Quick answer

Chicken tikka is boneless chicken cut into pieces before it is marinated and barbecued; our Tandoori Chicken is marinated chicken barbecued over charcoal. At The Great Kathmandu, both use a yoghurt-based marinade and come in half or full portions. Only Chicken Tikka carries a mild heat label on the current menu, so do not assume the unlabelled Tandoori Chicken has the same rating.

Chicken Tikka
Diced boneless chicken in spiced yoghurt
Tandoori Chicken
Chicken with yoghurt, herbs and spices
Cooking
Both are barbecued; Tandoori Chicken is explicitly cooked over charcoal
Chicken Tikka price
£9.50 half / £15.95 full
Tandoori Chicken price
£8.50 half / £12.20 full
Printed heat
Chicken Tikka is mild; no rating is printed for Tandoori Chicken

What do “tikka” and “tandoori” mean?

Cambridge Dictionary gives two useful senses of tikka: a yoghurt-and-spice mixture used in South Asian cooking, and meat in small pieces. It defines tandoori as a South Asian method of cooking in a clay oven. India's official tourism site likewise describes tandoori chicken as marinated poultry cooked in a clay oven. These are broad definitions; this restaurant's charcoal and barbecue wording comes from its own menu.

Those definitions overlap in a restaurant kitchen. Tikka can be cooked using tandoor-style heat, so “tikka” and “tandoori” are not opposites. Our guide to traditional tandoor cooking explains the oven and its intense heat in more detail.

Choose tikka for clearly stated boneless pieces; choose tandoori chicken for the menu's explicit charcoal preparation.

Which has the different texture and eating style?

Diced boneless tikka gives a consistent, fork-friendly bite and is easy to divide around a shared table. Tandoori Chicken is not described as diced or boneless, and other dishes on our menu explicitly refer to “tandoori chicken on the bone.” If bones affect your order, confirm the current serving with the team rather than relying on a general assumption.

Both dishes appear in the starters section. Their barbecued character can be contrasted with a curry, vegetables, rice or bread elsewhere in the meal. For a wider comparison of breads, read our naan, roti and paratha guide.

How should you choose between them?

Choose Chicken Tikka when boneless pieces and an explicit mild label matter most. Choose Tandoori Chicken when you want the menu’s direct description of charcoal cooking. A half portion can work as one element of a shared starter selection; a full portion gives the dish a larger role.

You can also sample both through a mixed order. Tandoori Mixed contains tandoori chicken, seekh kebab, chicken tikka and boti kebab. Set Meal B includes both chicken preparations with other dishes, while Set Meal A includes tandoori chicken but not chicken tikka. Our first-time ordering guide helps balance barbecued starters with curries, vegetables and rice.

What should diners know about heat and allergens?

Chicken Tikka is marked mild. Tandoori Chicken has no printed heat or dietary marker, which does not mean it is automatically mild, gluten-free or suitable for a particular diet. Both descriptions explicitly mention yoghurt, so they contain milk unless the kitchen confirms a change.

Menu symbols are useful, but they cannot answer every allergy or cross-contact question. The UK Food Standards Agency advises food businesses to keep allergen information current and encourages a conversation with staff. Tell the team about an allergy, intolerance or coeliac disease before ordering. For chilli labels, see our restaurant heat guide.

Common questions

Is chicken tikka the same as chicken tikka masala?

No. Chicken Tikka is a barbecued starter on our menu. Tikka Masala Chicken or Lamb is a main course served in our Nepalese-style masala sauce and is specifically described as “not mild.”

Are both dishes cooked in the tandoor?

Our menu says both are barbecued and explicitly says Tandoori Chicken is cooked over charcoal. It does not publish every piece of kitchen equipment used for Chicken Tikka, so we do not add an unsupported detail.

Which one is milder?

Only Chicken Tikka is marked mild. Ask the team about Tandoori Chicken if chilli sensitivity matters.

Can I order either as a full portion?

Yes. Both have half and full prices on the current dine-in menu.

Source notes

Reviewed 19 September 2026. Where this guide mentions our restaurant, details are checked against the current dine-in menu. Wider cultural, historical and ingredient claims are checked against the cited sources below. How we research and correct our guides.