Chicken Tikka Masala with Charred Chicken and Creamy Tomato Sauce
By Emma Collins
Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Total
45 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
Choose bite-size pieces of boneless, skinless chicken breast. Chicken has few calories and is a good meat choice for this yogurt marinade recipe. Chicken tikka masala is a dish consisting of pieces of chicken that have been browned and served in a spiced sauce of tomatoes and onions and garam masala and other spices such as ginger and garlic.
The marinade ingredients are plain or Greek yogurt and lemon juice, cumin, garam masala, chili powder, ginger, and garlic. The pan used in the marinade is also used to make the sauce, whose ingredients are vegetable oil, butter, sweet onion, brown sugar, spices, tomato sauce, and heavy cream. Tomato sauce is added to the sauce as a thickener because it enhances the flavors of other ingredients and gives the sauce a pale orange color.
The chicken should not be disturbed for the first minute of cooking in hot oil to create a crust. Browned bits from the chicken are scraped into the softened onions before making the sauce. The most common mistake when cooking this dish is overcrowding the pan with chicken. Overcrowding can prevent the chicken from browning properly and instead cause it to steam. You might need to cook the chicken in more than one batch.
Serve hot sauce and chicken with cooked basmati rice and naan on the side. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Avoid adding cooked rice when storing leftovers to keep them from absorbing flavors from the sauce. Add a little water to the sauce only when it needs thinning after the chicken returns to the pan.
Why this recipe works
- Yogurt or other dairy products marinated with chicken provide acidity. Add lemon juice, ginger, and garlic to the marinade for small pieces of chicken.
- Garam masala, cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika are seasonings that can be used in small quantities to provide flavor and allow individual spices to be tasted in the sauce.
- Chicken breast is cut into smaller pieces to expose more surface area to the seasoning and help the cooked chicken pieces brown in the pan.
- Tomato sauce and heavy cream create a dark, thick liquid that takes on the flavors of the browned chicken without requiring much cooking time.
- A large sweet onion cooked in the fat and other juices from the meat adds sweetness that balances the flavors of tomato, chili powder, and other spices.
- Basmati rice and naan bread are suggested side dishes for this recipe. Both pair well with the curry sauce and keep the charred chicken as the centerpiece.
Ingredients
- •1 cup plain yogurt or Greek yogurt
- •2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- •1 ½ tsp cumin
- •1 tsp garam masala
- •½ tsp red chili powder (not cayenne pepper)
- •1 tsp salt
- •2 tsp fresh ginger (grated)
- •2 tsp garlic (finely minced)
- •1 ½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (cut into small bite-sized pieces)
- •2 tbsp vegetable oil
- •2 tbsp butter
- •1 large sweet onion (finely diced)
- •2 tsp ginger (grated)
- •2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- •2 tsp brown sugar
- •1 tsp ground coriander
- •1 tsp cumin
- •1 tsp smoked paprika
- •1 tsp garam masala
- •8 oz can tomato sauce (unseasoned)
- •1 ¼ cups heavy cream
- •¼ cup water (only if needed)
- •cilantro (chopped, for garnish)
- •naan bread
- •basmati rice (cooked)
Instructions
- 1
In a bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the marinade; add the chicken and toss to coat.
- 2
Let the chicken marinate for 1 hour, ideally overnight in the refrigerator if time permits.
- 3
Warm the oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat.
- 4
Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken pieces in batches if necessary, making sure not to crowd the pan.
- 5
Let the chicken fry untouched for 1 minute to develop a crust, then sauté until browned, about 5 more minutes.
- 6
Set the chicken aside and keep warm.
- 7
Melt the butter in the same pan.
- 8
Sauté the onions until soft, about 3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- 9
Add the ginger and garlic; sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 10
Add the brown sugar, coriander, cumin, paprika, garam masala, and salt. Stir occasionally for about 15 seconds until fragrant.
- 11
Pour in the tomato sauce and simmer gently for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and deepens in color.
- 12
Stir in the cream until incorporated.
- 13
Add the partially cooked chicken and its juices back to the pan; cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and bubbling.
- 14
Pour in the water to thin the sauce only if necessary.
- 15
Serve over cooked basmati rice with naan bread and garnish with chopped cilantro.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
667
Protein
42g
Fat
47g
Carbs
20g
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