Chicken Tikka Masala

My husband is British, and therefore incredibly picky about Indian food. He bemoans the lack of restaurants that serve “proper curries” in our neighborhood.

This is why, on our annual trek back to UK to visit his family over the holidays, we’ve started the tradition of going to an Indian restaurant on New Year’s Eve. We skip the champagne, the sparkles, and the countdown in favor of eating our fill of spicy curry.

In an effort to ensure that we’re not deprived of Indian food the rest of the year, I am learning how to cook more Indian dishes at home. I’m starting off with the quintessential British Indian dish: chicken tikka masala.

The recipe calls for a number of spices, but they all add to the deep flavors of the tikka masala. This recipe is worth the raid on your spice cupboard.

My husband and I both preferred it with a half teaspoon of cayenne pepper. However, if you prefer less spice, you can cut that back to just a quarter teaspoon or just leave it out entirely.

For the best flavor, you’ll also want to marinade the chicken for 4 to 6 hours, or even overnight. This gives the meat time to fully absorb the spicy marinade. However, if you’re in a time crunch, you can just marinate the meat for about 45 minutes.

My husband gave this dish his seal of approval. I hope you like it too!

Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe

Leftover chicken tikka masala tastes phenomenal the next day because the spices develop more flavor overnight.

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, thighs, or a mix
• 6 tablespoons plain whole milk yogurt
• ½ tablespoon grated ginger
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt

For the curry:

• 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced (about 5 ounces, or 1 1/2 cups sliced)
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon coriander
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 14-ounce can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes (regular crushed tomatoes work, too)
• 6 tablespoons plain whole milk yogurt
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Cooked rice, to serve
• Cilantro, to garnish

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