Chicken Tikka masala
Chicken tikka masala is all time favorite, not only it is popular in India but served in restaurants around the globe. It is a traditional Indian chicken dish which is full of flavor and color.
The word Tikka means pieces or bits and chicken tikka is made of boneless chicken pieces marinated in yogurt and spices, then roasted in tandoor oven to give it a smoky and charred flavor and then added to thick spicy orange color gravy.
There are different versions of cooking chicken tikka masala but two elements remain common, the chicken chunks are first roasted then cooked in spicy rich gravy. Grilling or roasting the chicken enhances the flavor of the dish. This dish is extremely tasty, easy to make and can be eaten all year round.
The word Tikka means pieces or bits and chicken tikka is made of boneless chicken pieces marinated in yogurt and spices, then roasted in tandoor oven to give it a smoky and charred flavor and then added to thick spicy orange color gravy.
There are different versions of cooking chicken tikka masala but two elements remain common, the chicken chunks are first roasted then cooked in spicy rich gravy. Grilling or roasting the chicken enhances the flavor of the dish. This dish is extremely tasty, easy to make and can be eaten all year round.
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Ingredients for marinade:
2 Pounds of boneless chicken breast or boneless thighs 1 Tablespoon mince garlic 2 Teaspoons lemon Juice 1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger 1 Tablespoon ghee or melted butter 1 Cup plain hung thick yogurt or thick Greek style yogurt 2 Teaspoon crushed kasoori methi (fenugreek leaves)(optional) ½ Teaspoon turmeric powder ½ Teaspoon garam masala 1½ Teaspoon salt or to your taste Few drops of red color -optional Cooking measurement conversion Measurement converter |
Chicken Boneless Thighs
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Ingredients for gravy:
3 Medium size onions
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 2 Medium Tomatoes - Pureed
½ Cup plain yogurt
2 Teaspoons coriander powder
½ Teaspoon red chili powder
½ Teaspoon turmeric powder
½ Teaspoon garam masala or to your taste
2 Small Bay leaves
4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1 Medium green chili – fine chopped
2 Tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
2 Teaspoon crushed kasoori methi
15 Cashew nuts (raw unsalted)
½ Cup light or heavy cream - (optional)
1 Teaspoon salt or to your taste
3 Medium size onions
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 2 Medium Tomatoes - Pureed
½ Cup plain yogurt
2 Teaspoons coriander powder
½ Teaspoon red chili powder
½ Teaspoon turmeric powder
½ Teaspoon garam masala or to your taste
2 Small Bay leaves
4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1 Medium green chili – fine chopped
2 Tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
2 Teaspoon crushed kasoori methi
15 Cashew nuts (raw unsalted)
½ Cup light or heavy cream - (optional)
1 Teaspoon salt or to your taste
Onions, Tomatoes, Garlic, Ginger, Yogurt, Bay leaves, Coriander leaves & Green chili
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Cream and cashews
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Directions for Chicken marinade:
1. Wash the chicken well and keep in strainer so that all the water drains out. (If
you prefer not to wash the chicken then you may skip this step)
1. Wash the chicken well and keep in strainer so that all the water drains out. (If
you prefer not to wash the chicken then you may skip this step)
Wash chicken well
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Keep the Chicken in strainer
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2. With a paper towel pat dry Chicken pieces.
3. Trim the fat out of the chicken and cut Chicken thighs into one-inch piece.
(I find it easier to cut Chicken with scissors then knife)
3. Trim the fat out of the chicken and cut Chicken thighs into one-inch piece.
(I find it easier to cut Chicken with scissors then knife)
Pat dry Chicken
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Cut the chicken into pieces
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4. In a large bowl, add yogurt, grated ginger, minced garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, red
chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, kasoori methi and melted butter
or ghee and mix them together and make a smooth paste.
chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, kasoori methi and melted butter
or ghee and mix them together and make a smooth paste.
Chicken pieces
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Add yogurt & marinade ingredients
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Add lemon juice
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Add all marinate ingredients in yogurt
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5. Add chicken in the bowl (make sure Chicken is not watery, otherwise
marinade gets watery). Mix chicken with the paste well so that they have a
good coating of marinade.
marinade gets watery). Mix chicken with the paste well so that they have a
good coating of marinade.
Mix all the ingredients in yogurt
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Add chicken in marinade
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cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to
marinate overnight. (If you do not have time then marinate as long as you can
marinate overnight. (If you do not have time then marinate as long as you can
Mix chicken in marinade
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Cover the bowl
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Directions for grilling Chicken tikka
Chicken could be baked in the oven or baked on the charcoal or gas barbecue
grill. If oven or grill is not available then chicken pieces could be cooked on the
stove in a frying pan. No matter which way you choose to grill chicken, cook on
high heat because you want to get the outside lightly charred, but you don't want
to cook the chicken all the way through as it will finish cooking in the sauce. If you cook it completely now, it will get overcooked in the sauce.
1. Heat a frying pan and grease it.
2. Spread the marinated Chicken pieces in the frying pan.
3. Fry chicken on high flame till all the moisture evaporates. Keep turning
chicken pieces to prevent burning. Don’t need to over cook chicken because it
will also cook in the gravy.
Chicken could be baked in the oven or baked on the charcoal or gas barbecue
grill. If oven or grill is not available then chicken pieces could be cooked on the
stove in a frying pan. No matter which way you choose to grill chicken, cook on
high heat because you want to get the outside lightly charred, but you don't want
to cook the chicken all the way through as it will finish cooking in the sauce. If you cook it completely now, it will get overcooked in the sauce.
1. Heat a frying pan and grease it.
2. Spread the marinated Chicken pieces in the frying pan.
3. Fry chicken on high flame till all the moisture evaporates. Keep turning
chicken pieces to prevent burning. Don’t need to over cook chicken because it
will also cook in the gravy.
Heat and grease the pan
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Spread chicken pieces in the pan
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Chicken is baked
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Chicken is baked
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Directions to prepare gravy :
1. Soak the cashews in the hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Use a food chopper or blender to mince the onions and garlic. Mixture should
be Coarse.
1. Soak the cashews in the hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Use a food chopper or blender to mince the onions and garlic. Mixture should
be Coarse.
Soak cashews in hot water
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In a chopper add onions & garlic
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3. On high heat add the oil in a nonstick frying pan or in a sauce pan, add minced
onions and garlic and saute, while periodically stirring.
onions and garlic and saute, while periodically stirring.
Mince onions and garlic
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In a pan add oil and minced onions
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4. Onions will have a lot of water so for the first 8 to 10 minutes keep the heat
high so that all the onion water evaporates quickly.
5. Once the onion water has evaporated turn the heat down to medium and let
the onions fry for 8 to 9 minutes, frequently stir the onions.
6. While onion mixture cooks add the soaked cashew and chopped Tomatoes
in the same food chopper or Blander and grind them.
high so that all the onion water evaporates quickly.
5. Once the onion water has evaporated turn the heat down to medium and let
the onions fry for 8 to 9 minutes, frequently stir the onions.
6. While onion mixture cooks add the soaked cashew and chopped Tomatoes
in the same food chopper or Blander and grind them.
Mix onion with oil and fry
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In the chopper add tomatoes & cashews
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Grind tomatoes & cashews
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Tomato cashew paste
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6. Once the onions become light brown add coriander powder, red chili powder,
turmeric powder and mix with the onions and fry for few seconds.
turmeric powder and mix with the onions and fry for few seconds.
Onions become light brown
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Add Coriander powder, Red chili powder & Turmeric powder
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7. Add tomato cashew puree mix and yogurt to the onion masala. With the
tomato puree and yogurt onion masala become watery turn the heat high for
2 to 3 minutes, so that water evaporates quickly. Frequently keep stirring the
onion masala, turn the heat down to medium.
tomato puree and yogurt onion masala become watery turn the heat high for
2 to 3 minutes, so that water evaporates quickly. Frequently keep stirring the
onion masala, turn the heat down to medium.
Mix spices with fried onions & fry
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Add Tomato and cashew paste
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Mix tomato paste with fried onions & spices
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Add Yogurt
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8. In about 5 to 6 minutes tomato puree and onion will blend together.
9. Once all the water has evaporated and you see the oil in pan that means the
onion masala is done.
9. Once all the water has evaporated and you see the oil in pan that means the
onion masala is done.
Mix Yogurt with all the ingredients
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Onion masala is done
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10. Add two cup of water, 1 teaspoon salt and bay leaves in the onion masala and
mix and cover the pan and cook the gravy for 15 minutes, while cooking
periodically stir the gravy.
mix and cover the pan and cook the gravy for 15 minutes, while cooking
periodically stir the gravy.
Add water, bay leaves & salt & mix
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Cover the pan and cook
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11. Once gravy is cooked, add grated ginger, chopped green chilies and
garam masala and mix.
garam masala and mix.
Gravy is cooked
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Add grated ginger & green chilies & mix
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12. Take some Kasoori Methi and crush it between your palm and add it to the
gravy and mix it and cook for another 5 minutes.
gravy and mix it and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add garam masala and mix
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Take Kasoori Methi & crush
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Add Kasoori Methi & mix
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Gravy is ready
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13. Once gravy is cooked add grilled Chicken tikkas, add another cup of water
or as needed cover the pan and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until you have
desired consistency of gravy. Turn the stove off.
or as needed cover the pan and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until you have
desired consistency of gravy. Turn the stove off.
Add baked or grilled chicken pieces
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Cover chicken with gravy
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Cover the pan and cook
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chicken tikka is cooked
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14. When ready to serve heat the chicken in the end add cream, heat for about 2
minutes, turn the heat off, make sure that you do not over heat the cream,
overheating spoil the cream, and cream change to ghee and alter the taste of
the dish. This is the reason why the cream is added at the end when is ready to
be served. Remove from the stove and transfer into serving dish and garnish
with chopped coriander leaves.
minutes, turn the heat off, make sure that you do not over heat the cream,
overheating spoil the cream, and cream change to ghee and alter the taste of
the dish. This is the reason why the cream is added at the end when is ready to
be served. Remove from the stove and transfer into serving dish and garnish
with chopped coriander leaves.
Add cream and mix
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Chicken tikka is cooked
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Chicken Tikka Masala
Tips:
1. Instead of cream ½ cup of whole milk could be added when boiling the gravy
before adding the chicken.
2. You could grill the chicken in the oven but you may not have the flavor of
barbecue. You could also sauté chicken in fry pan.
3. Tandoori chicken masala can be purchased from any Indian grocery store.
4. Hung yogurt is thick yogurt which is good for marinating. If you do not have thick yogurt, take plain yogurt, line a strainer with a cloth or a kitchen towel, put the strainer inside a mixing bowl. The bottom of the strainer must be suspended at least 1 inch above the bottom of the mixing bowl. Pour the yogurt in the strainer and place it in the refrigerator and leave it for 2 hours or until all the liquid has drips out of the cloth into the bowl. Scoop out the yogurt and it is ready to be used.
1. Instead of cream ½ cup of whole milk could be added when boiling the gravy
before adding the chicken.
2. You could grill the chicken in the oven but you may not have the flavor of
barbecue. You could also sauté chicken in fry pan.
3. Tandoori chicken masala can be purchased from any Indian grocery store.
4. Hung yogurt is thick yogurt which is good for marinating. If you do not have thick yogurt, take plain yogurt, line a strainer with a cloth or a kitchen towel, put the strainer inside a mixing bowl. The bottom of the strainer must be suspended at least 1 inch above the bottom of the mixing bowl. Pour the yogurt in the strainer and place it in the refrigerator and leave it for 2 hours or until all the liquid has drips out of the cloth into the bowl. Scoop out the yogurt and it is ready to be used.
Directions for grilling the Chicken Tikka:
1. If using a charcoal grill, then light the charcoals and let the grill become
medium hot.
2. If using a gas grill, preheat the grill on high heat, keep the lid close, when
the grill become hot reduce the heat to medium.
3. While grill heats thread the chicken pieces on to skewers.
4. Once the grill is ready take the skewers and place them over the grate of the
barbecue grill. keep them approximately 3 " apart leaving space to turn them
while cooking.
5. Periodically keep turning the skewers after every 2 to 3 minutes, grill for 10
to 12 minutes, or until chicken is cooked, while cooking with the brush
keep basting the chicken pieces. Do not overcook otherwise chicken
become hard.
6. Once chicken is cooked take them out of the skewers and place them in a
plate. Keep them aside.
1. If using a charcoal grill, then light the charcoals and let the grill become
medium hot.
2. If using a gas grill, preheat the grill on high heat, keep the lid close, when
the grill become hot reduce the heat to medium.
3. While grill heats thread the chicken pieces on to skewers.
4. Once the grill is ready take the skewers and place them over the grate of the
barbecue grill. keep them approximately 3 " apart leaving space to turn them
while cooking.
5. Periodically keep turning the skewers after every 2 to 3 minutes, grill for 10
to 12 minutes, or until chicken is cooked, while cooking with the brush
keep basting the chicken pieces. Do not overcook otherwise chicken
become hard.
6. Once chicken is cooked take them out of the skewers and place them in a
plate. Keep them aside.
Chicken pieces on skewers
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Place the Chicken skewers on the grill
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7. If you do not have a grill then you can bake the chicken in the frying pan or
bake in the oven.
bake in the oven.
Place chicken skewers in oven & bake
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Bake chicken in oven on oven tray
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Please take the time to let me know what you think about my recipe. Your comments would be helpful to me to improve the recipe.
Thank you
Geeta Seth
Thank you
Geeta Seth
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