Chicken Tikka Tarts

I have a soft spot for fusion recipes, and these Chicken Tikka Tarts hits all the marks for taste, ease, and presentation. 

There are no hard and fast rules to this recipe, and it can be broken down into these basic ingredients-

Puff pastry- Puff pastry is the base of our tart. You can use a full sheet, or you can use smaller cut shapes for tartlettes.  The important things to keep in mind here is that we need to keep the dough relatively cold when we’re working with it, or else we’ll end up with a melted mess; and that the pastry need to be scored gently along the edges to create a border

Cheese- Any cheese that isn’t too strong in flavor and has good meltability (is that even a word?) is what we’re looking for.  Here are some suggestions: mild cheddar, mozzarella, Colby, Colby jack, Monterey jack, pepper jack, and Mexican blend.

Vegetables- again, no hard and fast rules here. Use what you like and have. There’s no need to make a special trip out to the grocery store for this.  Just keep in mind that you don’t want to weigh down your tart with too many toppings, because you run the risk of rupturing your pastry and it becoming soggy.  Here are some of my favorites: tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and corn.

Chicken- boneless chicken is covered in a tikka marinade, and cooked until done.  Once it’s cool enough to handle, we dice it up and it’s ready to be tart-ified.

*Bonus* Mint Chutney Aioli- Aioli is just a fancy term for a dip made with mayonnaise. Have you heard of Sriracha Aioli? Yeah, it’s just Sriracha mixed with mayo.  This tart is amazing on its own, but if you have some mint chutney hanging around (I have a fabulous recipe that freezes well too), just mix equal parts of mint chutney with mayonnaise, and BOOM! You’ve just upped your bougie factor. You’re welcome 😎

Alright now let’s clean that drool off, and let’s get to it!

5 from 1 vote

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Chicken Tikka Tarts

Course Appetizer, Iftar

Cuisine Fusion, Pakistani

Keyword Baking, Cheese, Chicken, Fusion, Iftar, Pakistani, Puff Pastry, Tart, Vegetables

Servings 6 Servings

Ingredients

Chicken Tikka

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast (butterflied if too thick)
• 2 tablespoons neutral flavored oil
• 1 tablespoon yogurt
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon premade tikka or tandoori masala, any brand
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Tart(s)

• 1 pound frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1½ cups shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, Colby, Colby jack, Monterey jack, pepper jack, or Mexican blend)
• Sliced vegetables (tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, and corn)
• Red pepper flakes, optional

Mint Chutney Aioli

• ¼ cup mint chutney
• ¼ cup mayonnaise

Instructions

Prepare Chicken Tikka

1. Combine all ingredients and allow it to marinate for at least 20 minutes (overnight is best).
2. Heat a vessel over medium heat. Add chicken and marinade and cook until cooked through. Cool completely, then dice into bite-size pieces. Set aside.

Prepare Tart(s)

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Place puff pastry on a parchment lined baking sheet. Use a knife to gently score a border along the edges of the pastry, about ¼ to ½-inch from the edge, making sure not to cut completely through the pastry. If you are making individual tartlettes, be sure to keep at least 2-inches of space between each pastry.
3. Sprinkle cheese, vegetables, and chicken over the pastry. Sprinkle the top with red pepper flakes, if desired.
4. Bake tart(s) for 22 to 27 minutes, until the edges and bottom are golden.
5. Cool for a few minutes before serving.

Prepare Mint Chutney Aioli

1. Mix equal parts of mint chutney and mayonnaise to serve alongside the tart(s) as a dipping sauce.