Chicken Tikka Masala is a firm favourite for many of us and this one will not disappoint. Different to butter chicken in that it is more tomatoey, less creamy and much more spicy. This Chicken Tikka Masala has a rich, velvety sauce with tender cooked pieces of chicken thigh, perfect for mopping up with a buttery naan.
Ingredients:
- Chicken Marinade:
- 1kg chicken thigh pieces cubed
- 1 tbsp crushed garlic
- 1 tbsp crushed ginger
- 2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder, cumin powder, amchoor and salt.
- 1.5 tbsp smoked paprika and chillu flakes
- 1/2 cup Greek yoghurt
- juice of half a lemon
- 1 tbsp ghee
- Masala:
- Ghee and oil mix
- salt to taste
- 2 large cinnamon sticks
- 6-8 green cardamom
- 3 small bay leaves
- 2 medium onions chopped
- 1 tbsp crushed garlic
- 1 tbsp crushed ginger
- 1 measuring cup passata
- 1 heaped tbsp tomato puree
- 1 tbsp heaped basaar masala
- 2 tsp kashmiri chilli
- 1 tsp coriander powder, garam masala powder and smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric and black pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 measuring cup double cream
- 2 tbsp kasuri methi
- 50g butter
Method:
- In a large bowl, marinate the chicken thigh pieces with all the ingredients. Mix well, ensuring all the pieces are coated. Leave to marinate overnight or at for least 30 minutes.
- Air fry, grill or bake in the oven until the chicken pieces are cooked through and have slight char on the outside. I would do this at 180C. Set aside.
- For the masala, heat up a good amount of ghee and oil in a pan. Add the whole spices and cook for 30 seconds on medium heat.
- Add the onions, garlic and ginger and saute until caramelised. This will take between 10 to 15 mins, so add some water if needed.
- Pour in the passata and tomato puree and cook this one high for 2 minutes.
- Add all the listed spices and cook on medium high for 10-15 minutes, until the oil separates from the masala. You will need stir this frequently and add small amounts of water to prevent the masala sticking.
- Pour in the cooked chicken and any juices that it released. Continue to cook this in the masala on medium high for a further 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add 1 measuring cup of water and bring to a boil. Leave to boil for 2-3 minutes and then cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes.
- After this stage, turn up the heat and add the double cream, kasuri methi and butter, making sure to stir frequently. When the masala comes to a boil, cover and simmer on low for 5 – 10 minutes. If you want a thinner sauce, you can add a bit more water at this stage.
Tips:
- I recommend using chicken thigh pieces for this recipe as they are so tender.
- The stage when we are cooking off the spices in the masala is called “bhunning” or to “bhun”. This stage is crucial in making a good curry. It allows the spices to cook thoroughly and amalgamate with all the other ingredients in the masala.
- Adding fresh chillies and coriander at the end and stirring through will give a fresh and aromatic layer.