Recipe #35: Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken tikka masala is a classic dish and it’s usually people’s first taste of Indian food, but did you know this is actually a very British dish? All I can say is, whoever created this dish, thank you. It’s as comforting as it gets. It also seems simple enough to make, but it takes several steps, lots of ingredients, and hours to develop proper flavor.

For the marinade:
2 lb chicken breast, cubed
1.5 cups whole milk yogurt
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp himalayan salt
1 tbsp black pepper
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ginger powder
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp chili powder

For the curry:
2 cups tomato sauce
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 onion, chopped
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp himalayan salt
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp cumin seeds
a few tbsp of coconut oil

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl until spices and yogurt are evenly distributed. Cover with plastic wrap and keep in fridge for 24 hours (but I recommend at least 8 hours).

Next, cook the chicken with 1 tbsp coconut oil on medium-high heat in a large sauté pan or pot. Put aside.

Using the same pan or pot, sauté onion, ginger and garlic with 1 tbsp coconut oil for 3 – 4 minutes.

Next, add in tomato sauce and the rest of the seasonings and keep stirring for 10 minutes, making sure to scrape the bottom as you stir.

Then, add in the heavy cream and put heat on low. add the chicken back to the pot.

Allow to simmer, stirring every 5 minutes, for 45 minutes. serve with basmati rice, warm naan and a tomato cucumber salad. this recipe makes 6 servings. Enjoooy! ❤️

Click this link to see me make chicken tikka masala!