Chicken Tikka Masala
Marinated, grilled chicken cooked in a creamy, flavorful sauce.
Ingredients
Marinate
- 2 lbs/ 900g chicken thighs boneless and skinless
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp kashmiri chili powder
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsps lemon juice
- 5 oz/ 150g greek yogurt
Cook
- 1 large Yellow Onion about 1.5 cups, chopped
- 2 green chiles slit and deseeded, pith removed
- 1 lb/ 450g Tomatoes about 5 medium, chopped
- 4 tbsps Butter
- 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 mace
- 1 small piece of cinnamon stick
- 5 Cardamom Pods pods removed
- 2 tsps kashmiri chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 cup/ 60ml heavy cream add 1/2 - 3/4 cup if you like
- 2.5 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- 1/2 tsp kasuri methi leaves dried fenugreek leaves
- Vegetable Oil a few tablespoons
Instructions
- Put 3 shallow cuts in each chicken thigh and put in a bowl. Add ½ tsp salt, 1 tablespoon of kashmiri chili powder, 2 tsps minced garlic, 2 tsps minced ginger, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 5 ounces or 150g of greek yogurt or strained regular yogurt so it’s thick. Mix this really well. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least three hours or overnight.
- Heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit or 220 degrees celsius. My baking sheet is covered in foil so cleanup is easy. I put a rack on top and oil the rack well. Place the chicken on the rack. Cook the chicken in the heated oven for 25 minutes. I broil it for another 5 minutes. When cool, cut up the chicken into bite size pieces.
- Heat up a pan and pour a few tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the cumin seeds, when you smell them, add the cinnamon, cardamom and mace. Saute for 20 seconds. Add the onion, a little salt and saute until golden. Add 2 tsps garlic, 1 tsp ginger, saute for a minute, add 2 tbsps butter, the chopped tomatoes, a little salt. Cover and cook until tomatoes are soft and you can mash them easily. Stir occasionally. When the tomatoes are done, leave it aside to cool a little bit before blending. When cool, blend until smooth. Pour the blended mixture into a sieve and strain to make a creamy, smooth sauce. Don’t forget to scrape off all the sauce on the outside.
- Heat up a pan and add 2 tbsps butter. On low heat, add ½ tsp of minced garlic,1 tsp minced ginger and the 2 green chiles slit and deseeded. Let this cook for a minute on low, don’t let the butter brown. Add 2 tsps kashmiri chili pwdr, ½ tsp garam masala, stir for a few seconds and add the strained sauce and ½ cup of water. Add salt to taste.
- If your sauce is too sour, add a little sugar or honey. Bring the sauce to a boil, then cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the chicken. Cover and simmer for 3 mins. Then add heavy cream, about ¼ cup. Rub kasuri methi in the palm of your hands. Mix and taste it. If you like more cream, add it now. Simmer just for a minute and the dish is ready.
- You can cook the chicken on a grill, a pan on the stovetop or the oven. This chicken tikka masala is perfect served over basmati rice or any type of bread.
This recipe looks delicious. I have not had chicken tikka masala before. This will be an adventure for me. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Fran,
I hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
Stumbled on this recipe through reddit last year, have done it a few times since and planning on doing it this weekend. Just to say, thanks for posting it, it’s so tasty!!
Happy you liked it, Josh 🙂
Hi Anita,
I immediately followed you from your YouTube to your blog, because it’s much easier to understand in English.
I’m from Malaysia, an I liked that you speak very clear English. It helps me understand better. Though there are many Indian recipes in YouTube, I choose to follow your channel because it’s easy for me to understand.
I love that you even list out the ingredients here makes it easy to follow. Keep on sharing. I love Indian food.
We have alot of mamak restaurants here in Malaysia.
Hi Shahrina,
I’m so glad that you find my recipes easy to understand. Enjoy 🙂
My son made this dish and it was amazing. Wonderful depth of flavor. I can’t wait to make it myself.
This recipe is my go to for Tikka masala, it’s amazing. Thank you
Glad you like it!