Chicken Tikka Masala (Print)
Juicy chicken hanging out in a cozy, spiced tomato cream sauce with fluffy rice and a pop of fresh cilantro on top.
# Ingredients:
→ Rice
01 -
1 cup basmati rice
→ Chicken
02 -
680 g chicken thighs without skin or bones, chopped into bite-sized pieces
03 -
Salt (kosher), as much as you’d like
04 -
Black pepper, freshly cracked, to your taste
→ Masala Sauce
05 -
3 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
06 -
1 tablespoon ginger, grated fresh
07 -
51 g thick tomato paste
08 -
1.5 teaspoons turmeric, ground
09 -
425 g smooth tomato sauce
10 -
1.5 teaspoons garam masala spice blend
11 -
1.5 teaspoons chili powder
12 -
70 g sweet onion, small dice
13 -
120 ml rich heavy cream
14 -
240 ml chicken stock
15 -
20 ml mild vegetable oil
→ Finishing
16 -
2 tablespoons cilantro, freshly chopped
# Steps:
01 -
Dish out that saucy chicken tikka masala on top of your fluffy rice. Sprinkle with plenty of fresh cilantro. Hand it out right away while it's hot.
02 -
Pour in the heavy cream and mix it in so everything’s nice and creamy. Let it warm up for about a minute.
03 -
Toss in the tomato sauce and chicken stock. Taste and see if you want more salt or pepper. Turn up the heat until it bubbles, then drop it to low. Give it a gentle simmer for ten minutes, giving it a stir every so often until it thickens up just a bit.
04 -
Add the tomato paste, chopped garlic, ginger, garam masala, chili powder, and turmeric. Let everything fry for about a minute till it starts smelling amazing.
05 -
Put vegetable oil in a big Dutch oven or stockpot on medium heat. Toss in your chicken pieces and the onions. Stir them up every once in a while till the chicken gets a little brown and the onions look soft, about 4 to 5 minutes.
06 -
Dump your chicken into a bowl with a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of pepper. Mix it up till all the pieces are seasoned.
07 -
Pour 2 cups water into a big saucepan and get it boiling. Add the basmati rice. Cook it like the packet says until it's fluffy. Keep it on the side and covered so it stays warm.
# Notes:
01 -
If you've got the time, soak the chicken with yogurt and spices for a few hours before cooking. That bumps up the taste big-time.