Bites of chicken marinated in yogurt and broiled before simmered in a creamy sauce, this Chicken Tikka Masala is so mouthwateringly delicious! It's full of juicy and tender chicken and the sauce is so rich and flavorful!
2poundsboneless skinless chicken breastscut into bite-size pieces (900g)
1cupplain yogurt(228g)
1tablespoongrated ginger
2garlic clovesminced
1tablespoonlemon juice
1teaspoonred Kashmiri chili powder
1teaspoongaram masala
1teaspoonground coriander
½teaspoonsalt
½teaspoonground cumin
¼teaspoonturmeric
For the Sauce:
3tablespoonsvegetable oil
1oniondiced (216g)
4garlic clovesminced
1tablespoongrated ginger
1tablespoonground coriander
2teaspoonssalt
2teaspoonsgaram masala
1½teaspoonsground cumin
1teaspoonred Kashmiri chili powder
¼teaspoonturmeric
2cupstomato puree(passata or sauce)(480mL)
1cupwaterif needed (240mL)
½cupheavy cream120mL
2tablespoonsfresh chopped cilantro
Instructions
For the Chicken Marinade:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken with all of the remaining marinade ingredients. Toss until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
For the Sauce:
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook until the onion is starting to brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the coriander, salt, garam masala, cumin, chili powder, and turmeric and cook until fragrant and toasted, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add the tomato puree and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer until thick and dark in color, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, position the oven rack directly under the broiler and preheat to High Broil.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack inside. Arrange the marinated chicken pieces in a single layer on the rack. Broil until the chicken is sticky and dark on the edges, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Once the tomato and spice mixture has thickened, stir in water and cream until smooth. Add chicken and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes.
Serve over hot cooked rice or with naan. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Notes
The longer you’re able to marinate the chicken, the better! The yogurt marinade helps to tenderize the meat and infuse it with flavor.
Make sure to cut the chicken as uniformly as possible, as it ensures the chicken cooks evenly.
Once you add the chicken to the sauce, don’t skip simmering it. Simmering everything together allows the flavors to develop and meld.
The chicken needs to be cooked on a rack due to the liquid released. This ensures the chicken does not get soggy and can brown nicely.
When cooking the onions, be patient and cook them until brown. This is key for developing deep, rich flavor in your sauce.