Chicken Tikka Masala

My entire family loves Indian food. I wanted to make dinner for us one night and decided to try out this recipe. I made the tikka masala on a Sunday, knowing I would serve it on Monday. Sunday night I tried the dish and I thought it was ok, but then I re-heated it Monday night it was fantastic. The flavors really come out when you let it all sit together overnight. I would suggest making this ahead of time and serving it the following day. The sauce will be outstanding and the consistence will come out perfectly. I served this dish with rice, but you could have it with naan and even a raita or yogurt with cucumber. Make this one night ahead of time and enjoy this delicious homemade Indian food.


Adapted from Once Upon a Chef

For the Chicken:
1/2 cup whole milk plain yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2.5 pound chicken thighs, fat trimmed off and cut in to 2" pieces

For the sauce:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow or white onion, diced
1 tablespoon finely chopped or grated ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes (don't substitute another type here, you need the consistence of crushed tomatoes)
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Prepares the chicken by combining the yogurt, salt and spices in a bowl. Add the chicken and mix to cover all the chicken pieces. Cover your bowl and allow the chicken to marinate at least one hour, or overnight.

Preheat your broiler, with your oven rack set to the top shelf. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Spray your wire rack with nonstick cooking spray or oil. Place the chicken on the rack. Don't worry if pieces are touching. Spoon any additional marinade over the chicken pieces. Broil the chicken for 7 to 8 minutes until the top has browned. Do not flip the chicken during the broiling process.

In the meantime, prepare the sauce. In a large saucepan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and ginger and cook until soft, about 6 minutes. If you onion begins to brown, reduce your cooking heat slightly. Add the spices and mix, cooking another 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, cream, salt, sugar, pepper and water. Bring the sauce to a boil and lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer the sauce for 15 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken.

Add the chicken to the sauce and cook until the chicken is warmed through. I'd suggest re-heating the dish the following night for the best flavor. Top with cilantro before serving and enjoy with rice or naan. Pin It Now!