Charred chicken pieces in creamy, spiced tomato sauce. British national dish (seriously).
Tikka masala was likely invented in Britain by Bangladeshi chefs. It's distinctly different from butter chicken - spicier and chunkier.
The sauce should have visible tomato and onion texture. Declared a British national dish in 2001.
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 2 lb Boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
- ¾ cup Plain whole-milk yogurt
- 2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Garam masala (for marinade)
- 2 tsp Ground cumin
- 1 tbsp Paprika
- ½ tsp Ground turmeric
- ½ tsp Cayenne pepper
- 1 ½ tsp Salt
- 3 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 1 whole Yellow onion, finely diced
- 6 clove Garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp Fresh ginger, grated
- 1 whole Serrano pepper, minced (optional)
- 1 tbsp Garam masala (for sauce)
- 1 tsp Ground coriander
- 1 ½ cup Tomato puree
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste
- 1 cup Heavy cream
- 1 tsp Sugar
- ¼ cup Fresh cilantro, chopped
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 2 lb Boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
- ¾ cup Plain whole-milk yogurt
- 2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Garam masala (for marinade)
- 2 tsp Ground cumin
- 1 tbsp Paprika
- ½ tsp Ground turmeric
- ½ tsp Cayenne pepper
- 1 ½ tsp Salt
- 3 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 1 whole Yellow onion, finely diced
- 6 clove Garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp Fresh ginger, grated
- 1 whole Serrano pepper, minced (optional)
- 1 tbsp Garam masala (for sauce)
- 1 tsp Ground coriander
- 1 ½ cup Tomato puree
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste
- 1 cup Heavy cream
- 1 tsp Sugar
- ¼ cup Fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
Marinate the chicken
Combine chicken with yogurt, lemon juice, garam masala for marinade, 1 teaspoon cumin, paprika, turmeric, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix well to coat. Marinate at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.
Ingredients
- chicken, cubed (2 lb)
- yogurt (¾ cup)
- lemon juice (2 tbsp)
- garam masala (1 tbsp)
- cumin (1 tsp)
- paprika (1 tbsp)
- turmeric (½ tsp)
- cayenne (½ tsp)
- salt (1 tsp)
Char the chicken
Thread chicken onto skewers or arrange on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 4 to 5 minutes per side until charred in spots and cooked through. Alternatively, cook in a very hot grill pan. Set aside.
Equipment
- grill pan or broiler
Make the masala sauce
Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat (325-350°F surface). Add onion and cook 8 minutes until golden. Add garlic, ginger, and serrano if using. Cook 2 minutes. Add garam masala for sauce, remaining cumin, and coriander. Stir 1 minute. Add tomato puree, tomato paste, and 0.5 teaspoon salt. Simmer 10 minutes until thickened.
Equipment
- large skillet
Ingredients
- vegetable oil (3 tbsp)
- butter (3 tbsp)
- onion, diced (1 whole)
- garlic, minced (6 cloves)
- ginger, grated (2 tbsp)
- serrano pepper (1 whole)
- garam masala (1 tbsp)
- cumin (1 tsp)
- coriander (1 tsp)
- tomato puree (1 ½ cup)
- tomato paste (2 tbsp)
- salt (½ tsp)
Combine and serve
Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream and sugar. Add charred chicken pieces to the sauce. Simmer gently 5 minutes to let flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with basmati rice and naan.
Ingredients
- heavy cream (1 cup)
- sugar (1 tsp)
- cilantro (¼ cup)
Before you cook
Cook notes
- • Tikka masala was likely invented in Britain by Bangladeshi chefs.
- • It's distinctly different from butter chicken - spicier and chunkier.
- • The sauce should have visible tomato and onion texture.
- • Declared a British national dish in 2001.
Ratings
Loading ratings…
Your rating
Have you cooked this?
Comments
Loading comments…
Ready to cook? Or want to explore more recipes?
More to explore
