Chicken Tikka Masala
Charred, spiced chicken in a rich, velvety tomato-cream sauce. The kind of curry that earns a permanent spot in the weeknight rotation.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbboneless skinless chicken thighs(cut into 2-inch pieces)
- 1 cupplain whole-milk yogurt
- 1 ½ tspgaram masala
- 1 tspground cumin
- 1 tspground turmeric
- 1 tspKashmiri chili powder(or mild paprika for less heat)
- 1 tspfine salt
- 2 tbspneutral oil(divided)
- 1 mediumyellow onion(finely diced)
- 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
- 1 tbspfresh ginger(finely grated)
- 1 tbsptomato paste
- 1 cancrushed tomatoes(28 oz)
- 1 tspsugar
- 1 cupheavy cream
- 2 tbspunsalted butter
- ¼ cupfresh cilantro(roughly chopped, for serving)
Method
- 01
Combine the 1 cup yogurt, 1 ½ tsp garam masala, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder, and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl. Add the 1 ½ lb chicken thighs and toss until fully coated. Marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 8 hours refrigerated.
- 02
Set an oven rack 6 inches from the broiler and preheat the broiler to high. Arrange the marinated chicken in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet.
- 03
Broil the chicken for 10–12 minutes, flipping once halfway, until deeply charred in spots and just cooked through. Set aside — do not discard the juices on the pan.
- 04
While the chicken broils, heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the 1 medium yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until soft and golden.
- 05
Add the 4 cloves garlic and 1 tbsp fresh ginger to the onion. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- 06
Push the aromatics to the side and add the 1 tbsp tomato paste directly to the bare pan. Let it fry undisturbed for 1 minute until it darkens slightly, then stir it into the onion mixture.
- 07
Pour in the 28 oz crushed tomatoes and add the 1 tsp sugar. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the oil begins to separate at the edges.
- 08
Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until smooth directly in the pan, or carefully transfer to a blender in batches. Return the sauce to the skillet over low heat.
- 09
Stir in the 1 cup heavy cream and 2 tbsp unsalted butter. Simmer gently for 5 minutes until the sauce is silky and a deep rust-orange color.
- 10
Cut the broiled chicken into bite-sized pieces if needed and add them to the sauce along with any resting juices from the baking sheet. Simmer for 5 minutes to let the chicken absorb the sauce.
- 11
Taste and adjust salt. Serve over basmati rice or with naan, topped with the ¼ cup fresh cilantro.
Adapted from public domain & community sources