This High Protein Paneer Tikka is the vegetarian dinner that wins everyone over — tender paneer cubes coated in a spiced yogurt marinade, threaded with colorful bell peppers and onions, and grilled until beautifully charred and golden. Every bite is juicy, smoky, and savory, with a serious protein punch that makes it perfect for healthy lunches, high-protein dinners, and meal prep. Serve it with mint yogurt chutney, fresh salad, and warm naan for a meal everyone will love.
Ingredients
- 14 oz (400 g) paneer, cut into large cubes
- 1 cup thick Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons mustard oil or vegetable oil, plus extra for brushing
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chaat masala
- Salt, to taste
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into squares
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into squares
- 1 red onion, cut into squares
- Fresh mint and cilantro, chopped, for garnish
- Mint yogurt chutney, salad, and warm naan, for serving
Instructions
- Make the marinade: In a large bowl, whisk the Greek yogurt with the oil, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, Kashmiri chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, cumin, chaat masala, and salt until smooth and vivid orange.
- Coat the paneer: Add the paneer cubes, bell peppers, and onion to the marinade and fold gently until everything is thickly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 4 hours for deeper flavor).
- Skewer: Thread the paneer, peppers, and onion alternately onto metal or soaked wooden skewers, leaving a little space between pieces so the heat circulates.
- Grill: Brush the skewers lightly with oil and grill over medium-high heat (or under a hot broiler) for 10–12 minutes, turning every few minutes, until the paneer is charred at the edges and golden.
- Rest and finish: Rest the skewers for 2 minutes, then sprinkle with extra chaat masala, a squeeze of lemon, and chopped mint and cilantro.
- Serve: Slide the tikka off the skewers and serve hot with mint yogurt chutney, fresh salad, and warm naan.
Pro tip: Use thick, strained Greek yogurt for the marinade — runny yogurt slides off the paneer and never chars properly. If your yogurt is loose, hang it in cheesecloth for 20 minutes first for the best smoky crust.
Estimated nutrition per serving: 360 calories, 25g protein, 12g carbohydrates, 24g fat.
