For chicken tikka:
Mix all the dry ingredients with salt into the mixture of yogurt and lemon juice to prepare a marinade.
Add chicken pieces into the marinade. Mix everything well. Cover the bowl and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour. I did it overnight.
Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers. Grill the skewered chicken until done or pop it into the oven for 15–20 minutes at a temperature of 400ºF.
For the masala:
Pour oil in a thick-bottomed pan. Add ginger and garlic paste. Turn on the heat and let the paste slowly cook as the oil heats up. This perfumes the oil and also your house!
When the oil is hot, add onion, coriander, fennel, black pepper powder and garam masala. Mix it all together.
Add the tomato puree and mix it very well with all the spices.
Let it simmer for about 15 minutes until the sauce starts reducing and the excess water evaporates. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom.
Add cooked chicken pieces along with the drippings if cooked in an oven, and add the cream. Mix it all together and let it simmer for another 5–7 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
Turn off the heat, cover with a lid and let it sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. (Letting the Indian curry sit for a few minutes before serving helps all the spices do wonders!)
Garnish with cilantro and serve with naan or rice.
15 Comments
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yixing222 on 7.25.2011
Thank you so much for the recipe! This is one of my favorite dishes, but I haven’t found a recipe yet that satifies my chicken tikka masala craving. You list red chili powder as one of your ingredients…is this paprika, cayenne, a specific type of chili? Thanks so much!!
yogajenny3 on 3.23.2011
Made this dish last night for dinner. My hubs and I love Indian food and this hit the spot. Didn’t have pureed tomatoes so used diced but really liked the chunkiness. Added extra garam masala (love it) and let the meat marinate for 5 hours. Was great, thanks!
Juanita on 3.20.2011
I’ve never had Indian food (I’m ashamed to admit) but I can not wait to try this!
BitOWit on 3.19.2011
I am making this right now, so far it smells out of this world!
callimakesdo on 3.19.2011
I make Chicken Tikka Masala all the time… but I cheat and use Patak’s Curry Paste. It’s a family favorite! I can’t wait to try it from scratch. Thanks for the recipe!