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–+ servings

Chicken Tikka Masala

Meera
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Marinating time 12 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

Chicken

  • 1¾-2 pounds Boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs** see notes
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, about 1 leveled teaspoon
  • 1 inch ginger, about 1 leveled teaspoon
  • ½ cup  plain yogurt any fat% will do
  • ¼ tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp Garam Masala

Tikka Masala

  • 1½ cups passata about 15 ounces ** see notes for subs
  • 1 tbsp minced or grated ginger 
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic about 5-7 cloves
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tbsp smoked sweet paprika or Kashmiri chili powder
  • ½-1½ tsp hot chili powder or cayenne use more or less to suit your heat tolerance
  • 1-2 tsp garam masala see notes
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds or ground cumin
  • ½ tsp ground cardamom
  • 2 tsp Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
  • ½ tsp honey or sugar for balance
  • 1-3 tbsp any neutral oil
  • ¼-½ cup whipping cream, for dairy free option use ½ cup full fat coconut milk
  • kosher salt and black pepper as needed
  • chopped cilantro for garnish
  • 1 cup water, only use as needed

To Serve (see post for more recommendations)

Instructions
 

Marinating the chicken

  • In a bowl, whisk together the spices, yogurt, ginger, garlic paste, 1 teaspoon salt, and garam masala. Add the diced pieces of chicken and combine well; allow it to marinate for 30 minutes or overnight. To marinate longer, cover the bowl leave it in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.
  • Transfer the chicken pieces on to a baking sheet and grill or HIGH for 7-8 minutes until the chicken pieces have charred a little and cooked half way though (it will finish cooking in the sauce)

For the Tikka Masala Sauce

  • SKIP TO STEP 3 IF YOU GRILLED THE CHICKEN.
    Heat 1 tablespoon of oil to a large sauce pan or dutch oven. Add the cumin seeds and allow it to sizzle for a few seconds. Next add the marinated chicken pieces (reserve the marinade) and saute for 8-10 minutes so the chicken browns a little, stirring as needed to cook the chicken evenly on all sides.
  • Remove the cooked chicken to a bowl. Reheat the pan to medium heat, no need to wipe the pan as the stuck on bits are full of flavor and will dislodge when tomato puree is added. Add another 1-2 tablespoon of oil to the pan along with the minced ginger, garlic and cook for 20-30 seconds scraping any stuck-on bits.
  • Keep the pot on medium to low heat. Add all the spices, fenugreek leaves and saute for another minute. Add the passata or tomato paste, the leftover marinating liquid or (juice after grilling). Season with ½ teaspoon of salt and bring it up to a boil, add up to ½ cup water if its dry or you want lots of sauce. Allow the sauce to simmer, cover and cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes.
  • Add the chicken back into the pan, stir the cream to combine(reserve some for garnish if desired), and bring it back to a boil. Cover and simmer for another 7-8 minutes until the chicken is throughly cooked and the tikka sauce has thickened a bit. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
  • Taste and adjust the salt and/or garam masala as desired. Serve with naan/chapati/ cooked basmati rice and a chopped salad.

Notes

 
  • The marinated chicken can be grilled in the oven or braised as in step 2 and 3 in the second part or the instructions.
  • Garam Masala specially store bought vary dramatically form brand to brand in terms of flavor and intensity. Generally Indian brands are stronger in which case I recommend you start with one teaspoon and add more as needed up to 2 teaspoons.
  • I also have a homemade Garam Masala recipe that I make as a pantry staple in small batches. Homemade has a lot more flavor, fresh and has no fillers + you can adjust the intensity to your taste. 
  • If tomato Passata is hard to find. You can use 6 oz canned concentrated tomato paste mixed with 1/4 cup water. Alternatively you could also puree 4-5 fresh plum tomatoes and cook it down for an extra 5 minutes in step 3.
  • The brands recommended are just so you know what to look for. The prices online tend to be a bit higher so look in your local  grocery stores or ethnic markets for comparison. 
Keyword Chicken dinner, Cozy, curry, Fast and Easy
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