Creamy Chicken Tikka Masala | Restaurant Style Recipe

meat & seafoodpoultrylunchdinnerindianindian non-veg

Jun 25

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Screen Shot 2021-06-25 at 9.24.01 AM.png — **Chicken Tikka Masala**, a favourite of the Brits and it’s popular all across the world! This dish requires no introduction.

Chicken tikka masala is one of those dishes that pleases everyone’s palettes. Featuring our favourite tandoori style chicken tikka recipe and a chunky, sweet and spicy tomato, cream sauce. Get your curry on with your favourite bread, scoop up a piece of that succulent chicken and chomp on.

Chicken Thighs or Chicken Breast?

Chicken thighs are my first choice if I am planning a special meal. It is much more tender and does not have the potential to try out as chicken breast does. Also, due to the fat content, the thighs are practically self-basting and don’t require additional help like chicken breast.

On the other hand, chicken breast is great if you want a quick lunch or if you are looking to get the extra boost of protein. It still tastes great with this marinade and can be substituted easily. See it in action in my Deconstructed Tikka Masala Bowl which is perfect for a healthy lunch that will satisfy your chicken tikka masala cravings!

A combination of the two can work as well, just keep in mind that chicken breast and thighs have varying cooking times.

Puréed or Not?

A quick Google search for chicken tikka masala will show you pictures that look so good, you may wanna lick your screen. Now, try another Google search for butter chicken. Do you notice anything?

You cannot pick them apart, both look the same.

While they don’t taste the same, from my experience pureeing the sauce takes away from the “masala” part of chicken tikka masala. This in no way is a traditional recipe for chicken tikka masala, if that even exists, since the history of this dish reportedly has multiple origins. But, this recipe attempts to set itself apart and go head on against any butter chicken without impersonating the latter.

The best way to describe this gravy would be a thick, creamy and chunky gravy with onions, tomatoes and chicken tikka.

Tips for the best chicken tikka masala ever

Here are some essential tips to keep in mind in order to make the best Chicken Tikka Masala you’ve ever had! Yes, after making this recipe, I quite literally believe this is the best I’ve ever had in my life - not to kiss my own butt or anything :)

Sauté the veggies at a very high heat in order to get a nice char on them. They won’t be mushy, but they’ll become a little soft.
Keep stirring the tomatoes so that they don’t get burnt.
Keep a close eye on the chicken while it’s under the broiler. If you don’t feel comfortable broiling the chicken is cooking, turn off the heat on your sauce and pay attention to your chicken.
You could also cook the Chicken Tikkas on the barbecue or in a cast iron pan. For more information on cooking the chicken tikkas in a cast iron pan, check out the Chicken Tikka recipe here.
To serve the chicken tikkas as an appetizer, baste with butter for additional smokiness and to keep meat moist.
Use 10% cream since it’s lighter and not as rich as heavy cream. This is good to thin the gravy out and to adjust its consistency gradually.
For presentation, set some of the sautéed veggies aside for decoration to be used in the final plating.

How to Prepare Chicken Tikka Masala

Prepare the chicken tikka as described in my The BEST Chicken Tikka at Home.

Heat a wok on medium-high heat and add oil, sauté peppers, onion and tomato for 3-4 minutes. The veggies should get some colour but should still remain crisp. Transfer veggies to a plate and reserve for garnish.

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In the same wok, add butter and the remaining oil. Add cumin seeds and roast until they begin to change colour and become aromatic.

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Add the chopped onions, a pinch of salt and sauté until soft. Stir often to ensure the onions don’t get too brown. Add chopped ginger and garlic , and cook until the rawness of the ginger and garlic has cooked out.

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Add fresh tomatoes, turmeric and ground coriander, mix well and cook until tomatoes are on the verge of breaking down.

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Add passata and deggi mirch, stir well and cook for 7-8 minutes.

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Add ground cardamom and honey, cook for about 30 seconds.

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Add hand crushed kasoori methi/dried fenugreek leaves, simmer for 30 more seconds.

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Add cream, mix well and toss in the chicken tikka pieces and sautéed veggies from step 1. Simmer for 1-2 minutes to achieve the desired consistency and serve hot.

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What to Serve with Chicken Tikka Masala

There are so many options for you to enjoy this royal meal! Here are my recommendations:

If you’re really craving the taste of the Chicken Tikkas on their own, certainly serve them as an appetizer before you indulge in your main!!

Watch how to Make Creamy Chicken Tikka Masala here:

Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cookingwithanadi. Thank you!

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Indian, North Indian

Indian, North Indian, British

Restaurant-Style Indian Chicken Tikka Masala | How to Make Authentic Chicken Tikka Masala at Homehttps://youtu.be/8Ul0NGTJuNYHow to make restaurant-style Indian chicken tikka masala at home. Chicken tikka masala is a staple North Indian restaurant dish. This homemade chicken tikka masala recipe features oven-broiled tandoori-style chicken tikka thighs, paired with an aromatic tomato gravy. Learn how to make the best chicken tikka masala with this recipe!2021-06-25

Yield: 4

Author: Anadi

Creamy Chicken Tikka Masala | Restaurant Style Recipe

Chicken Tikka Masala, a favourite of the Brits and it’s popular all across the world! This dish requires no introduction.

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 35 Mininactive time: 15 MinTotal time: 1 Hour

Ingredients

For the chicken tikka

1 x Best Chicken Tikka at Home

For the garnish

1/2 large tomato, pulp removed and cut in chunks
1/2 green pepper, cut in large chunks
1/2 medium onion, cut in large chunks
1 Tbsp olive oil

For the sauce

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 medium onion, finely diced
4-5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 inch ginger, finely chopped
1 medium tomato, roughly diced
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 1/3 Cup passata/strained tomatoes (about 330 ml)
1/2 Tbsp deggi mirch
1-2 Tbsp honey
pinch of ground green cardamom
1 Tbsp kasoori methi/dried fenugreek leaves
1 Cup 10% half and half cream
salt to taste

Instructions

For the garnish

Heat a wok on medium-high heat and add oil.
Add tomato, pepper and onion and stir well. Cook for about 3 minutes while stirring occasionally. The vegetables should have a light sear and still be crisp.
Set the vegetables aside in a bowl and place wok back on the heat to prepare the sauce.

For the Tikka Masala Sauce

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter in same wok as garnish on medium heat. Add cumin seeds and cook for 1-2 minutes or until aromatic.
Add onions, pinch of salt and sauté until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook for 3-4 more minutes.
Add tomatoes, the juices released will help de-glaze the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes and add turmeric and coriander. Mix well and cook until tomatoes are on the verge of breaking down.
Add passata and bring to a simmer on medium heat. Then, add in a pinch of salt and deggi mirch and cook for 7 - 8 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced and is released from the pan easily. Stir occasionally to ensure sauce does not burn.
Add 1 Tbsp of honey and pinch of green cardamom. Mix well and taste, add more honey if you prefer the sauce to be sweeter. Cook for about 30 seconds
Crush the kasoori methi/dried fenugreek leaves between the palm of your hands and add to the sauce, mix well. Cook for 30 seconds.
Pour in cream and mix well. Add pieces of the cooked chicken tikka, and season to taste. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.
To serve, add the vegetables from the garnish prep from earlier and serve hot.

Notes:

You can prepare the recipe for Chicken Tikka - Oven Broiled Tandoori Style while the sauce is cooking or marinate the chicken the day before. Total time does not include time to make and cook the Chicken Tikka.