Chicken Tikka Masala

-Serves 6

Chunks of grilled marinated chicken cooked in spiced tomato sauce, my chicken tikka masala isn’t just easy to make, but also extremely comforting. The recipe is similar to my butter chicken recipe, but the sauce is much simpler. The use of ripe Italian tomatoes and coconut cream in this beautifully smooth, tangy sauce works perfectly with spice-marinated chicken. Serve it with rice, naan or homemade chapatis like I did.

This recipe is divided into two parts, Chicken Tikka and Chicken Tikka Masala Sauce

Ingredients for Chicken Tikka Masala

For Chicken Tikka
1 kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped into 1 inch wide strips OR 1 whole chicken, cut into large pieces
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup thick plain yoghurt
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
1-2 fresh bird’s eye chilies, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric powder
3/4 teaspoon cumin powder
3/4 teaspoon garam masala powder
1/4 teaspoon red chili powder, or to taste
3-4 green cardamoms, pounded in a mortar and pestle
1-2 tablespoons melted butter or ghee or coconut oil, for brushing

For Sauce
3 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee
200g red onion, cubed
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
1 fresh bird’s eye chili, finely chopped
400g canned Italian tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon or to taste red chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon garam masala powder
2-3 tablespoons kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), crushed and rinsed in a sieve
1/2 cup cream or coconut milk
1 tablespoon butter, for garnish - optional

Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe Video

Recipe

For Chicken Tikka

Sprinkle salt and lemon juice all over chicken, mix well and let it sit for 15 minutes. Put chicken in a large bowl. Add yogurt, spices and all other ingredients above except butter/oil. Rub the marinade well on chicken pieces and marinate for at least 3-4 hours in the refrigerator, preferably overnight.

Pan Frying Chicken

Bring the chicken back to room temperature by leaving it out on your countertop for at least 30 minutes. Heat a tablespoon of butter/ghee/coconut oil on medium heat in a large non-stick frying pan.
Fry chicken pieces a few at a time until seared and slightly charred on both sides. This may take about 2-3 minutes on each side (4-6 minutes altogether). Drain chicken and set aside. To cook chicken fully, toss it for 2 extra minutes in the pan before serving.
Repeat steps 1 and 2 until all your chicken is cooked. Set aside any leftover chicken marinade to use in the sauce.

Grilling chicken on the barbecue
Divide chicken among skewers leaving 1 cm space between pieces. Arrange skewers suspended across a grill. Grill chicken about 4 inches from heat, turning regularly, until browned in spots and just cooked through (about 7-8 minutes). Baste with melted butter/ghee/oil at intervals to retain juiciness.

For Sauce

Heat oil/ghee in a large saucepan on medium heat; add onions, ginger, garlic, fresh chili and fry until onions turn slightly golden brown. Add any leftover chicken marinade.
Add tomatoes and mix well. Using a hand blender, puree sauce until smooth. You can choose to keep the sauce chunky and not blend it at all (like I did).
Add turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder and salt. Mix well and bring it to a boil.
Add chicken to the sauce along with any reserve liquid from the frying pan and mix well. Bring to the boil.
Cook for about 10 minutes on medium flame until spices start releasing their oils and tomatoes are pulpy. Add 1 cup water, stir well and bring to the boil.
Reduce heat to low flame, cover and cook for about 10-20 minutes depending on the size of your chicken pieces or until chicken is fully cooked.
Finally add garam masala powder, kasuri methi leaves, and cream. Stir well.
Garnish with butter. Serve hot with rice, rotis or naan.