Chicken Tikka Masala

Tender marinated chicken pieces cooked in a rich, creamy tomato sauce, served alongside fluffy basmati rice and warm garlic naan.

• Prep: 25 min
• Cook: 35 min
• Total: 1 hr
• Servings: 6
• Cuisine: Indian
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $4.66/serving

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• High-Protein
• Halal

Tags

• sauté
• boil
• comfort food
• rich
• classic
• tangy

Ingredients

• 2 pound chicken thigh (boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 6 clove garlic (minced)
• 2 tablespoon fresh ginger (minced)
• 2 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoon paprika
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 yellow onion (large, finely chopped)
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cup basmati rice (uncooked)
• 3 cup water
• 6 piece naan bread
• 0.25 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together plain yogurt, lemon juice, half of the minced garlic, half of the minced fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, and 1 teaspoon salt.
2. Add the chicken thigh pieces to the marinade, stir to coat thoroughly, and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine basmati rice, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until fluffy.
4. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add marinated chicken in a single layer and cook until browned on all sides, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
5. In the same skillet, melt unsalted butter over medium heat. Add finely chopped yellow onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
6. Stir in remaining minced garlic, remaining minced fresh ginger, remaining 1 teaspoon garam masala, remaining 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and remaining 1 teaspoon paprika. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
7. Pour in tomato sauce and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
8. Stir in heavy cream and return the cooked chicken pieces to the skillet. Simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and sauce is thickened.
9. Warm naan bread in an oven or skillet according to package instructions. Garnish curry with fresh cilantro and serve warm with basmati rice and garlic naan.

Notes

Marinating the chicken longer in the refrigerator (up to 8 hours) enhances tenderization and spice depth.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 980
• Protein: 47.3 g
• Carbohydrates: 117.5 g
• Fat: 37.1 g
• Fiber: 8.7 g
• Sodium: 2022 mg
• Saturated Fat: 16.8 g
• Sugar: 14.7 g
• Cholesterol: 196 mg