Chicken Tikka Masala
About this recipe
Chicken Tikka Masala is a beloved dish that combines marinated chicken with a rich, spiced gravy. This recipe gives you a straightforward way to create this classic at home, with a focus on flavor and texture.
The marination process is key here, allowing the chicken to soak up all those delicious spices before frying, which gives it that authentic taste you crave.
Ingredient notes
- 500g boneless chicken, cut into tikka shapes
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 4 tbsp thick curd/yogurt
- 2 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 4 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 0.5 tsp garam masala powder
- 2 tbsp refined oil for marination
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 1 cup tomato purée (US cup measure)
- 6 tbsp fresh cream
- 1 tbsp Kasuri Methi (Fenugreek leaves, roasted and crushed)
- 3 tbsp refined oil for frying
Tips from Spice Eats's video
- Marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour at room temperature to enhance the flavor.
- Fry the chicken in batches to avoid crowding the pan, which helps achieve a nice sear.
- When making the gravy, ensure to fry the spices on low heat to bring out their flavors without burning them.
No life story here — the video and the recipe are the whole point. All credit to Spice Eats: watch the original on YouTube.
The recipe
Ingredients
Steps
- 1
Clean and pat dry the boneless chicken fillets. Cut them into 2-inch size tikkas.
- 2
Marinate the tikkas with salt, lemon juice, thick curd, ginger garlic paste, Kashmiri chilli powder, garam masala powder, and refined oil. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour.
- 3
Fine chop the onions and roast the Kasuri Methi (Fenugreek leaves), crushing it roughly.
- 4
Heat oil in a frying pan and place the tikkas side by side, frying in batches to avoid crowding the pan.
- 5
Fry on medium heat for 2 minutes, then turn to the other side and continue frying for another 2 minutes.
- 6
Turn the tikkas again and fry on low heat for 3 minutes, then flip and repeat on the other side.
- 7
Remove the fried tikkas onto a plate and repeat with the remaining marinated tikkas.
- 8
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan and add the chopped onions. Fry on medium heat for 5 minutes until light brown.
- 9
Add ginger garlic paste and fry on low heat for 2 minutes.
- 10
Add the tomato purée, mix, and then add turmeric, red chilli, coriander, cumin powders, and a pinch of salt. Mix and fry for 2 minutes on low heat.
- 11
Add the fried tikkas, mix, and add 300 ml of water. Add garam masala powder, mix, and cover to cook on low heat for 10 minutes.
- 12
Open the lid, add the cream, mix, and cook on low heat for 2 minutes.
- 13
Finally, add the roasted and crushed Kasuri Methi and cook on low heat for 2 minutes.
- 14
Serve with naan or rice.
Heads up — we had to guess a little:
- The quantity for 'salt for seasoning' is inferred as a pinch, which is a common practice in cooking.
Credit where it's due: this recipe was transcribed from Spice Eats's original video on YouTube. Follow them there — it's their dish.
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