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Chicken Tikka Masala

I always wondered why my stomach hurt so much after Indian food. I thought it might be the spices - but I've never had a problem with heat. It wasn't until I started researching Chicken Tikka Masala recipes that I realized, duh, it's the cream! Needless to say, my version uses much less than the one you're used to eating at your local curry joint. I add in some of the reserved yogurt chicken marinade to give it that light, smooth body, and then add just a splash of cream to finish it off. The number of ingredients and steps in this recipe may not make it seem instinctively easy, but I promise you, it is. Everything can be made in advance, and it’s a fairly simple one-pot dish, other than the broiling of the chicken.
Author Phoebe Lapine

Ingredients

For the chicken:

  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1- inch knob fresh ginger peeled
  • 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs

For the sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced or pushed through a press
  • 1 inch knob fresh ginger peeled and minced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon garam masala
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 Serrano chili pepper halved
  • One 28-ounce can fire roasted crushed tomatoes you can use regular if you can’t find these
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions

  • Marinate the chicken: In a small food processor, pulse the garlic and ginger (or chop finely by hand). Add the yogurt, cumin, coriander, cayenne, salt, and oil and puree until smooth. In a large bowl or Tupperware container, mix the chicken with the yogurt mixture until very well coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
  • Make the sauce: In a medium Dutch oven or lidded saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over a medium flame. Saute the onions, garlic, and ginger until soft, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garam masala, cayenne, and serrano chili pepper. Cook for 2 more minutes, until very fragrant. Carefully pour in the tomatoes, sugar, and salt.
  • Simmer partially covered over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. (The sauce should be much thicker than what you expect–the cream and the chicken juices will thin it later.)
  • Meanwhile, cook the chicken: Preheat the broiler. Remove the chicken from the marinade and lay the pieces flat on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil until the chicken is slightly browned on top (it wont get too charred), about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and broil again on the other side for another 5-7 minutes. (The chicken will not be completely cooked through when you remove it.) Remove to a cutting board and roughly chop. Pour any remaining juices into the masala sauce, along with the reserved marinade.
  • Add the chicken and juices to the sauce. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is very tender. Add the cream and stir to combine. Stir in half of the cilantro.
  • Serve alongside basmati rice and garnish with the remaining cilantro.