Sydney's chicken tikka, off a live fire.
Boneless thigh marinated overnight in yoghurt, ginger-garlic and hand-pounded whole spice, skewered by the tandoor chef and dropped into a 450°C coal-and-clay pit. Char on the edge, moist through the middle — the tikka the tandoor was built for.
Chicken tikka is the tandoor's most demanding dish — three minutes too long and it's leather, thirty seconds too short and it isn't safe. Every piece is skewered in front of the pit by the tandoor chef, not out of a warming tray, and the marinade caramelises against the clay before the fat has a chance to run out.
We serve four variations off the same base: Classic Chicken Tikka (yoghurt, ginger-garlic, Kashmiri chilli), Malai Tikka (cream, cheese, white pepper, cardamom — the no-chilli option), Achari Tikka (pickle-oil, mustard seed, fenugreek — the sour-savoury version) and Hariyali Tikka (green chutney, mint, coriander).
All halal-sourced. All cooked to order. All served with the mint chutney the kitchen makes fresh three times a day.
"Chicken tikka is the pit's fastest dish. Order it first so it hits the table hot — anything you order after cooks longer anyway."
— Head Chef · Kebabiya Bella Vista
Order the whole tandoor table.
Tandoori chicken (whole)
View →The bone-in version. Order both — the tikka comes off fast, the whole bird carries the fire longer.
Butter chicken
View →The tikka that became a curry. Order tikka as a starter, butter chicken as the main — the same protein, two techniques, one meal.
Garlic naan
View →Slapped into the same tandoor while your tikka rests. Timing is deliberate.
All Indian kebabs
View →The full tandoor menu — malai, achari, hariyali, seekh, lamb chops. Build a mixed grill for the table.
When to order it.
- ·First-time tandoor visitors — the safest, fastest, most photogenic order
- ·Group starters — one platter of tikka feeds four before the mains land
- ·Kids and 'not too spicy' guests — malai tikka carries no chilli at all
- ·Corporate lunch drops — high-char, low-moisture, reheats cleanly
- ·Delivery to the Hills District — travels better than most kebabs
What our regulars build the table with.
Chicken tikka + garlic naan + mint chutney + Kingfisher
The classic 4pm order at the bar. Nothing fancy, everything hot.
Chicken tikka + lamb chops + Kashmiri naan + rogan josh
The 'we came for the tandoor' Friday night. Two proteins off the pit, one slow-braise gravy.
Chicken tikka + paneer tikka + hariyali kebab + biryani
The mixed grill for four with a biryani finish — twenty photographs, one bill.
"The malai tikka is unreal — actual char, actual smoke, not just a marinade change. We drove down from Kellyville and I'll be back Thursday."
Ready to eat? Choose your channel.
Direct orders are cheapest — no platform fees. Call (02) 8824 7944 for large groups or catering.
Chicken tikka questions.
- Where can I find the best chicken tikka in Sydney?
- Kebabiya Bella Vista cooks chicken tikka in a coal-and-clay tandoor at 450°C — boneless thigh marinated overnight in yoghurt, ginger-garlic and roasted spice, skewered and cooked over live fire.
- What's the difference between chicken tikka and tandoori chicken?
- Tandoori chicken is bone-in and typically plated whole or halved. Chicken tikka is boneless thigh cut into cubes and skewered — same tandoor, same marinade family, faster cook, more char per bite.
- Is your chicken tikka halal?
- Yes — every piece of chicken we cook is halal-sourced from certified suppliers, end-to-end since 2014. The venue is fully licensed, so not formally Halal-certified, but no non-halal meat crosses our pass.
- Is chicken tikka spicy?
- Medium warmth by default, more aromatic than hot. We also serve malai tikka for guests who want no chilli at all, and Achari tikka for guests who want the pickle-oil edge.
- Can I get chicken tikka delivered?
- Order direct from kebabiya.com.au (no platform fees) or via Uber Eats and DoorDash. Chicken tikka travels well — high-char, low-moisture, easy reheat.