Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken thighs marinated in spiced yogurt, charred under the grill, then simmered in a masala of browned onion, ginger, garlic, tomato and cream, finished with garam masala and kasuri methi.
Ingredients
- 700 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs 1 ½ lb, cut into 4 cm / 1 ½ in pieces
- 150 g thick full-fat plain yogurt ⅔ cup
- 1 tbsp lemon juice 15 ml
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
- 3 garlic cloves finely grated
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp neutral oil or melted ghee 15 ml
- 2 tbsp ghee or neutral oil 30 g
- 1 tbsp butter 15 g
- 1 large onion 225 g / 8 oz, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
- 4 garlic cloves finely grated
- 1 green chilli finely chopped, optional
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1–2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 400 g tomato passata or blended canned tomatoes 1 ⅔ cups
- 1 tsp fine sea salt plus more to taste
- 1 tsp sugar
- 180 ml water ¾ cup
- 120 ml heavy cream ½ cup
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp kasuri methi dried fenugreek leaves, crumbled
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Mix the tikka ingredients, add the chicken and coat. Cover and refrigerate 1–24 hours.
- Heat the grill (broiler) to high with a rack 10–15 cm (4–6 in) below. Spread the chicken on a rack over a foil-lined tray, shaking off excess marinade.
- Grill 6–8 minutes, turning once, until charred in spots and almost cooked through. Set aside with the juices.
- Heat the ghee and butter in a wide pan over medium heat. Cook the onion 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until deep golden.
- Add the ginger, garlic and green chilli and cook 1–2 minutes.
- Add the ground coriander, cumin, chilli powder, paprika and turmeric and stir 30–60 seconds, adding a splash of water if they catch.
- Add the passata, salt and sugar. Simmer 10–15 minutes, stirring, until thick and the oil separates at the edges. Blend smooth if you like.
- Add the water, return to a simmer, then add the chicken and juices. Simmer gently 8–10 minutes until the chicken reaches 74°C (165°F).
- Stir in the cream, garam masala and kasuri methi and simmer 2 minutes. Adjust salt, scatter with cilantro and serve.
Notes
No grill: sear the chicken in a very hot cast-iron pan, 2–3 minutes per side, in batches.
Butter chicken style: halve the onion, add 40 g (⅓ cup) soaked cashews with the tomatoes, blend very smooth, finish with 2 tbsp (30 g) extra butter, and use 1 tsp chilli powder.
Paneer: marinate 450 g (1 lb) paneer cubes 30 minutes, grill 4–5 minutes, and simmer in the sauce only 3 minutes.
Make ahead: sauce (without cream) keeps 3 days in the fridge. Cooked curry: fridge 3 days, freezer 3 months. Reheat gently until bubbling and hot through (74°C / 165°F).
Marinating: at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours in the fridge.