Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala can easily be your favorite Indian dish to make at home. I was hooked on chicken tikka masala some years back when my family and I went out to an Indian restaurant. The delicious buttery and tender chicken, full with aromatic spices in a creamy sauce is still a favorite. I love making it at home and serve it with rice and sometimes naan, its such an indulgence.

Chicken Tikka Masala

A few days ago my friend in college sent me a video of her making some chicken tikka masala and I had a sudden urge to make some as well.

This recipe calls for a number of spices, but they all add to the deep flavors of the tikka masala. This recipe is worth the raid on your spice cupboard.

4 Servings

You will need:

400g chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks 1 large onion, finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger 1 cup of tomato sauce 2 tablespoons cooking oil 1 tablespoon garam masala 2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons ground coriander 2 teaspoons paprika 1 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 bay leaves

1 cup coconut milk/heavy cream 2 tablespoons cornstarch/flour 1/2 lemon juice

Procedure:

Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces about 1 inch wide.

Place the chicken thigh pieces in a bowl. Add all ingredients except coconut milk, cornstarch and lemon juice. Using your hands, combine the chicken with the spices until the chicken is evenly coated.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the chicken marinate in the fridge for at least 45 minutes or as long as overnight. (Marinating for 4 to 6 hours is perfect.)

In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thigh pieces and cook for about 10 to 12 minutes, until they’re cooked through.

Add the coconut milk, cornstarch and lemon and mix with your spatula.

Let the chicken simmer for another 10 minutes on low heat.

Serve with cooked basmati rice and garnish with cilantro. Enjoy!