The chicken tikka masala recipe below is the same popular favorite one people have been loving for years. It’s the one we always come back to
To me, a delicious bowl of Chicken Tikka Masala is perfect comfort food. Being from California, where diversity abounds, there’s never a shortage of ethnic favorites.
In fact, I grew up in a city that proudly features its own Little Indian Town. Imagine Chinatown, but with a neighborhood full of Indian eateries and shops instead.
Chicken Tikka Masala doesn’t have any origins from India. I was tickled to discover that the dish was actually invented in a London curry house.
Regardless of how it came about, it’s now one of the most popular dishes served up in favorite Indian restaurants everywhere. Good thing, because some of my all time favorites are found in those restaurants.
The only bummer: though I like my new turf, really good Indian restaurants around here are few. And the prices on those menus are double what I’m used to paying. What to do?
Chicken tikka masala goes fabulously with Basmati rice. Add a little saffron to your rice before cooking, and you’ve got the best accompaniment to your dish. You’ll want to pour the yummy sauce all over that rice and slurp it up, right down to the last grain.
This was such a success that I’m now eager to give another favorite Indian dish a shot. Tandoori Chicken, anyone?
P.S. There’s a fair variety of spices to this Chicken Tikka Masala. Try not to skip any of them, if at all possible. Each spice lends a special flavor to the overall dish, with all of the individual spices melding together perfectly. Results can’t be guaranteed if you change things up
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CHICKEN:
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts – dried well, pounded evenly flat
- 1 cup plain (unsweetened) whole milk yogurt
- 2 TB vegetable oil
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 TB ground garlic
- FOR THE SAUCE:
- 3 TB vegetable oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp grated fresh ginger (peeled)
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 2 TB garam masala
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground tumeric
- 1 TB tomato paste
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- dashes of kosher salt to taste
DESCRIPTION
This Chicken Tikka Masala is the only one we’ve tried that tastes just like it came from our favorite Indian restaurant. No need to go out for this anymore; make your own big batch at home and watch it disappear.
INSTRUCTIONS
- For the Chicken: Combine salt, cumin, coriander, and cayenne in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of dry, evenly-pounded chicken with spice mixture, pressing in so mixture sticks. Place chicken in single layer and set aside. Whisk yogurt, oil, ginger, and garlic together in large bowl and set aside.
- For the Sauce (can be made a day or two before, without chicken): Heat oil in large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until golden, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, tomato paste, and cook about 3 minutes. Add the rest of sauce ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce to medium low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lastly, stir in cream and return to simmer a few minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
- While sauce is keeping warm, place oven rack 6 inches from heat broiler. Dip chicken well into yogurt mixture, coating with thick layer of yogurt. Arrange each piece on wire rack set in foil-lined baking sheet or broiler pan. Broil chicken about 5-9 minutes, flip over halfway, and broil another 5-9 minutes. The exterior will be lightly browned in spots.
- Let chicken rest 5 minutes. Cut into bite size chunks and stir into warm sauce when ready to eat. Do not simmer chicken in the sauce. If sauce needs warming, warm it up first and then toss the chicken in when ready to serve. Lastly, season with kosher salt to taste, toss in fresh cilantro, and serve immediately over Basmati rice.
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