Tender, succulent pieces of chicken are marinated in a subtle, aromatic blend of spices and herbs, and cooked to perfection in the air fryer, resulting in the infamous kalmi kebab- an appetizer or a main that everyone will love!
This chicken-based recipe is perfect to try out when you’ve got some guests over, or just want to whip up a nice meal that is full of flavor, but still doesn’t take a lot of effort to put together.
Before you go ahead and jump onto the recipe, here’s all you need to know about making these the right way!
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Ingredients For the Recipe
You’ll need two sets of ingredients for this recipe.
For the first marination
- Chicken drumsticks: 5-6
- Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp
- Green chili coriander leaves (paste): 2 tbsp
- Salt: 2 tsp
- Curd: ¾ cup
For the second marination
- Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
- Fenugreek seeds: ⅓ tsp
- Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
- Black peppercorns: 1 tbsp
- Green cardamom: 2
- Star anise: 1
- Cloves: 3-4
- Mace: ½
- Dried fenugreek leaves: 1 tsp
- Cinnamon stick: 1 inch
- Besan: 1 tbsp
- Salt: 1 tsp
- Lemon juice: 2 tbsps
- Mint leaves (chopped): ¼ cup
- Oil: 1 tbsp
How to Make the Kalmi Kebab
Once you have all your ingredients and kitchen tools ready, here’s the process you need to follow to make the kalmi kebabs.
In a mixing bowl, add the chicken drumsticks along with the ingredients mentioned under the first marination. Mix them well and let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes.
Next, take all the whole spices and dry roast them.
Then grind them into a fine powder.
Add the powdered spice to the marinated chicken drumsticks. Add the besan, salt, lemon juice, mint leaves, and oil. Mix well.
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 5 minutes.
Spray the air fryer basket with oil.
Next, place the chicken pieces in the air fryer basket, spray a bit of oil on them, and cook them at 350°F for 8-10 minutes.
You can flip them once in between so that they are cooked well.
Next, cook the pieces at 400°F for another 5-6 minutes.
Serve hot with pickled onions and lemons.
Frequently Asked Questions
While this recipe calls for the chicken drumsticks to be cooked in the air fryer, you can actually choose to bake or grill them instead as well- if that’s what you prefer. Both of these methods are healthier cooking options as opposed to deep frying, which makes your kebabs great to enjoy even if you’re watching your weight.
Vegetarians can opt for soya chunks or cottage cheese cubes instead of chicken, and follow the same recipe to enjoy the flavors of the kebabs. If you’re a vegan, you can use tofu and any plant-based yogurt to replicate the same recipe in your kitchen. 
While chicken drumsticks and legs are the best choices when it comes to making kalmi kebab, you can actually use any other cut too, if that’s what you have at hand. To make the kebabs look more interesting, you can skewer them after they’re done cooking and out of the air fryer.
Your leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for upto 4 days. It is best to reheat the kebabs in a microwave and sprinkle some water on them before you do to help keep them moist and juicy. 
You can! All you need to do is prepare the individual marinades and let the chicken sit in the first marinade in the refrigerator (for upto 1 day). Then, when you want to prepare the kalmi kebab, just follow the rest of the steps as-is and you should be good.
Tips & Tricks to Make the Kalmi Kebab
Making the kalmi kebab is easy, but keeping these additional tips and tricks in mind will help you nail the flavors and textures.
- Remember to use thick yogurt for this recipe. If you are using homeset yogurt and it appears to be a bit runny, you can drain off the excess liquid and then use the thicker portion.
- Before you coat the chicken in the marination, make sure it is clean and completely dry. If you have recently washed it, pat it dry and get rid of any excess liquid. This will help all the spices and herbs adhere to the surface of the chicken well.
- You can also choose to marinate the chicken overnight, and then air fry it the next day. This will not just cut down on the time and effort, but will also help the chicken absorb all the flavors well, and also make the meat more tender and soft.
- To lend more richness and creaminess to the marinade, you can also add some cashew paste or a teaspoon of powdered cashews.
- Remember that the kalmi kebabs (read chicken) need to be at room temperature before you air fry them. This will not just cut down on the cooking time but will also ensure that the meat is cooked all the way through.
- To lend some extra flavor to the kebabs, you can use mustard oil instead of ghee for the first marination.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
These kalmi kebabs taste fantastic when served with any chutney or dip on the side. Typically, they are also paired with a simple salad, or with some rice if they are to be enjoyed as a complete meal.
And if you’re on the hunt for some more fun and interesting chicken recipes to try out, here are a few you might want to look at.
📖 Recipe
Easy Kalmi Kebab Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients for the first marination
- 5-6 pcs Chicken drumsticks
- 1 tablespoon Ginger garlic paste
- 2 tablespoon Green chili coriander leaves , (paste)
- 2 tablespoon Salt
- ¾ cup Curd
Ingredients for the second marination
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- ⅓ teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
- 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon Black peppercorns
- 2 pc Green cardamom
- 1 pc Star anise
- 3-4 pcs Cloves
- ½ pc Mace
- 1 teaspoon Dried fenugreek leaves
- 1 stick Cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon Besan
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
- ¼ cup Mint leaves , (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon Oil
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add the chicken drumsticks along with the ingredients mentioned under first marination. Mix them well and let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Next, take all the whole spices and dry roast them.
- Then grind them into a fine powder.
- Add the powdered spice into the marinated chicken drumsticks. Add the besan, salt, lemon juice, mint leaves, and oil. Mix well.
- Pre-heat the air fryer at 400°Ffor 5 minutes.
- Spray the air fryer basket with oil.
- Next, place the chicken pieces in the air fryer basket, spray a bit of oil on them, and cook them at 350°F for8-10 minutes.
- You can flip them once in between so that they are cooked well.
- Next cook the pieces at 400°F for another 5-6 minutes.
- Serve hot with pickled onions and lemons.
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