Make your own Indian-inspired dishes at home with these easy recipes: Shrimp Curry, Tandoori Chicken, Tandoori Chicken Kabobs and Lentil Curry.
Watch HOW TO MAKE Tikka Masala Recipe
Ingredients
This Chicken Tikka Masala recipe is made with easy-to-find ingredients but boasts big, bold, exotic flavor. I have divided the ingredients into three sections 1) the chicken marinade, 2) the spices, 3) the sauce. Let’s take a closer look at what you’ll need (full measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):
For the chicken marinade
For the SPICE BLEND
Tikka Masala is intensely flavorful due to the plethora of seasonings. I know it is a lot of spices, but they each play a crucial role in the complex flavor profile and only take a couple minutes to whisk together. You will need:
For the SAUCE
How to Make Chicken Tikka
To make this easy Chicken Tikka Masala recipe, chicken is marinated in a spiced yogurt sauce, seared in a skillet then finished in a tomato-cream based curry sauce. After the chicken has finished marinating, the dish comes together in 30 minutes! I’ve given detailed step-by-step instructions below (full measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post):
Step 1: Make the Spice Blend
Whisk together all of the spices; set aside.
Step 2: Marinate the Chicken
Remove 2 ½ tablespoons of the Spice Blend to a large bowl (whatever you are going to marinate the chicken in). Whisk in the yogurt, lemon juice, half of the garlic and half of the ginger. Add the chopped chicken and stir to evenly coat. You want every piece of chicken coated in the marinade! Marinate the chicken for AT LEAST 30 minutes at room temperature but the chicken is very best if marinated for at least 3 hours in the fridge, ideally overnight.
Step 3: Make the Chicken Tikka Masala Sauce
Sauté onions in a large braiser or Dutch oven until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the remaining ginger, garlic and Spice Mix and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in the crushed tomatoes. Bring to boil then reduce to gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes, while stirring often and scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. You can cook the chicken while the sauce simmers.
Step 4: Cook the Chicken in Batches
Heat a high smoking point oil (like vegetable or canola) in a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Working in batches, add the chicken to the skillet and cook until charred on each side (creates that signature flavor!). Transfer the chicken to bowl. Note that the chicken will not be fully cooked at this point but will finish cooking in the sauce.
Step 5: Blend the Sauce (optional)
Transfer the tomato mixture to a high-powered blender and purée until smooth, leaving a corner of the lid open and covered with a paper towel so steam can escape and it doesn’t explode. Alternatively, transfer to a bowl and use an immersion blender to blend, then return back to the pan.
Step 6: Combine
Stir the heavy cream into the blended sauce followed by the chicken. Cover and gently simmer for a few minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Season to taste. Depending on the tomatoes you used, you may need to add 1-2 teaspoons sugar to balance the acidity. Add additional cayenne pepper for more heat if desired.
Step 7: Serve
Serve over basmati rice with optional cilantro.
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