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Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken Tikka Masala
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
For the marinade
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 cup plain greek yogurt (preferably full fat)
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp cayenne (or less if you're sensitive to spicy food)
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 inch piece of ginger root, peeled and minced
  • 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
  • ground black pepper
  • a sprinkle of cinnamon
  • a sprinkle of paprika
For the curry
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 tbsp ghee or neutral vegetable oil (for the chicken)
  • 2 tbsp ghee or olive oil (for the gravy)
  • 1 inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • ¼ tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 tsp cayenne (or less if you're sensitive to spice)
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 15 oz can whole tomatoes (or half a 28 oz can)
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • cooked basmati rice for serving
Instructions
For the marinade
  1. Four hours before or the night before you plan to make the curry, pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel. Score them lightly with the tip of a sharp knife. Sprinkle them lightly with kosher salt. In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, juice of 1 lime, coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, garlic, ginger, and kosher salt. Add a dash of cinnamon, a dash of paprika, and a few grinds of black pepper and mix. Add the chicken to the marinade and stir to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate until you're ready to cook.
For the curry
  1. Place an oven rack on the top rack, about 6 inches from the top. Place a cast iron skillet on the top rack and preheat the oven to 500 F. Once the oven is preheated and the cast iron is smoking hot, remove it to the stove top. Add a tablespoon of ghee or neutral oil and swirl it to coat the pan. Add the chicken in an even layer, leaving any remaining marinade behind. Place the chicken in the cast iron back in the oven on the top rack. Turn on the broiler to high and cook 20 minutes or until the top begins to get little browned/black crispy bits and chicken is cooked through.
  2. Meanwhile, in a dutch oven or heavy pot over medium high heat, add 2 tbsp ghee or olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently until it begins to lightly brown around the edges, about 8-10 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic. Cook for one minute more. Add the cinnamon stick, all the spices, salt, and the tomato paste, stirring, for one minute. Add ¼ cup water and stir. Add the juices from the tomatoes and carefully squeeze the whole tomatoes into the pot with your hands. Stir to coat everything, bring to a boil then simmer on low for ten minutes.
  3. Once the chicken is cooked, remove the chicken to a cutting board. Chop into 2 inch pieces. Then pour all the brown bits and juices from the chicken into the pot with the tomato mixture.
  4. Remove the cinnamon stick and discard. Carefully, pour the tomato mixture into a blender. Add ¼ cup water. Remove the vent cap and cover lightly with a paper towel (don't stain one of your nice towels) to prevent splatter. Blend the tomato mixture until smooth. Pour the blended mixture back into the pot.
  5. Add the chicken to the tomato mixture and stir. Put the curry on low heat. Taste for salt. Add the cream and stir. Cook for 5 minutes then remove from heat. Serve over basmati.
Recipe by Tastemaker Blog at https://tastemakerblog.com/2021/03/17/chicken-tikka-masala/