickled onions: cut ½ onion into rings and add to a bowl, add 2-3 slices of beetroot, a pinch of salt, a pinch of sugar, 1 teaspoon vinegar, mix well and set aside for 5 minutes. onions will be ready to use.
Nutrition
This article was researched and written by Urvi Dalal.
