Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala

Char-grilled yogurt-marinated chicken (the tikka) simmered in a silky tomato and cream sauce spiced with garam masala, cumin and coriander. A restaurant classic, faithfully reproduced in a home kitchen by broiling the tikka under high heat since most homes lack a tandoor.

Prep

30 min

Cook

35 min

Total

65 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •700 g (1½ lb) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3 cm (1¼ in) cubes; breast works but is drier
• •200 g (¾ cup) plain whole-milk yogurt, well stirred, not Greek style (too thick)
• •30 g (2 tbsp) ginger paste, freshly grated ginger blended to a paste
• •25 g (5 tsp) garlic paste, freshly grated garlic blended to a paste
• •12 g (1 tbsp + 1 tsp) lemon juice, fresh
• •8 g (1½ tsp) fine sea salt
• •6 g (1 tbsp) Kashmiri chili powder, for color and mild heat; substitute 1 tsp paprika + ¼ tsp cayenne
• •4 g (2 tsp) ground cumin
• •4 g (2 tsp) ground coriander
• •3 g (1½ tsp) garam masala, divided; divided use noted in steps
• •2 g (1 tsp) ground turmeric
• •40 g (3 tbsp) neutral oil, plus more for brushing tikka; ghee is traditional but oil is fine
• •30 g (2 tbsp) butter, unsalted
• •2 g (1 tsp) whole cumin seeds
• •1 g (½ tsp) whole fenugreek seeds, optional but authentic; do not skip if available
• •1 medium yellow onion, very finely pureed to a paste, about 120 g
• •15 g (1 tbsp) ginger paste, for the sauce
• •15 g (3 tsp) garlic paste, for the sauce
• •800 g (3 cups) canned crushed or passata tomatoes, smooth, not chunky; or 1 kg ripe tomatoes pureed and strained
• •8 g (1 tbsp + 1 tsp) ground coriander, for the sauce
• •6 g (1 tbsp) ground cumin, for the sauce
• •5 g (2¼ tsp) Kashmiri chili powder, for the sauce
• •3 g (1 tsp) ground turmeric, for the sauce
• •5 g (1 tsp) fine sea salt, for the sauce, plus more to taste
• •15 g (1 tbsp) sugar, to balance acidity of tomatoes
• •200 g (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) heavy cream, cold; divided use noted in steps
• •10 g (½ cup loosely packed) fresh coriander leaves, chopped, for finishing

Steps

1. 1 Make the marinade: in a large bowl whisk yogurt, 30 g ginger paste, 25 g garlic paste, lemon juice, 8 g salt, Kashmiri chili, ground cumin, ground coriander, 1 tsp (2 g) garam masala, turmeric and 20 g oil until smooth.
2. 2 Add the chicken cubes and stir until every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, ideally 4–6 hours, up to overnight.
3. 3 Heat the broiler to its highest setting with the rack 10–12 cm (4–5 in) from the element. Line a sheet pan with foil and set a wire rack on top; brush the rack lightly with oil.
4. 4 Thread chicken on metal skewers (or lay in a single layer on the rack). Broil 5–6 minutes per side, turning once, until edges are charred and the chicken is just cooked through; internal temperature must read 74 °C / 165 °F on an instant-read thermometer.
5. 5 Set tikka aside in a bowl, cover loosely with foil. Reduce oven to 200 °C / 400 °F (you'll only need it briefly if finishing tikka is needed, but the pieces should already be done).
6. 6 For the sauce, melt butter with 20 g oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds; let them sizzle 15–20 seconds until fragrant and just darkened.
7. 7 Add the onion paste and cook, stirring frequently, 8–10 minutes until it turns a deep golden brown and the raw smell is gone. Patience here builds the flavor base.
8. 8 Stir in 15 g ginger paste and 15 g garlic paste; cook 60 seconds until raw aroma disappears.
9. 9 Add ground coriander, ground cumin, Kashmiri chili and turmeric; toast in the oil 30 seconds, then pour in the tomatoes. Add 5 g salt and the sugar.
10. 10 Simmer uncovered 12–15 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is thick enough to leave a trail when you draw a spoon across the pan bottom.
11. 11 Stir in the remaining 1½ tsp (1 g) garam masala. Remove from heat and blend the sauce with an immersion blender (or carefully in a standing blender) until completely silky smooth.
12. 12 Return sauce to low heat. Stir in 150 g cream, then slide the tikka pieces in along with any juices. Simmer gently 5–7 minutes so the chicken absorbs the sauce; do not boil or the cream may split.
13. 13 Taste and adjust salt. Swirl in the remaining 50 g cream, scatter chopped coriander over the top, and rest off the heat 2 minutes before serving.
14. 14 Serve hot with basmati rice or warm naan.