Get the Recipe: Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken tikka masala is a classic Indian-inspired chicken curry. This easy at-home version starts with marinated skewers of chicken, browned in the oven or on the BBQ, before being added to the spiced, rich tomato gravy.
Ingredients
For the chicken tikka marinade:
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken thighs, or boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon ginger garlic paste, or 1 1/2 teaspoons grated ginger and garlic
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil, or similar neutral-tasting oil
- 1 Tablespoon kasuri methi, optional *see Note 1 below
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon fine table salt
For the tomato gravy:
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
- 2 teaspooons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/8-1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder, optional, or a pinch of cayenne
- 2 cups tomato passata, (jarred strained tomatoes)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth, or water
- 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon kasuri methi
For serving:
- 1/4 cup cream, for drizzling (optional)
- cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Cook chicken skewers in 450F oven for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking.
- For the marinade: Combine all the marinade ingredients (except the chicken) in a medium bowl. Stir together well. Add the chicken pieces. Stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate from 3 hours to 24 hours.
- Once the chicken has marinated, preheat the oven to 450F. Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers and lay the skewers onto a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Cook the chicken skewers in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, flipping them over after 10 minutes in the oven. (You can broil the chicken skewers for a couple of minutes to brown further, if you like.)
- Measure out the garam masala, coriander, cumin and chili powder in a small bowl and set aside.
- Meanwhile, start the tomato gravy by heating oil in a large skillet on the stovetop, over medium heat. Add the onion and salt to the skillet. Cook, stirring regularly, until golden, about 8-10 minutes. Add the ginger garlic paste and cook for an additional 1 minute. Add the spices to the skillet and cook briefly, stirring well. Immediately add the passata to the skillet and cook, bubbling, for about 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth and stir in. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10-15 minutes to reduce. Using an immersion blender, puree the sauce to a smooth consistency (optional).
- After the sauce has reduced, stir in the sugar and kasuri methi.
- When the chicken is done, remove the chicken pieces from the skewers to the tomato gravy. Stir in and allow the chicken to cook with the sauce for 2-3 minutes. Taste the sauce and add additional salt, as needed, to round out the flavours. (It will generally need more salt at this point. If it tastes sweet or flat, it needs more salt!)
- Drizzle a bit of cream into the sauce and garnish with chopped cilantro to serve. Serve with basmati rice, if desired and naan, roti or parantha.
To cook the skewers on the BBQ, soak the skewers in cold water for 30 minutes before adding the chicken. Cook on the BBQ until cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Notes
Note 1: Kasuri methi are dried fenugreek leaves. It is available at many grocery stores, either dried or frozen. Look for it in the Indian foods. There isn't a great substitute, but at the end of cooking, stirring in a bit of chopped cilantro into the sauce would be a good option.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 556kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 38g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 185mg, Sodium: 778mg, Potassium: 1073mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 1050IU, Vitamin C: 21mg, Calcium: 98mg, Iron: 4mg
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