Best Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe (Rich & Creamy Sauce)
INGREDIENTS
Marinating Chicken:
- 1 pound boneless skinless fresh chicken breasts
- 7 ounces plain 2% fat greek yogurt (I use the Fage brand; do not use regular yogurt)
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Sauce:
- 15 ounces canned unsalted plain tomato sauce (not pasta sauce)
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 teaspoons garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne (this yields medium spiciness, and can be substituted with 1 diced jalapeño with seeds removed)
Serving:
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
INSTRUCTIONS
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Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Trim off excess fat, if any. Cut them into bite-sized chunks, about 1/2 to 1 inch in size.
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In a large bowl, stir together all marinade ingredients except the chicken, until well-mixed. Add chicken chunks and mix until well-coated with the marinade; the marinade should be thick, not thin or watery. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
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Heat a large nonstick pan over high heat (I use a 10-inch wide and 3-inch tall nonstick pan) until very hot, no oil needed. Add only half of the yogurt-covered chicken chunks, spreading them out in the pan. Cook for a few minutes until they are golden brown and a bit charred, frequently stirring and flipping the chicken to sear different sides (tongs are useful for this).
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Once the chicken chunks are seared, transfer them to a large plate. Repeat the searing process with the remaining half of the chicken chunks. Doing this in 2 batches prevents the pan from cooling too much, resulting in a better sear.
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Reduce to medium heat. Add all sauce ingredients to the now-empty pan, stirring for a minute until mixed. Add seared chicken chunks without pan drippings and submerge them into the sauce; no need to stir. Bring to a simmer.
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Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and decreasing the heat as needed to maintain a light simmer. After simmering, the chicken should be cooked through and the sauce slightly thickened and orange.
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Turn off the heat. Serve into bowls, and garnish with chopped cilantro.
NUTRITION
Makes 4 Servings |
Amount Per Serving: |
Calories 510 | |
Total Fat 35g | 54% |
Saturated Fat 21g | 107% |
Cholesterol 172mg | 57% |
Sodium 410mg | 17% |
Net Carb 10g | |
Total Carb 14.5g | 5% |
Dietary Fiber 4.5g | 17% |
Sugars 7.5g | |
Protein 34g |
Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons coriander
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 chicken breasts about 1 pound total, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- sea salt and pepper
- 1 yellow onion peeled and chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 cup cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro finely chopped
Instructions
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In a small bowl, whisk together the coriander, cumin, paprika, cardamom, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg. Set aside.
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Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil. When oil is hot, add chicken pieces. Be sure they do not touch. Cook in batches if necessary.
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Brown chicken, then cook until opaque. Remove from pan to a plate. Set aside.
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If needed, add more oil to pan. Add onions and cook them until they just start browning on the edges.
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Stir in the mixture of spices. Cook for about two minutes, stirring constantly, to toast spices.
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Add fresh ginger, tomato paste and cream to the skillet, stirring to mix thoroughly. Add the chicken into the sauce. Increase heat to medium to bring the mixture to a simmer, then turn the heat to low and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens to desired consistency.
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Season with salt and pepper. Stir in cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.