Chicken Tikka Masala
This easy authentic tikka masala recipe is the only one you'll ever need.
Servings: 4 servings
Equipment
- heavy bottomed stock pot
Ingredients
spice mix
- 4 tsp dried turmeric
- 3 tsp powdered coriander
- 3 tsp powdered cumin
- 3 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 3 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
chicken
- 1 cup plain, full fat yogurt (not Greek yogurt)
- 1 1/2 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts
for the sauce:
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion halved and thinly sliced
- 10 cardamom pods that you've crushed open (don't loose the seeds!)
- 4 ounces or a small can of tomato paste.
- 28 oz can of good quality whole peeled tomatoes
- 13 ounce can of unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp of chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Mix all the spices together. Take about 1/3 of the mixture and stir it into the yogurt in a medium bowl. Slice the chicken breaksts in half lengthwise and add to the bowl, coating completely with the spiced yogurt. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour, or up to overnight.
- Meanwhile put the olive oil in a large heavy bottomed stock pot and add the onions
- Put the chicken on a foil covered baking sheet (leave the yogurt coating on) and put in the broiler for about 10 minutes until the surface starts to char, turning once. The chicken will not be completely cooked, it will finish cooking in the sauce.
- Cut the chicken into large chunks and set aside.
- To make the sauce, heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pot and saute the onions, tomato paste, and cardamom pods for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the remaining spice mix to the pan and cook, stirring often, for 5 more minutes. The spices will start to brown on the bottom of the pan, that's good, but be careful not to let them burn.
- Add the tomatoes, crushing them through your fingers as you add them. You can also puree the tomatoes first, or used crushed tomatoes. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring up to a boil, then turn down the heat and cook the sauce for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the coconut milk, the sugar, and 2 Tbsp of the fresh chopped cilantro. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and let the sauce cook very gently, partially covered, for 20 to 30 minutes. At this point I pureed my sauce because I wanted it super smooth, but that's optional.
- Add the chicken and the heavy cream, and finish cooking for another 10 minutes. Check the seasonings and add salt to taste.
- Serve with basmati rice, garnished with lots of fresh cilantro. Serve yogurt, naan bread, and chutney on the side.
Notes
To crush the cardamom pods, roll over them gently with a rolling pin, but don’t lose any of the precious little black seeds! Be sure to chop your chicken in large chunks, it’s more authentic that way and it gives the dish a more appealing look.
*Recipe was adapted from Bon Appetit
*Recipe was adapted from Bon Appetit
Nutrition
Calories: 677 kcal · Carbohydrates: 27 g · Protein: 44 g · Fat: 46 g · Saturated Fat: 27 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 13 g · Trans Fat: 0.02 g · Cholesterol: 142 mg · Sodium: 1287 mg · Potassium: 1770 mg · Fiber: 6 g · Sugar: 15 g · Vitamin A: 1348 IU · Vitamin C: 30 mg · Calcium: 129 mg · Iron: 7 mg
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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