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Chicken Tikka Masala

Libby with Lemony Thyme
Warm spices, creamy sauce, tender chicken all beautifully balanced in this flavorful dish.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Marinade Time 1 hour
Course Entree
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

For the Spice Blend

  • 2 Tablespoons garam masala
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 Tablespoon turmeric
  • 1 Tablespoon paprika not smoked
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more for extra spicy flavor

For the Marinade

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1" pieces
  • 1 cup plain full fat yogurt
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh minced garlic about 3 cloves
  • 2 1/2 Tablespoons Spice Blend see above

For the Sauce

  • 4 Tablespoons ghee divided
  • 1 large onion fine diced
  • 2 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger
  • 2 Tablespoon fresh minced garlic about 6 cloves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 Tablespoons Spice Blend see above
  • 1 14 ounce can tomato puree
  • 1/2 cup cream
  • 1/2 cup water if needed

To Serve

  • 1 1/2 cups Basmati Rice
  • 1 handful fresh cilantro leaves chopped
  • naan bread optional

Instructions
 

For the Spice Blend

  • Combine ground spices in a jar with a lid and shake to combine.

For the Marinade

  • In a large bowl, combine 1 cup yogurt with 1 Tbl. freshly grated ginger and 1 Tbl. freshly minced garlic. Add 2 1/2 Tbl. of Spice Blend, stir to combine. Add chicken pieces and stir to thoroughly coat all pieces. Cover bowl and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes but up to 3 hours.
  • Heat a large cast iron or heavy skillet over high heat. Add 1 Tbl. of ghee, heat until smoking. Working in batches, sear the chicken pieces in a single layer, about 2 minutes per side. They should become blackened and charred. Remove pieces to a plate. Add more ghee and sear another batch. Repeat until all chicken has been charred on both sides. Reserve.

For the Sauce

  • Wipe the skillet to remove any black bits. Heat skillet over medium heat, add 1 Tbl. ghee and sauté onion and ginger, stirring constantly until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic and salt and cook an additional minute. Sprinkle in remaining spice blend, stir to coat onions and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in tomato puree, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Transfer sauce to a blender and puree until smooth or transfer to a bowl and use an immersion blender. Return sauce to pan, stir in cream, 1 Tbl. ghee or butter. Add water, up to 1/2 cup, to achieve desired thickness. Bring to a low simmer, return charred chicken pieces to sauce to heat through.

To Serve

  • While making the sauce, prepare basmati rice according to package instructions. To serve, place a serving of rice in each bowl, with 1/4th of the chicken tikka masala. Sprinkle with a generous amount of chopped fresh cilantro. Serve with side of naan bread (optional). Enjoy!