Crispy Chicken Tikka Wraps

Print Recipe

Here I'll show you the most incredible way to make a copycat version of the McDonald's Crispy Chicken Tikka Wrap!

Prep Time35

Cook Time20

Total Time55

Course: Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Western

Servings: wraps

Author: Chris Collins

Equipment

Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
Large Mixing Bowl, Whisk & Cling Film (for marinade)
Microplane (for garlic/ginger - optional)
Large Shallow Dish or Curved Baking Tray (for dredging chicken)
Suitably Sized Pot or Cast Iron Skillet & Tongs (for frying)
Kitchen Thermometer
Wire Rack & Baking Tray (for resting chicken)

Ingredients

Seasoning Mix

3 tsp Garam Masala (see notes)
2 tsp EACH: Salt, Chilli Powder (I use 'hot' chilli powder)
1 1/2 tsp EACH: Ground Cumin, Ground Turmeric, Paprika
1 tsp Ground Coriander

Chicken

240ml / 1 cup Buttermilk (see notes)
1 Egg
3 cloves of Garlic, grated on a microplane or very finely diced
1 tbsp Ginger, grated on a microplane or very finely diced
600g / 1.3lb Chicken Tenders/Mini Fillets (see notes)
250g / 1 3/4 cups Plain Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
750ml - 1litre / 3-4 cups Vegetable Oil, or as needed

Wraps

6x 9-10"/23-25cm Flour Tortillas
180g / 3/4 cup Mango Chutney, or to preference
1/2 Iceberg Lettuce, thinly shredded
1/2 Cucumber, sliced into thin half-moons
1/2 small/medium Red Onion, thinly sliced
240g / 1 cup full-fat Mayonnaise
1 1/2 tbsp Tikka Paste (see notes)

Instructions

In a small pot or bowl, combine the 'seasoning mix'.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, garlic and ginger with 1 tbsp of the seasoning mix. Once everything is well-blended, toss in the chicken, then tightly cover in the fridge and leave to marinate. 4+ hours is best (up to 24 hours) with 2 hours being the minimum. Take out of the fridge 30 minutes before needed to take the chill off the chicken.
In a large shallow dish, combine the flour, baking powder and remaining seasoning. One by one, take a chicken tender straight out of the bowl and place it in the flour. Use your hands to thoroughly coat the chicken. Really press the flour into every crack and crevice to create lots of tiny flaky bits. Give it a shake, then place to one side and repeat.
Heat up the oil in a suitably-sized cast-iron or heavy-based pot over medium/medium-high heat until it reaches 175C/350F. Working in batches, carefully lower the tenders into the hot oil and leave for a few minutes to allow the batter to cling to the meat (separate with tongs if they immediately stick to each other). The temp will drop slightly to around 320F/160C, just try and maintain it as best you can. Flip the tenders and continue frying for another few mins until deep golden and visibly crispy. Remove and place on a wire rack with a tray underneath to catch excess oil (I like an extra pinch of salt as they rest).
For the wraps, start by combining the mayonnaise and tikka paste to make the tikka mayo. Spread a good dollop of mango chutney through the centre of the wraps, then top with lettuce, cucumber and red onion. Add two tenders per wrap (they should be pretty big), then drizzle with the tikka mayo. Tightly wrap/roll, then tuck in and enjoy!

Video

Notes

a) Garam Masala - you'll find this in most mainstream supermarkets. It's a key spice, so don't skip it.

b) Buttermilk - again, you'll find this in most supermarkets. It's the perfect consistency for a marinade and its slight acidity helps tenderise the chicken.

c) Chicken - 600g/1.3lb should result in 12 tenders (2 per wrap). If you can't find tenders, just get the same weight in chicken breast and slice it into 12 strips. Cooking timings will depend on the size of tenders so just be vigilant (safe internal temp for chicken is 74C/165F).

d) Tikka Paste - found in most supermarkets. Use your favourite brand if you have one. Also, you can increase the amount if you'd like, I just prefer a creamier sauce.

e) Calories - Per wrap, assuming 2 tsp oil is soaked up per tender. Overestimate as it assumes all the marinade and flour is used.

Nutrition