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Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe

Name: Masala Indian Kitchen - Novis Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs; 1 cups plain yogurt (whole-milk or Greek); 2 tbs lemon juice; 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tbs fresh ginger (grated); 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp garam masala; 1 tsp kosher salt; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tbs vegetable oil (for brushing / cooking); 2 tbs unsalted butter; 1 tbs vegetable oil; 1 medium yellow onion (finely chopped); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tbs fresh ginger (grated); 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground coriander; 2 tsp paprika (sweet or smoked); 1 tsp garam masala; 0.25 tsp ground cayenne pepper; 2 tbs tomato paste; 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes; 0.5 cups chicken broth or water; 0.75 cups heavy cream; 1 tsp sugar or honey; 1 tsp kosher salt; 2 tbs fresh cilantro (chopped, for garnish); 2 cups basmati rice (cooked); 4 pieces naan or flatbread

Inspired by Masala Indian Kitchen - Novi

Time1h 10m

Serves4

Make Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe in just 1h 10m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Chicken Marinade

1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 cups plain yogurt (whole-milk or Greek)

2 tbs ReaLemon lemon juice

3 cloves Garlic (minced)

1 tbs fresh ginger (grated)

1 tsp Ground cumin

1 tsp Ground coriander

1 tsp Garam masala

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp Ground turmeric

1 tbs vegetable oil (for brushing / cooking)

Sauce

2 tbs Unsalted butter

1 tbs Tuscany sunflower oil

1 medium yellow onion (finely chopped)

4 cloves Garlic (minced)

1 tbs fresh ginger (grated)

1 tsp Ground cumin

1 tsp Ground coriander

2 tsp paprika (sweet or smoked)

1 tsp Garam masala

1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper

2 tbs tomato paste

14 oz canned crushed tomatoes

1/2 cups chicken broth or water

3/4 cups Heavy cream

1 tsp sugar or honey

1 tsp kosher salt

2 tbs fresh cilantro (chopped, for garnish)

To Serve (optional)

2 cups basmati rice (cooked)

4 pieces naan or flatbread

2 pieces lemon wedges

Method

Chicken Marinade

Prepare and marinate

Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch pieces. In a bowl combine yogurt, lemon juice, minced garlic, grated ginger, ground cumin, ground coriander, garam masala, turmeric, kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours (overnight yields best flavor).

If short on time, marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, then proceed, but flavor will be less developed.

Cook Chicken

Sear or broil the chicken

Remove the chicken from the marinade and shake off excess. Option A: Heat a large skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon oil. Add chicken in an even layer (work in batches to avoid crowding) and sear 3–4 minutes per side until browned and just cooked through. Option B: Preheat broiler to high and place chicken pieces on a baking sheet lined with foil; brush with oil and broil 4–6 minutes per side until charred at edges and cooked through. Transfer cooked chicken to a plate and set aside.

Reserve any leftover marinade; do not add raw marinade directly to finished sauce without cooking it first.

Sauce

Sweat aromatics

In the same large skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon oil. When butter melts, add finely chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and grated ginger and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.

Toast spices and add tomato

Stir in ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika, garam masala, and cayenne. Cook 1 minute to bloom the spices. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1–2 minutes until the paste darkens slightly. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and 1/2 cup chicken broth, scraping up browned bits from the pan. Bring to a simmer.

Simmer and finish sauce

Reduce heat to low and simmer gently 10–12 minutes to thicken and concentrate flavors. Taste and add sugar or honey and 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste). Stir in heavy cream and simmer 2–3 minutes until the sauce is creamy and slightly reduced. If sauce is too thick, add up to 2–3 tablespoons additional broth to reach desired consistency.

Combine chicken and sauce

Add the cooked chicken pieces (and any juices on the plate) to the sauce. Simmer together 3–5 minutes so the chicken finishes cooking and absorbs sauce flavors. If you reserved raw marinade and want to use it, add it now and simmer at least 5–8 minutes until cooked through.

Finish

Turn off heat, stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter for gloss (optional) and chopped cilantro. Adjust seasoning with salt, a squeeze of lemon if desired, and more sugar/honey if the tomatoes are too acidic.

To Serve

Serve the chicken tikka masala over cooked basmati rice with warm naan on the side. Garnish with additional cilantro and lemon wedges for squeezing.

Leftovers: refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce.