Chicken Gilafi Seekh Kebab Recipe | Juicy & Smoky Kebab
Gilafi chicken Seekh | Seekh Kebab
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Seekh Kebab or kabab is the most popular kebab among all kababs or tikkas . If we heard about Seekh Kebab , we imagine a plate of juicy and succulent kabab with mint leaves, Lachcha onion, lemon wedges and green chutney. Making seekh kebab is like an art, you need good practice and patience. Gilafi Kebabs are traditionally grilled in a charcoal tandoor to perfection, giving them a smoky and charred flavor. They can also be prepared in an oven or on a stovetop with the same delicious results. The result is a tantalizing kebab with a perfect balanced of flavours and textures, the marinated meat is juicy and tender. While the gilaf provides a burst of freshness and crunch. It is a delightful kebab that showcase the richness of Mughlai cuisine.
What is Seekh Kebab? Meaning of seekh kebab
Seekh Kebab is cylindrical shaped kebab made by using minced or ground meat, marinated with spices and arranged in an iron Shewer cylindrically and then cooked over charcoal fire either in barbeque or Ovalclay tandoor. Seekh Kebab is generally made using either chicken , Lamb or beef mince.
But there are some vegetarian version of the seekh kebab recipe available that you can try and enjoy.
What is chicken Gilafi Seekh Kebab?
Gilafi Seekh Kebab is defined as marinated chicken minced placed over a shewers in cylindrical shape covering with chopped vegetables and cooked over charcoal fire. This seekh kebab is one of best minced kebab that you can try.
Gilaf means cover and thus Gilafi means covering . So Gilafi Seekh Kebab means a Seekh Kebab with a covering. To gilaf we use chopped bell peppers, capsicum and onions. After shaping the Seekh Kebab, these chopped peppers are then used to cover it . Kebabs are generally considered as a healthy food as they are not deep fried, less amount of oil is used to make them . So a chicken Seekh Kebab is also considered as a healthy food . Because it is prepared using open fire and no oil or less amount of oil is used.
Gilafi kebab origin
The origin of Gilafi Kebab is quite fascinating. This delicious kebab has its roots in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the Mughal cuisine. The Mughals were known for their rich and flavorful culinary traditions. Gilafi Kebab gets its name from the word "Gilaf," which means"cover" or "coat" in Urdu. The name is derived from the way this kebab is prepared. It involves covering the marinated meat with a flavorful mixture of minced vegetables and spices before cooking it.
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Steps to make seekh kebab
First we will mince the chicken pieces using a meat mincer. You can buy a ready made chicken mince but it is always good to use a self minced chicken. A ready made chicken mince may contain lots of trimmed part of a chicken.
Making mince
Roughly cut the chicken pieces and mix with garlic, ginger , green chili and mint leaves. Now using a meat mincer make a mince of the chicken pieces. For chicken it is sufficient to make a single round mincing..
For Lamb or beef , it is good to make two rounds of mincing.
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Marinating the mince
Take the minced chicken in a mixing bowl and add the lemon juice, cumin powder, garam masala, chat masala, black pepper , coriander leaves and salt. Mix everything very well by kneading the minced chicken.
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Keep it refrigerated to marinate for one hour. The longer you keep it marinated , the better result you will get from it.
If there is excess liquid in seekh kabab then add some more freshly made chicken mince with it to control the excess liquid.
Chicken mince or KEEMA of seekh kabab is not boiled, they are cooked over charcoal fire heat.
Making seekh kebab
For Gilafi Seekh Kebab chopped the bell peppers and capsicum finely. If using onion then chopped it as well. Otherwise you can avoid to use them to make only seekh kebab.
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After mincing , the chicken become sticky So if we use wet hand , they won't stick to our hands.
Take a Shewer and place the minced chicken ball length wise in a cylindrical shape around the Shewer.
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Using wet hand helps not to get break down the Seekh Kebab and also help for a smooth shaping the Kebab.
Now place the chopped bell peppers and capsicum over the Seekh. They will get stick easily over the chicken. So just pressed lightly over the Kebab.
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While cooking the Seekh Kebab rotate the Shewer at certain intervals to cook it properly from all sides. And bust some clarified butter over it.
Clarified butter will help not to dry the Seekh Kebab while cooking. Don't worry for using the clarified butter as it will get burnt while cooking.
This is the best thing when we cook food over a charcoal fire , the excess oil get burnt over the charcoal. So we don't have to worry for any health issues.
After the said time you can notice that the Seekh Kebab become firm and brown. Juice start to run from the Shewer.
Therefore carefully remove the Kebab from the Shewer and cut into pieces and serve.
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Seekh kebab in Oven
Preheat an oven to 240°C for 15 minutes and line a baking tray with aluminum foil. If using wooden sticks then soak them in water for 30 minutes.
Thereafter take one stick or an iron shewer in one hand and make other hand wet with water.
With the wet hand take a small portion of the mince and carefully place over the stick in cylindrical shape. Keep the hand wet while placing the mince.
Now place the shewer or stick over the baking tray one by one.
Place the baking tray inside the preheated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or till the seekh kebab become light golden.
You can brush some butter or oil at midway while cooking them to make them soft and moist.
When they get cooked completely remove and arrange in a plate. Sprinkle some chat masala and lemon juice over the kebab and serve hot with mint chutney and onion slices.
Seekh Kebab recipe using stove top method using a pan
Using stove top method you can make Seekh Kebab but you won't get that authentic taste as using over charcoal.
You can use sate like sticks to Shewer the chicken mince and roast them over a non stick pan in slow flame. Or make a two inch bullet shape Seekh Kebab and stick the chopped bell peppers over them and roast or grill on a pan over slow flame .
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You need to cook them further two minutes in a micro wave oven .
If you love chicken Gilafi Seekh Kebab recipe then I am sure you would love the recipe of Lamb Gilafi Seekh Kebab recipe as well.
Which part of chicken are used to make Seekh kabab?
To make the Seekh Kebab we are going to use leg boneless of chicken . Because leg boneless chicken pieces makes Seekh Kebab soft and juicy.
If you use chicken breast pieces then the Seekh Kebab will become hard and dry.
You can try some best chicken recipe at home
Today we are going prepare authentic chicken Gilafi Seekh Kebab recipe. The difference between chicken Seekh Kebab and chicken Gilafi Seekh Kebab is only the chopped vegetables that are used to cover .
Chicken seekh kebab is healthy as less amount of oil or butter is used to cook them. They get cooked in its own juice. And are cooked using open fire.
Chicken Gilafi Seekh Kebab Recipe
Chicken Gilafi Seekh Kebab is a juicy minced chicken kebab coated with colorful bell peppers, onions, and capsicum. A smoky, restaurant-style kebab best served with mint chutney and lemon wedges.
Ingredients
- 200 gm chicken leg boneless
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 tsp black pepper powder
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 8–9 garlic cloves
- 1 inch ginger
- 1–2 green chilies or paste
- 2 tsp fresh mint leaves
- 1 tsp coriander leaves
- 1/3 tsp chat masala
- 1/2 tsp pure ghee (optional)
- Salt to taste
- For Gilafi Coating: 1/2 red bell pepper, 1/2 yellow bell pepper, 1/2 capsicum, 1/2 onion (finely chopped)
Instructions
- Grind chicken with ginger, garlic, chilies, and mint into a fine mince.
- Mix with lemon juice, cumin, garam masala, pepper, chat masala, salt, and coriander. Knead well and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Chop bell peppers, capsicum, and onion for gilafi coating.
- Wet your hands, take mince, and shape around skewers into cylindrical kebabs.
- Press chopped vegetables onto the kebabs to coat evenly (gilafi).
- Bake at 240°C for 15 min (flip & brush butter after 10 min) or cook in tandoor for 7–8 min till juicy and firm.
- Remove, sprinkle chat masala, garnish with coriander, and serve with mint chutney and lemon wedges.
Nutritional Information (Per Serving)
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Protein: 22 g
- Fat: 12 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
Chef’s Notes
- Wet your palms when shaping kebabs to avoid sticking.
- For smoky flavor, finish with dhungar method (hot coal + ghee).
- If you don’t have an oven/tandoor, pan-fry on low flame till cooked through.
- Serve hot with mint chutney, onion rings, and lemon wedges for best taste.
FAQs
Q: What does Gilafi mean in kebab?
A: Gilafi means a "covering". Here, the kebab is coated with colorful chopped vegetables before cooking.
Q: Can I make Gilafi Seekh Kebab without an oven?
A: Yes, you can cook them on a tawa or pan with little oil on medium-low heat, turning until evenly charred.
Q: Which meat works best for Gilafi Seekh Kebab?
A: Traditionally lamb is used, but chicken mince is lighter and cooks quicker. Both taste great.
Chicken Gilafi Seekh Kebab Recipe
Chicken Gilafi Seekh Kebab is a juicy minced chicken kebab coated with colorful bell peppers, onions, and capsicum. A smoky, restaurant-style kebab best served with mint chutney and lemon wedges.
Ingredients
- 200 gm chicken leg boneless
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 tsp black pepper powder
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 8–9 garlic cloves
- 1 inch ginger
- 1–2 green chilies or paste
- 2 tsp fresh mint leaves
- 1 tsp coriander leaves
- 1/3 tsp chat masala
- 1/2 tsp pure ghee (optional)
- Salt to taste
- For Gilafi Coating: 1/2 red bell pepper, 1/2 yellow bell pepper, 1/2 capsicum, 1/2 onion (finely chopped)
Instructions
- Grind chicken with ginger, garlic, chilies, and mint into a fine mince.
- Mix with lemon juice, cumin, garam masala, pepper, chat masala, salt, and coriander. Knead well and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Chop bell peppers, capsicum, and onion for gilafi coating.
- Wet your hands, take mince, and shape around skewers into cylindrical kebabs.
- Press chopped vegetables onto the kebabs to coat evenly (gilafi).
- Bake at 240°C for 15 min (flip & brush butter after 10 min) or cook in tandoor for 7–8 min till juicy and firm.
- Remove, sprinkle chat masala, garnish with coriander, and serve with mint chutney and lemon wedges.
Nutritional Information (Per Serving)
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Protein: 22 g
- Fat: 12 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
Chef’s Notes
- Wet your palms when shaping kebabs to avoid sticking.
- For smoky flavor, finish with dhungar method (hot coal + ghee).
- If you don’t have an oven/tandoor, pan-fry on low flame till cooked through.
- Serve hot with mint chutney, onion rings, and lemon wedges for best taste.
FAQs
Q: What does Gilafi mean in kebab?
A: Gilafi means a "covering". Here, the kebab is coated with colorful chopped vegetables before cooking.
Q: Can I make Gilafi Seekh Kebab without an oven?
A: Yes, you can cook them on a tawa or pan with little oil on medium-low heat, turning until evenly charred.
Q: Which meat works best for Gilafi Seekh Kebab?
A: Traditionally lamb is used, but chicken mince is lighter and cooks quicker. Both taste great.
Video for chicken Gilafi Seekh Kebab
Recipe notes
You can try some of best kabab recipes :-- You can use pure ghee while mixing all ingredients with the minced chicken. Ghee will make your Seekh Kebab more soft and juicy.
- While handling the Shewers use a kitchen towel to avoid getting burnt.
- If using chicken breast pieces for Seekh Kebab then mix some fats to avoid dryness.
