Chicken Tikka Masala is an anytime favourite and a cinch to pull off even after a long day. We’re definitely not skimping at all on the flavour and taste. It’s a bit more on the spicier side, needless to say, it’s even better on days two or three if you want to get the lead on preparing for guests ahead.

It’s the ideal kind of simmered cooking and it’s going to make your kitchen linger with a fragrant aroma from all the spices.

Chicken Tikka Masala is merely about the combination of spices, to create a delicious aroma that makes the curry so much tastier.

Chicken tikka masala is an enticing fusion of British and Indian cuisine that most of us relish. This fusion dish is served with a buttery, yet earthy gravy and a distinct spiciness that stems from curry spices.

This recipe was probably created to appease a customer who complained his chicken was too dry.

We start by marinating the chicken in a mixture of yogurt and spices. It needs to marinade for a at least a few hours, minimum one hour to tenderize the chicken nicely.

To make the sauce, we start by softening onions in a pan with a little oil.

I used tinned tomatoes to thicken the sauce. You could also use fresh tomatoes if you have that on hand.

We love the hot version, the spicier, the better! However, if you have little kids around and want to keep it family friendly, lower the amount of heat by cutting down on the Kashmiri masala and/or chillies.

Butter chicken and chicken tikka masala look similar but are quite different. Their difference is not based on the ingredients used or their appearance, but on the amount used for some of its ingredients.

One of the main differences between butter chicken and chicken tikka masala, is in its flavour.

Butter chicken tastes mildly sweet and has a rich creamy flavour. Chicken tikka masala has a slightly spicier and earthy taste.

Although both dishes look similar and practically uses the same ingredients, they’re not made to showcase the same flavours.

Butter chicken is creamier, sweeter, and a whole lot less spicy.

Interestingly chicken tikka masala is made with spices and ingredients that complement each other so that it has a stronger spicier flavour, meant to be tasted, and not cut and balanced, as with butter chicken.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Chicken Tikka Masala

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Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

  

• Marinade:
• 1 whole chicken (cut up into pieces)
• 1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 3 tbs Kashmiri masala mix
• Salt to taste
• Whole spices:
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 green cardamoms
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 dry red chili
• 2 green chillies (slit in the centre)
• Sprig of curry leaves
• Sauce:
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 medium onions (sliced)
• 2 cups tomatoes (tinned)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Coriander for garnish

Instructions

 

• Combine the chicken with all of the marinade ingredients. Mix well and let stand in the refrigerator until needed.
• Add in the marinated chicken along with the whole spices.
• Stir the chicken as it cooks so that it absorbs all the flavours from the marinade and spices.
• Pour in a little of the water used to rinse off, from the marinade bowl.
• Lower the heat and allow the chicken to simmer.
• Halfway through cooking, add in the tomatoes and sugar.
• Stir and allow to cook through, adding only a little water at a time as needed.
• Once cooked, pour over the cream and garnish with coriander.
• Serve hot with rotis, naan, paratha or fluffy basmati rice.