Best Of Singapore Hawkers & Casual Dining: Chicken Tikka

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Best Of Singapore Hawkers & Casual Dining: Chicken Tikka

Chicken Tikka
Chicken Tikka



Nothing was sponsored, we visited as regular paying customers. Photos in this post were taken between 2000 and 2022 (across 22 years!), as such, the quality of photos varies drastically due to advances in camera technology. Mobile smartphones were in their infancy and had yet to become widespread.


Also Known As:
Chicken Tikka, Murgh Tikka, Bhatti Ka Murgh


Average Price Per Serving:
SGD $5 - $22








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Description:
The Chicken Tikka is a Singaporean Indian non-vegetarian dish, popular as an appetizer or to accompany a meal. It consists of boneless chicken chunks, marinated in yoghurt and a mix of spices, then roasted in a tandoor oven. Also known as Murgh Tikka, or Bhatti Ka Murgh, the Chicken Tikka dish is usually priced around SGD $5 to $22 per serving. It's commonly eaten for lunch, dinner, or supper.

Prepared in North Indian style, the key spices used to make the marinade for Chicken Tikka include garlic paste, ginger paste, salt, powdered turmeric, powdered cumin, powdered coriander, powdered fennel, powdered cinnamon, powdered cloves, powdered cardamom, and powdered chili. Other spices used vary from stall to stall, but may include star anise, powdered mace, powdered fenugreek, powdered tandoori masala, or powdered garam masala. The spices are mixed with lemon juice, yoghurt, water, and mustard oil, which is then rubbed over boneless chunks of chicken thigh, and left to marinade.

The marinated chicken chunks are then skewered, with 4 pieces to 1 skewer, and roasted in a tandoor oven. When ready, it's usually removed from the skewers, and served with a side salad, a wedge of lemon or lime, and a mint chutney. The Chicken Tikka will have a tender and moist texture with a light chew to the chicken meat, with a lovely smoky meaty savoury salty sweet spice flavour. Adding a sprinkle of lemon or lime juice lends a touch of tangy zesty sour flavour, making it more tasty.

The name Chicken Tikka means 'bits' or 'pieces', a befitting description for the dish. Chicken Tikka can also be used as a base ingredient to create other dishes, such as Butter Chicken or Chicken Tikka Masala. It can be served on its own, or accompanied by Indian breads or rice.


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1. ABC Nasi Kandar Restaurant
@ 67 Desker Road
Opening Hours: Daily 24 Hours

Taken in 2022


Taken in 2022


Taken in 2022


Chicken Tikka (SGD $6) @ ABC Nasi Kandar Restaurant.

This features boneless chunks of chicken, marinated in a mix of tandoori spices and plain yoghurt, and roasted in the tandoor oven.

The spices include garlic paste, ginger paste, salt, powdered turmeric, powdered cumin, powdered coriander, powdered fennel, powdered cinnamon, powdered cloves, powdered cardamom, and powdered chili.

The chicken tikka meat is juicy and tender, with a fragrant smoky aroma, and bold savoury sweet spice flavour.





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2. Al-Ameen Eating House / Ameen Makan House
@ 4 Cheong Chin Nam Road
Opening Hours: Daily 11am – 4am

Taken in 2011


Taken in 2022


Taken in 2022


Taken in 2022


Chicken Tikka (SGD $8) @ Ameen Makan House.

Meaty, juicy, and smoky, their rendition is succulent and satisfying.

The large tandoor roasted boneless chicken chunks have robust meaty savoury sweet spice flavour, yum.

Good enough on its own, even without the mint dipping sauce on the side. Pretty pretty plating too.





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3. Al-Azhar Restaurant
@ 11 Cheong Chin Nam Road
Opening Hours: Daily 8am – 2am

@ 970 Geylang Road #01-02
Opening Hours: Daily 12pm – 12am

@ 201D Tampines Street 21 #01-1155
Opening Hours: Daily 8am – 11:30pm

Taken in 2022


Taken in 2022


Taken in 2022


Chicken Tikka (SGD $11) @ Al-Azhar Restaurant.

Sized for 2, their generous portion makes it easy to share.

The boneless chicken chunks have a fragrant smoky aroma, and borders dry and moist; a more generous rub of yoghurt would be good.

Flavour is on point, the mellow smoky salty spice notes overlaid on the meaty savoury sweet flavour of the chicken.

Better when paired with the mint dipping sauce for its bright herbal sweet flavour.





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4. Daawat Tandoori
@ 207 Upper Thomson Road
Opening Hours: Daily 11am – 3pm, 4:30pm – 11pm

Taken in 2011


Taken in 2022


Taken in 2022


Taken in 2022


Chicken Tikka (SGD $14) @ Daawat Tandoori.

This is better than I remember.

The boneless chicken chunks are large and meaty, almost the size of a fist.

Glazed with a home made marinade of spices, it's tandoor roasted till juicy and tender, with a delightful light chew. Has decent smoky aroma, with meaty savoury sweet spice flavours.

Didn't need the additional sprinkle of lime juice, but I appreciate the fresh crisp red onion slices with sharp vegetal sour sweet notes.





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5. Jaggi’s Northern Indian Cuisine
@ 36 Race Course Road
Opening Hours: Daily 11am – 10:30pm

Taken in 2012


Taken in 2022


Taken in 2022


Taken in 2022


Chicken Tikka (SGD $3.50) @ Jaggi’s Northern Indian Cuisine.

What I appreciate is their option for a half-portion, making this possibly the most wallet-friendly rendition of this dish.

While I'm not a fan of the way they slice it up into bite-sized chunks (I prefer to see the fist-sized piece), the chicken is tender and nice with a light chew, bordering dry and moist.

Decent smoky meaty sweet savoury spice flavour. Served with a lime wedge, which can potentially overwhelm the delicate chicken if you squeeze too much.





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6. Madura's Restaurant
@ Paya Lebar Square, 60 Paya Lebar Road #01-08
Opening Hours: Daily 11:30am – 9:30pm

@ 115 Syed Alwi Road
Opening Hours: Daily 12pm – 1am

Taken in 2022


Taken in 2022


Taken in 2022


Chicken Tikka (SGD $19) @ Madura's Restaurant.

The marinade of spices here has infused beyond just the surface of the chicken, both visually evident and in taste - robust meaty savoury spice sweet in flavour.

Nicely tender with a light juicy chew to texture. The spice lingers on the palate, lending a bit of heat.

Dipping mint sauce is bright with herbal sweet notes, nice. Good technique and quality spices means a higher price.





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7. Shahi Maharani North Indian Restaurant
@ Raffles City, 252 North Bridge Road #03-21B
Opening Hours: Daily 12pm – 2:30pm, 6:30pm – 10:30pm

Taken in 2022


Taken in 2022


Taken in 2022


Chicken Tikka (SGD $29) @ Shahi Maharani North Indian Restaurant.

Possibly the most premium version around, hand made with quality spices and refined culinary techniques befitting mughlai royalty.

Boneless chicken, marinated in spices and yoghurt, is skewered and tandoor roasted to perfection. The spices deeply infuse the chicken, giving it a distinctive orange red hue.

The chicken meat is tender and juicy and succulent, pulling apart easily. Each bite releases a bold meaty savoury sweet spice salty flavour, carrying an enticing smoky aroma.

Does all that justify the high price? You decide!





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8. The Banana Leaf Apolo
@ 56 Race Course Road
Opening Hours: Daily 10:30am – 10:30pm

@ Downtown East, 1 Pasir Ris Close #01-309
Opening Hours: Daily 10:30am – 10pm

@ 20 Sixth Avenue
Opening Hours: Daily 11am – 10pm

@ Rivervale Mall, 11 Rivervale Crescent #02-10
Opening Hours: Daily 11am – 10pm

@ 48 Serangoon Road
Opening Hours: Daily 10:30am – 10:30pm

Taken in 2012


Taken in 2022


Taken in 2022


Taken in 2022


Chicken Tikka (SGD $14.50) @ The Banana Leaf Apolo.

The 4 large fist shaped pieces of boneless chicken are juicy and tender with a medium chew to texture.

Light on spices but with more yoghurt in the marinade, the chicken holds meaty sweet savoury spice flavours. A drizzle of lime juice lends zesty tangy sour notes for contrast.

Actually more filling than it looks.





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- Bar Bar Black Sheep – Still Operating But With Different Kitchen Team & Menu
@ Cluny Court, 501 Bukit Timah Road #01-05C – Branch Closed

@ 362 Tanjong Katong Road – Branch Closed

Taken in 2015






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