To Serve Man

Chicken Tikka Masala

Indian 6 servings 30 minutes prep 45 minutes cook Medium

Rich, creamy tomato curry with spiced yogurt-marinated chicken. Restaurant quality at home.

indian curry spicy chicken

Ingredients

  • plain yogurt (1 cup)
  • garam masala (2 tsp)
  • ground cumin (1 tsp)
  • turmeric (1 tsp)
  • salt (1 tsp)
  • chicken thighs (2 lbs, boneless skinless)
  • vegetable oil (3 tbsp)
  • onion (1, diced)
  • garlic (4 cloves, minced)
  • ginger (2 tbsp, fresh grated)
  • ground coriander (1 tsp)
  • paprika (1 tsp)
  • cayenne pepper (1/2 tsp)
  • crushed tomatoes (28 oz can)
  • water (1 cup)
  • heavy cream (1 cup)
  • fresh cilantro (1/4 cup, chopped)
  • basmati rice
  • naan

Instructions

Marinate the chicken

  1. In a bowl, combine plain yogurt, garam masala, ground cumin, turmeric, and salt.
  2. Cut chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. Add to yogurt mixture and marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

Make the sauce

  1. Heat vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 8 minutes.
  2. Add garlic, ginger, garam masala, ground coriander, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Stir in crushed tomatoes and water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.

Cook the chicken

  1. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over high heat. Remove chicken from marinade (discard marinade) and cook in batches until browned, about 3 minutes per side.
  2. Add browned chicken to the sauce. Stir in heavy cream and simmer for 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
  3. Finish with fresh cilantro and serve with basmati rice or naan.