You will get excellent results with this air fryer lamb tikka recipe.
Air fryer lamb tikka is so easy to prepare and it’s delicious served as a starter or main course. You can also use the lamb tikka in your curry house style lamb curries.
About this air fryer lamb tikka recipe.
The reason I decided to try this recipe for air fryer lamb tikka is that I have quite a few curry house style lamb curries on the way that can be cooked completely in your air fryer. Yes, you can cook a curry completely in your air fryer but I’m saving that for another day.
For now, I think you will love this lamb tikka served as a starter or main with flatbreads, salad and a good raita or chutney.
I usually cook the meat for 20 minutes as I use it in my curries, both air fryer and more traditional recipes. This gets the meat really tender before you add it. If you are serving this air fryer lamb tikka in wraps or on its own, you might want to just cook the meat for 15 minutes which will be medium rare to medium.
Can you work ahead?
Yes and the best part about it is that when you work in advance, the lamb is even better.
You could get away with just marinating the meat for about 30 minutes but give it a day or three in the marinade and it really has flavour benefits.
Should you cook the lamb tikka on or off the bone?
That is really up to you. You will see from my photos that I used a little of each. Lamb tikka is normally served boneless but if using in a curry, that bone adds flavour.
For my upcoming curry house style curries, I recommend cooking the air fryer lamb tikka off the bone but for more complex curries, leave it on.
When serving as a starter or in a wrap, either will do. I like picking the small bones up and getting every last bit of the lamb off with my teeth. You?
Why I think you will love this recipe.
Many of my curry house style curries call for precooked meat. Now you can cook it in your air fryer as a tasty substitute for more lengthy cooking methods like this precooked (stewed) lamb and tandoori chicken tikka on the barbecue.
Believe me, you will love it and it’s a time saver and cheaper too.
Which cut of lamb is best?
You will find that lamb leg meat becomes tender faster. Shoulder has more flavour though.
If you cook lamb lamb tikka with shoulder meat, I recommend air frying at 180°/375F and cooking longer until tender.
Can you adjust this recipe to taste?
Yes and I encourage you to do just that. The main thing I wanted to show here is that lamb tikka can be cooked in an air fryer.
The marinade for this air fryer lamb tikka is quite simple but the flavours in the marinade work so well together. They don’t overpower the meat!
That said, if you want to add more or fewer spices, go for it.
What is garlic, ginger and chilli paste?
Most of my recipes call for garlic and ginger paste. You can purchase it but it’s very easy to make at home. Simply blend equal amounts of garlic and ginger with just enough water to make a paste.
Garlic, ginger and chilli paste is exactly as it sound. You could blend green finger chillies to taste with garlic and ginger paste. That or if you like your chillies, add the chillies when you make your garlic and ginger paste.
Can you store leftovers in the fridge?
You can store leftovers in the fridge for about 3 days. Then to heat them up again, place them back in your air fryer at 200°C/400°F until heated through.
Can you freeze this lamb tikka?
You can freeze air fried lamb tikka for up to 3 months with little to no loss of flavour. Frozen, cooked meat often isn’t as juicy as it was when freshly cooked but the meat will still be great in a curry.
To reheat, just let it defrost completely and heat it in your air fryer basket at 200°C/400°F until hot.
I don’t recommend freezing lamb tikka that is marinated but not cooked as the marinade will not freeze well.
Top tips.
- Marinating the meat: If time allows, always marinate the lamb tikka for at least 24 hours or up to 72 hours.
- Spraying the basket and lamb: Be sure to spray the cooking basket before placing the lamb tikka inside. Also give the lamb a good spray before air frying.
- Watch the lamb as it cooks: Don’t be afraid to open your air fryer and check the meat as it cooks. One of the benefits of air frying is that you can check what you’re cooking often. These small ovens heat up almost instantly after each check.
- Turn the meat: Halfway through the cook, be sure to turn the meat for a more even cook.
- Basting: This is optional but I like to baste the meat at the end of cooking with melted ghee. Perhaps not the lightest version of this recipe but it is really good.
Step by step photographs.
Get all your ingredients together. The meat can be cooked on or off the bone.
Place the meat in a mixing bowl and rub the garlic and ginger paste, lime juice and salt into it. Leave for 20 minutes to 3 hours.
Add the ingredients for the second marinade. You can also whisk these ingredients in a bowl before adding.
Rub this marinade right into the flesh of the lamb and leave for 30 minutes or up to 72 hours. You can also go straight to cooking if in a rush.
Spray the cooking basket with oil and place the lamb in it. Cook at 200°C/400°F for 15 to 20 minutes.
About half way through the cook, turn the lamb pieces.
Cook to your preferred doneness. If using in a curry, cook for 20 minutes or until really tender.
The meat is delicious served on flatbreads.
Be sure to keep some aside if you want to use it in your curries.
How do you know when the air fryer lamb tikka is ready?
It’s ready when you look at it and you’re happy with how it’s cooked. You might find that it is ready to your liking after 10 minutes.
Just check it often and cook the lamb tikka until you are happy with the doneness.
If you like these air fryer lamb tikka, you might like to try some of these air fryer recipes too.
Air Fryer Whole Tandoori Chicken
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Air Fryer Lamb Tikka
This easy air fryer lamb tikka is so easy to prepare. It makes a delicious starter and can also be served as a main with flatbreads and salad or added to a curry house style curry.
Ingredients
- 800g Lamb meat from the leg - trimmed of fat and cut into cubes
- FOR THE FIRST MARINADE
- 2 tbsp garlic, ginger and chilli paste
- ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
- Juice of two limes
- FOR THE SECOND MARINADE
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
- 1 tbsp mustard oil or rapeseed (canola) oil
- 1 tsp English mustard
- 1 tablespoon mint sauce
Instructions
- Place the meat in a large mixing bowl and add the garlic, ginger and chilli paste (see note), salt and the juice of two limes. Rub this marinade right into the meat and let it marinate while you prepare the second marinade or up to 3 hours.
- To make the second marinade, whisk all of the ingredients together until smooth. Then pour this over the meat and stir well to combine so that the meat is evenly coated with marinade. For best results, let the meat marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 72 hours. The longer the better but you could go straight to cooking if you are in a rush.
- To cook, Preheat your air fryer to 200C/400F and rub off any excess marinade and place the meat directly on your air fryer basket. If you have a large air fryer, you could also skewer the lamb on wooden skewers and air fry with the skewers leaning at an angle up against the air fryer wall just like you would if you were cooking skewered meat in a tandoor oven.
- Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the meat is nicely charred on the exterior and juicy and tender inside. Turn the lamb halfway through cooking for an even cook. If using hot ghee to baste the meat, do this in the last couple minutes of cooking.
- Season with more salt to taste and serve hot with flatbreads or use in a curry.
Notes
Garlic, ginger and chilli paste is exactly as it sounds. I usually make garlic and ginger paste and then blend in green finger chillies to taste. You could also make chilli paste by blending chillies with just enough water to make a paste and add it to your garlic and ginger paste or add it separately.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 600Total Fat: 40gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 100mgSodium: 3534mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 4gSugar: 18gProtein: 64g