Chicken tikka masala is a classic Indian dish that is a favorite take-out food. But you can save a lot of money by making this recipe at home with better-than-take-out results.
What Is Chicken Tikka Masala?
Chicken tikka masala is a popular Indian dish. It consists of chunks of roasted marinated chicken in a spiced curry sauce. The sauce is creamy and orange-colored, and it often contains tomatoes, cream, garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, garam masala (a mixture of ground spices including cardamom and cinnamon), turmeric, chili powder, paprika, and other spices. This dish has become popular throughout the world as an example of Indian cuisine.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Chicken Tikka Masala
- 4 chicken thighs (boneless and skinless)
For the spice blend:
- Cilantro seeds
- Cumin seeds
- Stick of cinnamon
- Chili flakes
For the marinade:
- Greek yogurt
- Turmeric powder
- Cashmere chili powder (or any chili powder)
- Spice blend (that you make)
- Salt
For the curry sauce:
- Red onion
- Garlic cloves
- A thumb fresh ginger
- Tomato concentrate
- Olive oil
- Spice blend (that you make)
- Turmeric powder
- Cashmere chili powder
- Salt
- Coconut milk
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
How to Make Chicken Tikka Masala
Create the spice blend:
- Break the cinnamon stick into pieces. Place the cinnamon stick pieces, cilantro seeds, cumin seeds, and chili flakes in the pan.
- Stir and toast the spices over medium-low heat until they become toasted and fragrant.
- Once they are toasted, blend them together into a fine powder in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Set aside.
Marinate and cook the chicken:
- Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and place them in a bowl.
- Add the Greek yogurt, turmeric powder, cashmere chili powder, 2 tablespoons of the spice blend you just made, and salt to the bowl. Mix well.
- Marinate the chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Overnight is ideal.
- Transfer the chicken to a baking tray. Broil in the oven for 15 minutes.
Prepare the curry sauce:
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare the curry sauce.
- Cut the red onion into thin slices. Grate the garlic cloves and ginger to achieve a fine paste.
- Heat the olive oil in a pot and fry the ginger and garlic paste until golden and fragrant.
- Add the sliced onion and cook on medium heat until it becomes soft and translucent.
- Add the tomato concentrate and cook for around 1 minute.
- Add the coconut milk and mix well. Make sure the tomato concentrate is dissolved.
- Add the turmeric powder, cashmere chili powder, salt, and 2 tablespoons of the spice blend you made. Mix well.
Finish the dish:
- Add the chicken to the curry sauce. Cook for 30 more minutes on low heat.
- Serve with white rice and/or naan bread. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
Tips and Variations for Chicken Tikka Masala
When preparing chicken tikka masala, it is important to use quality ingredients and follow a few simple tips. You can also try a few variations if desired.
- Marinate the chicken for at least two hours before cooking. This helps to infuse flavor into the meat as well as tenderize it.
- Make a larger quantity of the spice blend and save it for other recipes. You can keep the spice blend in a closed jar in your pantry for a month.
- Adjust the level of spiciness according to your taste. Add a bit of the chili powder, taste the sauce, and add more if you want it spicier.
- Cook bell peppers or other vegetables with the chicken or add them to the sauce.
- Make the tikka masala with other meats or vegetables. Try paneer (a type of cheese) or mushrooms.
- Use a store-bought spice blend to save time. Homemade spice blends are always best, but you can use store-bought versions if you need to.
Chicken Tikka Masala FAQs
What type of side dishes go well with chicken tikka masala?
Some of the best side dishes to accompany chicken tikka masala are plain basmati rice, naan bread, cucumber salad, Bombay potatoes, or steamed vegetables, such as cauliflower or broccoli.
How do you know when the chicken tikka masala is done cooking?
The chicken tikka masala is done cooking when the internal temperature of the chicken reads 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. You can also tell that it’s done when the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through, with no pink remaining in the center.
How do I store leftovers of chicken tikka masala?
You can store leftovers of this chicken tikka masala in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Other Chicken Recipes
- Easy Chicken Fajitas with Homemade Salsa
- Authentic Cuban Mojo Chicken
- Keto Chicken Parm Casserole
- Authentic Chicken Burrito Bowl at Home
Bottom Line
Chicken Tikka Masala is the perfect dish to make at home. It’s full of flavor and adds variety to your recipe routine. Give this recipe a try today and enjoy restaurant-quality chicken tikka masala in your own kitchen.
Chicken Tikka Masala
The classic Indian chicken tikka masala done at home with better than take out results! Incredibly tasty and juicy chicken curry.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs (boneless & skinless)
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
Blend of spices:
- 1 tablespoons cilantro seeds
- 1 tablespoons cumin seeds
- 1 stick of cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon chili flakes
For the marinade:
- 2 cups Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon cashmere chili powder (or any chili powder)
- 2 tablespoons mixed spices (toasted and blended)
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the curry sauce:
- 1 red onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 thumb fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoons tomato concentrate
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons blend of spices
- 1 ½ teaspoons turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon cashmere chili powder (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups coconut cream
Instructions
1. First, we are going to create the blend of spices, for this:
- add the tablespoon cilantro seeds, the tablespoon cumin seeds, the tablespoon chili flakes, and the cinnamon stick (break it in pieces) into a pan on medium low heat.
- Toast the spices while stirring until they become toasted and fragrant.
- Once toasted blend them into a fine powder in a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder.
- Set aside the mixture.
2. Marinate the chicken:
- Cut the chicken thighs in bite size pieces and place them in a bowl.
- Add the Greek yogurt, marinating spices and salt and mix well.
- Keep in the fridge in an airtight container for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
3. Once the chicken is marinated, transfer it to a baking tray and cook in the oven with the broiler setting for 15 minutes at 356 F.
4. While the chicken is cooking in the oven, let’s prepare the curry sauce. For this:
- Slice thinly the red onion and finely grate the garlic cloves and the ginger to achieve a fine paste.
- In a pot add the olive oil and fry the ginger and garlic paste, once golden and fragrant add the sliced onion and let cook on medium heat until it gets soft and translucid.
- Add the tomato concentrate and cook for around a minute.
- Add the coconut milk and mix well making sure to dissolve well the tomato concentrate.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the spice blend, 1 ½ turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon cashmere chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt and mix well.
5. Once the chicken is ready, add it to the pan where the sauce is cooking and let cook for 30 minutes on low heat.
6. Serve with white rice or naan bread. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
Notes
You can make more quantity of the blend of spices and keep the leftover spices in a closed crystal jar in your pantry to use in other curries. It can be kept for 1 months.
Make sure to adjust the level of spiciness by adding a bit of the chili powder, tasting and maybe adding more if you feel like. Spiciness is a very personal thing, so follow your taste.
This tikka masala curry can be stored in the fridge for up to a week in an sealed container.
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