Chicken
Tandoori Chicken Kachumber Salad
Tandoori chicken kachumber salad combines warmly spiced cooked chicken with a crisp tomato-cucumber-onion mixture. The yogurt marinade supplies the coating, while fresh lemon and…
Chicken
Classic Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken tikka masala combines lightly charred, yogurt-marinated chicken with a creamy tomato sauce. Browning the chicken separately creates contrast with the smooth sauce. The finished dish should have warm spice, gentle acidity and tender chicken without a heavy layer of cream masking the tomato.
v2.0
Home Cook View
Follow the measured ingredients, numbered method, substitutions, safety notes and cooking mode below.
Professional Kitchen View
Standard Yield4 servings
Professional Chef Notes
Thigh meat tolerates the two cooking stages well. Divide the ginger, garlic and spices as listed so both marinade and sauce receive seasoning. Plain yogurt is needed; flavoured yogurt or sweetened cream would change the sauce significantly.
Keep chicken pieces evenly sized and let excess marinade fall away before browning. Cook in batches so the pan does not fill with liquid. Reduce the tomato base before adding cream, then finish the chicken in the sauce and verify a 74°C centre temperature.
If the sauce tastes raw or sharply tomato-like, simmer the tomato base longer before enriching it. If the chicken becomes dry, shorten the final simmer after safe doneness is reached. Burnt marinade residue should not be scraped into the sauce.
About This Recipe
Chicken tikka masala combines lightly charred, yogurt-marinated chicken with a creamy tomato sauce. Browning the chicken separately creates contrast with the smooth sauce. The finished dish should have warm spice, gentle acidity and tender chicken without a heavy layer of cream masking the tomato.
Before You Start
1. Read firstRead every step once before switching on the cooker.
2. MeasureWeigh and prepare all ingredients in the order listed.
3. Control heatLow means a gentle bubble, medium cooks steadily, and high is for quick browning.
4. Check donenessUse the texture, timing and safe-temperature checks written in the method.
Equipment
- ✓ Mixing bowl
- ✓ Baking tray
- ✓ Saucepan
- ✓ Food thermometer
Ingredients
- For the Chicken Tikka Marinade
- For the Masala Sauce
- To Finish
Easy Step-by-Step Method
Complete one numbered step before moving to the next. Keep the heat and timing exactly as written.
Marinate the Chicken
- Combine the yogurt, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, garam masala, cumin, coriander, Kashmiri chilli or paprika, chilli powder and salt. Fold in the chicken until evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. For a stronger marinade, leave for up to 8 hours under refrigeration.
Char the Chicken Tikka
- Heat the oven to 230°C conventional / 210°C fan, or preheat a grill/broiler to high. Arrange the chicken in a single layer with space between the pieces and drizzle with the neutral oil.
- Roast or grill for 14–18 minutes, turning once, until browned with dark charred edges. Discard leftover raw marinade. The chicken can finish its final few degrees in the sauce.
Build the Onion Base
- Heat the 25 ml oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until soft and golden. A properly cooked onion base gives tikka masala more savoury depth than simply adding extra cream.
Cook the Aromatics and Spices
- Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 60–90 seconds. Lower the heat and add ground coriander, cumin, garam masala and Kashmiri chilli or paprika. Stir for 20–30 seconds.
- If the pan looks dry, add 1 tablespoon of water so the spices bloom without scorching.
Reduce the Tomato Sauce
- Add the crushed tomatoes, hot water and salt. Simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onion is completely soft and the sauce has reduced enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- For a smoother restaurant-style sauce, blend carefully at this stage and return it to the pan; for a more home-style texture, leave it as it is.
Finish the Chicken in the Sauce
- Add the charred chicken and any fully cooked tray juices. Simmer gently for 5–7 minutes. Check the centre of the largest piece with a clean thermometer; it must reach at least 74°C.
Add Cream and Fenugreek
- Turn the heat to low. Stir in the cream and optional crushed kasuri methi. Warm for 2–3 minutes without a hard boil.
- Taste for salt, spice, tomato acidity and richness. Add optional lemon only if the finished sauce needs a little brightness.
Rest and Serve
- Switch off the heat and rest for 5 minutes. Finish with coriander. Serve with basmati rice, naan or another flatbread, making sure each portion gets both charred chicken pieces and enough masala sauce.
Chef Notes & Tips
Chicken tikka masala works because the charred chicken and the sauce are cooked as two separate components before they meet. The chicken should keep some roasted edges after it enters the sauce; it should not taste like meat that was simply boiled in tomato cream.
Ingredient choices: Thigh meat handles high-heat charring and a short final simmer better than very lean breast. Plain unsweetened yogurt is important in the marinade. Kashmiri chilli gives colour and mild warmth; ordinary hot chilli powder can be used more cautiously.
Sauce control: This sauce is more onion-and-spice forward than butter chicken. Cook the onion properly, reduce the tomato base, and use cream only to round the edges. If you blend the sauce, vent the blender and handle the hot mixture carefully.
Chicken control: Space the tikka pieces so they roast instead of steam. Dark edges are desirable; black burnt yogurt is not. Finish the largest piece to at least 74°C and stop the final simmer once the chicken is safely cooked.
If something goes wrong: A raw tomato taste needs more reduction, not more cream. A sauce that is too thick can be loosened with hot water. If it is too rich, correct salt and acidity before adding anything else. If the chicken is dry, shorten the oven/grill stage or the final sauce simmer next time.
Ingredient Substitutions
- ↔ Chicken thighs → chicken breast, checking doneness earlier
- ↔ Double cream → cooking cream
- ↔ Paprika → mild Kashmiri chilli powder, reducing the added chilli
Food Safety & Doneness
Keep raw poultry separate from ready-to-eat food and do not wash it. Check the thickest flesh and any stuffing reach at least 74°C with a food thermometer; colour and timing alone are not reliable.
Serving & Plating
Serve with rice or flatbread and a modest coriander finish. Portion chicken first, then distribute the sauce evenly so each plate receives the same balance.
Storage
Refrigerate promptly in shallow covered containers at 4°C or below and use within 3 days. Reheat only the portion needed to at least 74°C throughout. Discard food left unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32°C.
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