By Aditi Saraswat
February 18, 2026
You do not need a tandoor to make restaurant-style kebabs at home. With good-quality mince, a gentle binding process, and slow pan-cooking, these seekh kebabs can turn out soft, succulent, and beautifully spiced at home.
500 g chicken mince (fine, not watery) 1 medium onion, very finely chopped 2 tbsp thick curd 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 1 tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp coriander powder ½ tsp garam masala 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander 1 tbsp oil (for mixture) 2–3 tbsp oil (for shallow frying) Salt to taste
In a bowl, add chicken mince, onion, curd, ginger-garlic paste, spices, lemon juice, salt, coriander, and a tablespoon of oil.
Mix everything gently using your hands. Do not overmix, as that can make kebabs dense instead of soft and juicy.
Keep the mixture resting for about 10 minutes so the spices get absorbed well and the mince tightens up a bit, making it easy to shape
Grease your palms lightly and shape the mixture into short cylindrical kebabs or flatten lightly to cook them in a pan.
In a heavy pan, heat oil on medium heat. Place kebabs onto it and cook them, turning them slowly to brown evenly.
Cook until it turns golden on the outside and juicy from within, roughly about 10–12 minutes. Serve hot with mint chutney, onion slices and lemon wedges.