Chicken Tikka Masala (2024)

• Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are the best choice for the juiciest, most flavorful chicken that melts in your mouth. Chicken thighs are dark meat and therefore able to be charred at high heat while still remaining incredibly juicy.
• Plain yogurt: The calcium and lactic acid work together to break down the protein in the chicken, leaving it super tender. It also creates a thick coating which insulates the chicken from drying out while searing. Plain yogurt or full fat Greek yogurt will work.
• Lemon juice: You may use fresh or bottled. The citrus helps tenderize the chicken by breaking down lean muscle fibers and helps cut through the earthy seasonings.
• Aromatics: Garlic and ginger add crucial pungent flavoring to the chicken. Fresh is best but you may use 1 teaspoon each garlic powder and ground ginger in a bind.

• Garam Masala: this is the namesake of the masala sauce and cannot be skipped! It isa very common seasoning and can be found at your local grocery store located with the spices. It is a tantalizing combination of ground cumin, coriander, cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, ground cloves and nutmeg.
• Paprika: please use regular paprika and not smoked paprika or the smokiness will overwhelm the curry sauce!
• Chili powder: a blend made of chilipeppers and other spices including cumin, onion, garlicpowder; note Americanchili powderis NOT hot cayenne pepper.
• Cayenne pepper: you can make this recipe as mild or as spicy as you like depending on how much cayenne you add. ½ teaspoon will be mild and 1 teaspoon is medium.
• Coriander:earthy, tart, and sweet.
• Turmeric: earthy and bitter, with a bit of peppery spice.
• Cardamom: minty, citrusy, herbal and spicy
• Salt:use regular table salt. Enough salt is crucial to enhance the rest of the seasonings or your Tikka Masala will taste bland no matter how much it’s loaded with spices!

• Fire roasted crushed tomatoes: The type of tomatoes is crucial and makes a huge difference in the taste of the entire dish! Please use fire roasted crushed tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes. Fire roasted tomatoes have been roasted which gives them a complex smokiness, deeper flavor and lower acidity. In fact, they are so balanced and sweeter than regular tomatoes, you shouldn’t even have to add any sugar to the sauce! I highly recommend getting good quality(such as Cento Marzano®, Carmelina Marzano Italian®, or Muir Glen®)
• Heavy cream: This makes for a silky-smooth Tikka Masala Sauce and balances the tomatoes. If you want to keep things healthier, use an equal amount of evaporated milk instead.
• Aromatics: Onions, garlic and ginger are the building blocks of the sauce. Use yellow onion for the most flavor.

Tips for MAking the Best Tikka Masala

Follow the below tips and tricks for the most successful, restaurant worthy Chicken Tikka Masala recipe in the comfort of your home!

• Use chicken thighs. As discussed, chicken thighs are juicier, more tender and more flavorful resulting in a far superior finished dish.
• Use fresh aromatics. Use fresh onion, ginger, and garlic plus fresh cilantro for the most vibrant, well-rounded nuanced flavor. By using fresh onions, we’re able to caramelize them fist in the skillet which adds a smoky sweetness.
• Use plenty of salt. 2 ½ teaspoons may seem like a lot of salt – but we are making a full 2 pounds of chicken with a lot of sauce! The salt in the marinade allows for better flavor penetration and better juice retention when the chicken is cooked. In the sauce, it enhances everything! You can have all the spices in the world, but if you don’t enough salt, your dish will still taste bland. If you are watching your salt, however, then adjust to your needs, then salt to taste.
• Don’t chop the chicken too small. Aim for 1.5-inch chunks so that the chicken doesn’t cook all the way through when it’s first seared. It will finish cooking low in the tikka masala sauce, resulting in juicy pieces of chicken rather than tough and stringy ones. (Note, because thighs are thin, they will not be 1 ½ inches thick, just 1 ½ inches wide.)
• The longer you marinate, the better! The marinating chicken soaks up tons of flavor and also is tenderized thanks to the acidic yogurt. For the best flavor, marinate the chicken for 3 to 6 hours, or even better, overnight. However, if you’re short on time, you can marinate the chicken at room temperature for 30 – 45 minutes, and your dish will still be tasty.
• Char the chicken.Don’t be afraid of the crispy bits! Browning the chicken adds that undeniably delicious, trademark chargrilled flavor.
• Simmer the chicken gently. Once you add the chicken to the sauce, simmer it gently over low. You never want to simmer chicken at too high of heat or it will become tough and rubbery. Cook the chicken just for a couple minutes to cook through, it won’t take long because chicken thighs are so thin. If you’ve used chicken breasts, you’ll likely need to simmer longer.
• Adjust the spice! You can make this Chicken Tikka Masala as mild or as spicy as you like! My husband and I both prefer the recipe with a full 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper for medium-hot. However, if you don’t like much spice, reduce the cayenne and add more to taste.
• Control curry consistency. If the curry sauce is too thick, thin it out with chicken broth or water.
• To clean your blender: If you blend the tikka masala sauce in a blender, be aware it will stain due to the turmeric. You will need bleach to get it clean.
• To clean your cast iron enamel: Cleaning cast-iron enamel is a breeze! Fill it a little over halfway with water. Bring the water to a simmer then add 2 tablespoons baking soda. Using a long-handled dish brush, clean the skillet – any residue will come right off!

possible recipe variations

There is no “authentic” version of Tikka Masala, it varies from region to region, cook to cook, so feel free to mix it up however you like! Here are a few ideas:

• Make it spicy: 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper is medium, leaning towards medium-hot spice level, which should be perfect for those who like heat, but not fiery heat. If you want your mouth to be on fire, increase the cayenne pepper further.
• Grill the chicken: You can approximate the chargrilled flavor of the tandoori by grilling the chicken pieces until charred. Because the pieces are small, I suggest skewering the chicken first for easy rotating.
• Broil the chicken: Positiona rack directly under the broiler andpreheatto high.Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack inside.Arrangethechicken in a single layer ontherack and broil untilthechicken starts to brown in spots,3to6minutes per side(it will not be cooked through).
• Add vegetables: Substitute some of the chicken for your favorite vegetables such as cauliflower, zucchini, squash, eggplant, broccoli, mushrooms butternut squash, spinach, etc. If you’d like to use potatoes, par-cook first in the microwave by chopping into bite-size pieces. Place the potatoes and ⅓ cup water in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 6-7 minutes until fork tender. Drain and allow them to finish cooking with the sauce.
• Use roasted vegetables: For an even more complex-tasting dish, roast the veggies before tossing them with the tikka masala sauce.
• Swap the protein.You may use pork tenderloin or shrimp. For pork, follow the same instructions for the chicken. Shrimp, however, can’t sit in the marinade as long as chicken (otherwise it will become rubbery!). Marinate shrimp for no more than 30 minutes, then cook completely in the skillet. Stir the shrimp into the sauce just before serving to prevent it from overcooking.
• Use coconut milk: Swap the heavy cream for full fat coconut milk for a fantastic coconut infusion of flavor.
• Use whole tomatoes: Instead of fire roasted crushed tomatoes, simmer whole San Marzano tomatoes, crushing them as the sauce simmers. They are sweet with a lower acidity than regular tomatoes and taste fabulous.
• Use aromatic powders: If you don’t have fresh ginger and garlic on hand and need to make this recipe NOW (I get you), you may substitute with powders – 2 teaspoons each and equally divide between the marinade and the sauce.
• Use Kashmiri chili: This chili pepper is grown in the Kashmir region of India and often used in Tikka Masala. It’s bright red in color and has a very mild spice level. Its flavor is totally unique, so the closest approximation I can give you is that it tastes kind of like a blend of paprika and cayenne pepper.
• Make it lighter: Use half and half or evaporated milk in place of the heavy cream.
• Vegetarian Tikka Masala: Swap the chicken with chickpeas, extra firm tofu, paneer (detailed below) or your preferred blend of vegetables such as cauliflower, mushrooms, carrots, bell peppers, etc. To use tofu, start by draining excess moisture from the tofu by placing it in a pie plate, topping with a heavy plate and weighing down with 2 heavy cans (to release water). Set aside for 10 minutes then cut into ½-inch cubes.
• Paneer Tikka Masala: Substitute the chicken for paneer cheese. Paneer is a fresh Indian cheese that holds its shape and doesn’t melt, even after being cooked. It’s similar to halloumi, but softer and not as squeaky.
• Vegan Tikka Masala: Choose your preferred vegetarian protein substitute above and use dairy free yogurt and coconut milk instead of heavy cream.

what to serve with Chicken Tikka MAsala

I always serve this Tikka Masala recipe over hot steamed basmati rice with a showering of fresh cilantro and a side of naan breadto mop up the incredible sauce. Add a simple side salad or roasted vegetables for the perfect meal. Here are some tasty sides to choose from:

• Rice: I prefer nutty basmati rice for the Indian flavored dish, but any rice will work to mellow and absorb the flavorful sauce. Just pop the rice in your rice cooker for an easy side.
• Low carb options: cauliflower rice, quinoa, broccoli rice or a blend of brown rice and any of the aforementioned options. You can even use low-carb noodles such as zoodles orspaghetti squash.
• Bread: naan is fabulous to soak up the delectable sauce.Naan is a yeast-leavened Indian bread, traditionally baked in a tandoor, a clay oven, and is widely available at most grocery stores. Once you’ve secured your naan, you’ll want to warm it up a bit for optimal taste and texture (see how below).
• Condiment: serve with plenty ofdahi (a yogurt made from cow or water buffalo milk), cucumber raita (yogurt-based sauce) or yogurtto balance the heat and cut through the richness of the curry. You can make a simple raita (recipe below), or pick up Indian dahi (a brand called Desi Dahi is good) at the grocery store.
• Vegetable/Salad: a simple green salad, Ramen Salad or Asian Pineapple Salad would both be delicious or serve with roasted vegetables like roasted broccoli, roasted asparagus, or roasted cauliflower.
• Fruit: Pineapple, kiwis, mangos, grapes – pick your favs!

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