Easy Air Fryer Paneer Tikka

We got our air fryer a couple months back but we never got to try many recipes using it. So this holiday season we decided to try some recipes using the air fryer and they turned out fantastic! I will soon be sharing recipes for fries, fritters, cutlets and shortbread but today I have something absolutely special. I am going to start this delicious air fryer journey with Paneer Tikkas. Guys I am telling you, if you love paneer and everything tandoori, you will fall in love with these tikkas. Try them as an appetizer or as a filling in a Naan Taco. They are yummy and every bit healthy.

You can also serve them for dinner in a yummy Roti Roll (sort of like a Burrito, a flour Roti is wrapped into a sealed cylindrical shape around various ingredients) or as a quick side with a simple Pulao. This easy dish can be served in whatever way you see fit. Serve them hot straight from the air fryer and they are sure to bring a smile on everyone’s face. 

In India, Tikkas are always prepared in a big clay oven called Tandoor. The heat source is charcoal or wood which brings that beautiful earthy fragrance in the dishes. I love having Paneer Tikkas but who here has a tandoor at their home? If you are a foodie like me, I am sure you have also tried other methods. Like the broiler mode of our oven. It brings a similar charred look in the tikkas but you will immediately feel the difference in taste and texture. Plus, you have to be super careful while working with the broiler. 

These days we are very into grilling. If the weather is nice then our grill is almost always on. Grilling Paneer Tikkas is fun and it does bring a very Tandoori sort of aroma and flavor in them. However, we are having some extreme weather in Kansas right now which makes grilling a bit difficult. Thankfully we also have an Air Fryer! It cooks fast and operating it is so easy. 

An Air Fryer (not to be confused with a deep fryer) is like a convection oven. However, unlike the big convection ovens that we usually have at home, this one is small enough to be kept on the countertop. It is pretty amazing guys! The one we have, has all these different modes. So we can make crisp potato fries in it without actually deep frying the potatoes. You can bake, roast, dehydrate, cook bacon, vegetables or even seafood. 

So how does an Air Fryer work? 

An Air Fryer has a heating element and a fan. So basically it circulates hot air at a high speed to cook the food. This not only evenly cooks the food but also at times creates that fried or charred texture. We are a ‘Fries Family’. We love eating potato fries, but making them is often a hassle. Not anymore! We can have our fries whenever we want! The best part, and you are going to love this, is the amount of oil you will need to cook anything in the air fryer. Not only this, you can warm up a cold slice of pizza in it within a couple of minutes and they taste really good. 

Now coming back to the recipe, what I absolutely love is the total time involved in its preparation. I cut cubes of Paneer and marinate them for a couple of hours in a delicious aromatic yogurt sauce with seasonings. Now whenever I want to make the tikkas, I just thread the paneer in skewers and air fry them for about 8-10 minutes. I like keeping an eye on them because the cooking time depends on the size of the paneer cubes. You can also place the paneer cubes directly in the air fryer basket, just make sure to coat the basket with some oil beforehand and don’t over crowd it. I also use the crisper tray to make a second batch simultaneously. 

The air fryer evenly cooks the paneer using its dry heat which creates that perfect, almost charred like texture. You can also get that smoky flavor by adding some smoked paprika in the marinade. I, however, avoid adding any food color or paprika in our food these days so that Prisha can also taste them. I do not want her baby taste buds to get overwhelmed with the heat of the spices. And let me tell you, kiddos love paneer tikkas. I recently prepared them for a play date for Prisha’s friends and everyone loved them. I think there is something unique and delicious about paneer, it’s soft and pillowy and the marinade adds a delicious flavor in it. The whole combination is just irresistible even for the pickiest eaters.

Try this recipe then post in the comments how it turned out. Share your photos and suggestions using my hashtag #lifewithoutalu

Ingredients:

• Yogurt – ½ cup, greek
• Kasuri Methi – 2 tablespoons 
• Garam Masala – ½ teaspoon 
• Chaat Masala – 1 teaspoon 
• Mustard Oil – 2 tablespoons 
• Garlic Powder – 1 teaspoon 
• Salt – ½ teaspoon 
• Coriander Powder – 1 teaspoon
• Paneer – 1 pound, cut in medium cubes
• Bell Peppers – green, red or orange, 2 cups, cut in medium cubes
• Onion - 1 cup, cut in medium cubes

Directions:

• Take a big plastic bowl and whisk all the spices (Kasuri Methi, Garam Masala, 
• Chaat Masala, Garlic Powder, Salt and Coriander Powder) with the Oil and Yogurt.
• Add the Paneer, Bell Peppers and Onion cubes in the marinade prepared above. Mix everything well using a rubber spatula.
• Cover the bowl, refrigerate for at least 2 hours (24 hours is best).
• When ready to prepare, preheat the air fryer at 400 F.
• You can use wooden skewers or just lay the paneer and vegetables directly on the fryer basket. 
• Lightly spray or brush the air fryer basket (and crisper tray) with oil. Line the skewers inside the basket and spray over lightly with oil. Cook for 5 minutes then turn the skewers, spray lightly with oil again and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
• When the Paneer and vegetables look a bit charred on the edges with the color golden red, it’s ready.
• Serve immediately with Dhania chutney.

Tips: 

• Use the crisper tray to make two batches at the same time. 
• Wooden skewers usually need to be soaked in water for about 10 minutes (this prevents them from burning in the air fryer).
• Keep an eye on the Paneer. The cooking time may differ depending on how thick or big you have cut the cubes. They may take a couple more minutes to dry completely and turn golden red in color. Do not over cook.
• Do not keep the prepared Paneer in the fryer. Transfer them to a plate and serve immediately. 

Paneer Naan Taco:

• Buy a readymade packet of naan from Costco or Indian store. You can also make the Naan at home from scratch using my recipe.
• Make some extra marinade to serve as the sauce, adding just 1 tablespoon of oil in it. Mustard Oil is pungent so do not add a lot.
• Cook the Naans. I like roasting them on open fire in my gas oven. You can also grill them. Do not microwave the readymade naans. Cook them in a skillet to get that crispy texture.
• Brush a little marinade on the Naan.
• Fold the Naan to make that taco shape then fill it up with loads of paneer cubes, bell peppers and onion.
• Eat immediately and enjoy!

Love paneer? Try these recipes as well:

• Shahi Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese in a creamy gravy)
• Palak Paneer (Fresh Cheese in Spinach gravy)
• Mamma’s Matar Paneer (Peas and Indian Cottage Cheese in a tomato gravy)
• Butter Paneer (Indian Recipe: Fresh Cheese in a creamy buttery gravy)
• Debarshi’s Amuse Bouche
• Paneer Bhurji (Crumbled Fresh Cheese with sautéed Onions)
• Paneer Alu Pulao (Rice with Fresh Cheese and Potato)
• Mamma’s Mixed Vegetables
• Chanar Dalna (Bengali recipe: Fresh Cheese and Potato Curry)
• Amritsari Chole (Delicious Chickpea gravy with Fresh Cheese)
• Homemade Pizza with Paneer, Tomato and Basil