Best Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe Ever

I made this Chicken Tikka Masala using Smelly Proof bags, sent to me as a gift for review purposes.

Those who know me know that I’m not a chicken person. But, since I started cooking for my friends, chicken is always in high demand. Some of the dishes people request the most are my Chicken Polvorosa (a delicious Venezuelan chicken pot pie, very similar to my Albacore Tuna Polvorosa), chicken soup and more recently this Chicken Tikka Masala…

The reason, I guess, is chicken tikka masala is a flavorful, spicy, delicious, hearty dish, hard to resist. Even if this recipe is associated with the Indian cuisine, its origins can be traced in the United Kingdom. There was a time in which Pakistani chefs used to dominate Indian restaurants there. It seams the dish was created by one of those chefs.

In fact, chicken tikka masala is so popular in the UK, that is considered a “national” dish. It symbolizes the way British have absorbed and incorporated to their diet the flavors and cooking techniques from other cultures.

I learned how to make this chicken tikka masala by chance. Last November, cooking with my fellow blogger Patty, the blogger behind Juntos Sabe Mejor, she made it. People tasted it. They love it. And now they keep asking me for more.

A star is born…

This recipe has been a great discovery for me. It has been my very first introduction to the exotic flavors of the Indian gastronomy, garam masala and a new way to combine spices including cumin, coriander, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, turmeric, cayenne and cardamom.

Chicken tikka literally means chicken bits. This is a Punjabi dish popular not only in the Punjab region in India, but also in Bangladesh and Pakistan. It consists in small, boneless chicken pieces, marinated in a yogurt and Indian spices sauce, and then cooked in skewers in a tandoor clay oven.

To marinate the chicken I used one of my pretty convenient Smelly Proof storage bags. They are made in America, hand washable and reusable, leak proof, durable, nylon reinforced, BPA-free and FDA approved. They come in seven sizes and, after using them with all the Indian spices, I have to say they are smelly proof.

Now back to my chicken. Chicken tikka masala is chicken tikka, that once has been cooked in the skewers, is served in a masala sauce. I would say there are as many masala recipes as cooks in the world.  The masala in Patty’s blog inspired this recipe. I only changed the cooking method.

This masala consists of chunks of onion, red bell peppers, slivered almonds and golden raisins, seasoned with garam masala and roasted. Then, everything is liquefied with tomatoes to create a delicious smooth and thick gravy, well complimented with crème fraîche for a really creamy delight.

How to make the easiest chicken tikka masala ever

I cook for third parties, therefore I have to make a lot of chicken at a time. Instead of cooking the chicken in skewers, I save time by roasting it in baking sheets conveniently covered with parchment paper (you can also cover them with a silicone mat). In addition, I also roast the veggies, almonds, and raisins for the masala in baking sheets. Then, I set the timer and I don’t have to be standing by the stove. Bingo!

Regarding garam masala, the mixture of Indian spices used in this recipe, I substitute it by adding a pinch of the following spices: cloves, black pepper, and cardamom, plus a a double pinch of cinnamon, to both the yogurt marinate and the masala gravy. 

I hope you like this recipe as much as my family and friends do. Served over a bed of basmati rice, this chicken tikka masala will make you feel like you’re dinning in your favorite Indian restaurant and thanks God for diversity… because variety is the spice of life!

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5 from 8 votes

Chicken Tikka Masala

Served over a bed of basmati rice, this chicken tikka masala will make you feel like you’re dinning in your favorite Indian restaurant.

Prep Time50 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time1 hr 20 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

For the Chicken Tikka

• 2 lbs. of chicken breasts, diced in 1-inch cubes
• ½ cup of plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons of fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tablespoons of fresh garlic, mashed
• 2 teaspoon of coriander
• 2 teaspoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• ¾ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• ¾ teaspoon of turmeric
• 1 pinch of cloves
• 1 pinch of black pepper
• 1 pinch of cardamom
• 2 pinches of cinnamon
• 1½ teaspoons of pink salt from the Himalayas
• 2½ cups of tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

For the Masala

• 1½ cups of red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup of yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup almonds, slivered
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 pinch of cloves
• 1 pinch of black pepper
• 1 pinch of cardamon
• 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 pinches of cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon of pink salt from the Himalayas
• 1/3 cup of crème fraîche

Instructions

• In a bowl, add the yogurt, garlic, ginger and all the dry spices for the chicken tikka and mix until well combines. Add the cilantro leaves and stir.
• Place the chicken cubes in a storage bag; add the yogurt and spice sauce. Make sure all the chicken is covered by the sauce. Refrigerate to marinate for al least 30 minutes, but no more than 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚F and cover two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats.
• In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the masala (but the tomatoes, the crème fraîche, salt and cilantro leaves), and stir to combine. Spread this mixture in one of the baking sheets.
• Place the chicken pieces one by one in the other baking sheets.
• Place both baking sheets in the me medium rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes. In the case of the veggies, stir twice during the process.
• Put the oven in low broil temperature, and broil for 3-5 minutes until the chicken is golden brown and the veggies are well done. Take both sheets out of the oven.
• Place the roasted veggies in the vase of a blender, add the tomatoes and liquefy until thick and smooth.
• In a cauldron or deep pan over medium heat, add the masala, salt and crème fraîche and stir.
• Add the chicken and combine. Cook for 5 minutes.
• Serve over a bed of basmati rice and sprinkle with fresh cilantro leaves.

Course: Entree, Main Course, Poultry

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: chicken tikka masala, chicken tikka masala recipe, creamy curry chicken tikka, curry chicken recipe, easiest chicken tikka masala, easy chicken tikka masala, Spicy Indian chicken

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