Chicken Tikka Masala is a classic Indian dish that is so easy to make at home, you’ll never want to order takeout again!
The first time I had Chicken Tikka Masala, I was at Kiel University in the UK visiting a friend in the late 90’s. Those university students seemed to live off the stuff, but it was WAY too spicy for this little American girl, so I ate a lot of Naan bread instead. Fast-forward several years, and my brother was suddenly making Chicken Tikka Masala at home. It was positively delicious, way better than anything I remembered in England, and I couldn’t get enough.
I’ve always loved Indian food, but I rarely get a chance to eat it. I’ve gone to the occasional buffet, but my husband isn’t a huge fan, so I don’t get to eat it as often as I’d like. Now that I live in Los Angeles, I can no longer rely on eating my brother’s Tikka, so I decided to give his recipe a try. Nothing beats having a delicious plate of food set in front of you (i.e., no work on your part), but that aside, mine is ALMOST as good as his.
MARINADE
I learned a few things along the way. First, the marinade yields a lot, certainly more than you’d need for 1 lb. of chicken. So go ahead and make 2 lbs. or 3 lbs. of chicken without increasing the marinade. Unlike many Indian recipes, Chicken Tikka Masala does not require any unusual or expensive spices or blends. I like knowing I can whip up exotic foods with what I already have on hand. Bonus. I used 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, but dial this up or down depending on your spiciness tolerance. Also, I’m one of those people who keeps frozen cubes of grated ginger in her freezer. In this particular application, I recommend getting a fresh root and grating it yourself. It’s simply more flavorful that way.
CHICKEN
This recipe is designed for a grill. A grill over high heat will have your chicken cooked in just minutes. It’s fabulous. I’ve also made the chicken in an oven under a broiler. It was fine, but not nearly as good, and it took a long time. If you have access to a grill, I definitely recommend that method.
SAUCE
This creamy tomato sauce needs to simmer for about 20 minutes, so I start the sauce before I grill the chicken. My brother always grills his chicken first, so adjust your workflow as desired. The recipe calls for paprika, and in this case you want plain paprika, not sweet and definitely not smoked. I didn’t actually realize it would make such a big difference, but it does.
SERVING SUGGESTION
I recommend serving Chicken Tikka Masala on top of a pile of fluffy, white rice. And, a garnish of cilantro leaves is really the best touch. If you hate cilantro, I can’t help you here. Nothing beats fresh cilantro on Tikka. Offer Naan bread on the side (available at many grocery stores) to sop up the extra sauce and offset the heat.
And although I mentioned my husband Jim (aka the Picky Eater) doesn’t typically like Indian food, he loves this recipe. So you just never know who you will impress when you dive into adventurous cooking.
Recipe
- 1 c. plain yogurt
- 1 T. fresh lemon juice
- 1 T. grated fresh ginger
- 4 tsp. cumin, divided
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1” cubes
- 4 wooden skewers
- 1 T. butter
- 1 tsp. jalapeño, seeded and minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tsp. paprika
- 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
- 1 c. heavy cream
- 2 c. cooked white rice, for serving
- ¼ c. chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
- In a bowl or large zipper-lock plastic bag, combine yogurt, lemon juice, ginger, 2 tsp. cumin, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, 1 tsp. salt, and 2 tsp. black pepper.
- Add chicken and mix until evenly coated. Refrigerate at least one hour or overnight.
- At least 30 minutes before grilling time, soak wooden skewers in water.
- In a large skillet melt butter over medium-high heat until the foaming subsides. Stir in jalapeño and garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add remaining 2 tsp. cumin, paprika, and 1 tsp. salt. Stir in tomato sauce and heavy cream. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, thread chicken on to skewers, discarding excess marinade. Lightly oil grill and preheat over high heat.
- Grill chicken until the internal temperature of the largest piece registers 160°F on a thermometer, about 5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a platter and tent with foil until the sauce has thickened.
- Add the chicken to the sauce and stir until heated through, about 10 minutes longer. Serve with rice and garnish with cilantro.
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