Homemade Chicken Tikka Masala

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If you love India’s richly flavored recipes or looking for a different chicken meal, you should definitely try this Homemade Chicken Tikka Masala Curry recipe.

What is garam masala?

Garam masala is a blend of spices, often used in Indian cuisine. It is used in a variety of dishes including curry, lentil and soups. All though packaged are available, making your own garam masala spice blend will make a huge difference as spices tend to loose their flavor when pre-processed. Garam Masala, means hot spices in English, making your own Garam Masala blend of spices also lets you adjust the hotness.

What is garam masala made of?

Garam Masala is one of those recipes that almost everyone has their own way of preparing it. Here is what we have used and achieved the flavors we really enjoyed and found fit to share:

Cardamom, cassia, bay leaves, black pepper corns, cloves, cumin seeds, mace, and nutmeg . Measure the amount listed in the recipe card below. Toast all these spices in a skillet until they start to release their aromatic flavors. Then, ground to a powder using a mortal and pester.

How to make a chicken marinade?

For this recipe I have used boneless and skinless chicken. Pat dried the chicken with kitchen towels, then cut to bite sized pieces. Prepared a large enough bowl with yogurt, grated ginger, garlic cloves and spices listed in the recipe. Mix to blend with the chicken chunks, cover and let rest in the fridge at least for 3 hours. You can prepare the night before for even better results.

How to make tikka masala chicken curry?

Use a deep pot. First heat up the pot slightly and then add the butter and the olive oil to heat too. Then add the chicken and cook it just partially until it changes color on all sides. Then take the chicken out and set aside, to wait for the curry.

Add chopped onion and remaining garlic and ginger to the pot. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add tomato paste and the rest of all the spices. Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until the tomato paste gains a rich and dark red color. Add the crushed tomatoes. Scrape the bottom of the pan. Cook for 10 minutes. Add heavy or sour cream. Mix to blend and let simmer for about 50 minutes.

Finally drop in the chicken and cook for last 10 minutes. This dish can be pre-prepared and keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Garnish with chopped parsley or coriander.

Serve with a delicious rice pilaf and enjoy this warming and very filling Chicken Tikka Masala dish.

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Homemade Chicken Tikka Masala

Heart warming, filling, makes plenty a must try recipe.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8 persons

Calories 200kcal

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1 kilogram chicken thigh boneless skinless

Chicken Marinade

• 1 cup yogurt plain
• 2 teaspoons ginger grated
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 4 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

Garam Masala

• 25 grams cardamom
• 25 grams cassia
• 25 grams black pepper corns
• 10 grams cumin seeds
• 2 blades mace
• 10 grams cloves
• 5 grams nutmeg
• 2 bay leaves

Garam Masala Curry

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 teaspoons ginger grated
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 2 teaspoons garam masala blend
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes to taste
• 3 tablespoons red pepper paste
• 2 teaspoons dry coriander
• 600 grams chopped tomato canned
• 2 cups sour cream or heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon parsley chopped

Instructions

Chicken

• Pat dry the chicken with paper towels.
• Dice into bite size pieces.

Chicken Marinade

• Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl.
• Toss in the chicken dices and mix to blend.
• Cover and keep in the fridge for minimum to 3 hours. If you have time make and let rest for a fortnight.

Garam Masala

• Roast the listed spices all together on a dry pan over medium heat until you can smell the aromatic flavors and then ground them all up using a mortar and pestle.

Garam Masala Curry

• Choose a deep pot. Heat slightly and then add the olive oil and the butter to heat too.
• Add the diced chicken together with its marinade and cook shortly just enough that the chicken changes color on all sides.
• Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside until the curry is ready.
• Add the chopped onion to the main pot sauté until the onion is translucent for about 5 minutes. Only then add the ginger and the garlic and cook altogether for another minute.
• Add tomato paste and the rest of all the spices. Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until the tomato paste gains a rich and dark red color.
• Add the crushed tomatoes. With the help of these tomatoes make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. Cook for another 10 minutes.
• Then add the cream of your choice and mix to blend. Let simmer for 30 minutes. Mix occasionally. Add a little warm – about 100 millilitres – water if too thick.
• Drop in the chicken dices and mix well. Cook until the inside temperature of the chicken dices reach 70°Celsius (160° F). Should take about 10 minutes.
• Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or coriander.
• Serve with rice and enjoy!