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 gravy gets its red, orange color from red food dye. We are not that big on food dyes here, so we’ve skipped it, but if you must have your curry looks orange red then feel free to add a bit of red food dye or add sufficient amount of Kashmiri chili powder which is not hot but it will give the 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 gravy gets its red, orange color from red food dye. We are not that big on food dyes here, so we’ve skipped it, but if you must have your curry looks orange red then feel free to add a bit of red food dye or add sufficient amount of Kashmiri chili powder which is not hot but it will give the color.
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 (Menugreek leaves)(optional)
1 Teaspoon red chili powder
½ Teaspoon turmeric powder
½ Teaspoon garam masala
1 Teaspoon salt or to your taste
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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 (Menugreek leaves)(optional)
1 Teaspoon red chili powder
½ Teaspoon turmeric powder
½ Teaspoon garam masala
1 Teaspoon salt or to your taste
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Boneless Chicken thighs
Garlic-minced
Butter-melted
Garam masala
Salt
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Ginger-grated
Yogurt
Red chili powder
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Lemon juice
Turmeric powder
Kasoori Methi
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Ingredients for gravy:
3 Medium size onions
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 Medium Tomatoes
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
1 Medium green chili or to taste
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 Medium Tomatoes
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
1 Medium green chili or to taste
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, green chili and coriander leaves
Coriander powder
Garam masala
Cashews
Salt
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Red chili powder
Kasoori Methi
Milk or Cream
Butter
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Turmeric powder
Yogurt
Coriander leaves
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Directions for Chicken marinade:
1. Wash the chicken well and keep in colander 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 colander so that all the water drains out. (If
you prefer not to wash the chicken then you may skip this step)
Wash Chicken pieces well
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Keep the chicken in colander
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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 1" to 1½" piece or
bigger. (I find it easier to cut Chicken with scissors then knife)
3. Trim the fat out of the chicken and cut Chicken thighs into 1" to 1½" piece or
bigger. (I find it easier to cut Chicken with scissors then knife)
Pat dry Chicken
Trim the fat and cut the chicken into pieces
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 butter
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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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Baked chicken
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Directions to prepare gravy :
1. Chop onions, ginger, garlic and green chilies.
1. Chop onions, ginger, garlic and green chilies.
Chopped onion
Sliced Garlic
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Chopped ginger
Chopped green chili
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2. Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan on medium heat.
3. Add chopped onions.
3. Add chopped onions.
Add oil in a pan and heat
Add chopped Onions
4. Add chopped garlic, chopped green chilies and chopped ginger and cashew
nut and sauté for 6 to 7 minutes or until onions is translucent but not brown
nut and sauté for 6 to 7 minutes or until onions is translucent but not brown
Add chopped Ginger, chopped green chilies, sliced Garlic & Cashews
Sauté onions and other ingredients
Onion and other ingredients sautéed
5. Add Coriander powder and fry for few second. Turn the stove off and allow
onions to cool for 10 minutes.
onions to cool for 10 minutes.
Add Coriander powder
Mix Coriander powder
Onion and other ingredients are sautéed
6. Transfer the sautéed onion mix in to blender and grind it to a paste. Add little
water at a time to lubricate the onions for grinding.
water at a time to lubricate the onions for grinding.
In the Blender add all sautéed onion & other ingredients & grind
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Onion & other ingredients are grinded
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7. In the same blender add chopped tomatoes and puree. Keep it aside.
Add chopped tomatoes in blender
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Grind Tomatoes
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8. In the same pan onions were fried heat 4 tablespoons of butter.
9. Transfer the onion paste in the pan and let it cook.
9. Transfer the onion paste in the pan and let it cook.
In a pan add butter and heat
Transfer the onion paste in the pan
Cover the pan & let the onion paste cook
10. Pour grinded Tomato puree into onion paste and mix it well.
Pour Tomato puree into the Onion paste
Tomato puree in the onion paste
Tomato puree in the onion paste
11.Add Yogurt and mix it well.
Add yogurt
Mix Yogurt with onion paste
12. Add chili powder and turmeric powder and mix it well.
Add red chili powder &Turmeric powder
Mix Red chili powder & Turmeric powder
13.With the yogurt and tomato sauce onion masala become watery, turn the heat
to medium high so that water dry up quickly while frequently stirring so that
onion masala does not burn.
14.The onion masala might splatter while cooking, cover the pan and let it cook.
Turn the heat to medium low.
to medium high so that water dry up quickly while frequently stirring so that
onion masala does not burn.
14.The onion masala might splatter while cooking, cover the pan and let it cook.
Turn the heat to medium low.
Cover the pan & cook onion masala
Onion masala splatter a lot
15. In about 20 to 25 minutes all the water will evaporate and you will start
seeing the oil that means Onion masala is done.
16. Add 2 cups of water mix with masala and cook for 10 to 12 minutes.
seeing the oil that means Onion masala is done.
16. Add 2 cups of water mix with masala and cook for 10 to 12 minutes.
Onion masala is ready
Add water in
onion masala
Mix water with onion masala & cook
Gravy is ready
17. Add salt and mix.
Add salt and mix
18.Add Garam masala and mix.
Add Garam masala and mix.
20. Take the dry kasoori Methi leaves (fenugreek leaves) and crush in between
your both palms and add to gravy and mix and cook for few minutes.
your both palms and add to gravy and mix and cook for few minutes.
Take some Kasoori Methi in your hand
Add Kasoori Methi in gravy
Mix Kasoori Methi with gravy
Gravy is ready
21. Add baked chicken in the gravy.
Add Baked Chicken pieces in gravy
Pour gravy over chicken pieces
Chicken pieces are covered with gravy
22. Cover the pan and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes. or until you have the
desired consistency of gravy.
23. If gravy seems to be thick then add some water and cook, until you have
the desired consistency of gravy.
24. Turn the stove off.
desired consistency of gravy.
23. If gravy seems to be thick then add some water and cook, until you have
the desired consistency of gravy.
24. Turn the stove off.
Cover the pan and cook
Chicken is cooked
25. 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
Mix cream with gravy
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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