BBQ crowd favourite · Creamy
Malai Boti Recipe (Creamy Chicken Boti)
Cheese in the marinade. Overnight. Char lightly.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenMalai boti is boneless chicken in a rich marinade of cream, cream cheese and yoghurt, grilled until lightly charred. It is the BBQ dish every guest asks for, but home versions turn out dry. The fix is cream cheese in the marinade, thigh meat, an overnight rest and high but brief heat.
The 3 laws of malai boti
Why this recipe works
Cream only
Thicker, clingy marinade.
Breast
Juicy.
Long cooking
Char without drying.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Marinade
The NineFoods malai gauge
Is it done?
Cut a cube.
Method · 2 stages
Step by step
Marinate
- Blend marinade, coat chicken, rest overnight.
Grill
- Skewer and grill on high, basting with butter. Use the gauge above.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Breast or overcooked.
Fix next time
Use thighs; pull early.
Why
Thin.
Fix next time
Use cream cheese.
Why
Short marinade.
Fix next time
Overnight.
Why
Too close.
Fix next time
Raise rack.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Cream cheese | Body | Mozzarella, grated |
| Cream | Richness | Milk powder paste |
| Chicken thigh | Main | Breast with extra cream |
| Grill | Cooking | Air fryer 200 C |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Naan, mint raita and salad.
Store
Freeze raw marinated 2 months.
Reheat
Low oven covered.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 4 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 2 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (is it done) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Malai Boti FAQ
What is malai boti?
Boneless chicken in a creamy marinade, grilled.
How do I keep it juicy?
Use thighs and grill briefly on high heat.
Can I air fry malai boti?
Yes, 200 C for about 12 minutes.
Is it spicy?
Mild, with heat from green chilli.