Go Back
5 from 2 votes
Proper chicken tikka masala, restaurant quality but made at home
Print
Chicken Tikka Masala

A British curry house classic all Indian food lovers need to try. It's rich and indulgent but so much better for you made at home. 

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 6 people
: 458 kcal
Author: Just Jo
Ingredients
  • 750 g chicken thigh fillets (skinless and boneless, cut into 1 inch pieces)
For the marinade:
  • 100 g Greek yogurt (a scant half cup will do)
  • 1/2 a lemon, juiced
  • 1/2 tsp chilli powder (I use Kashmiri and mine is hot!)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp dried methi leaves or methi powder
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
For the sauce:
  • 1 tbsp butter (plus a little trickle of olive oil)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 red or green chilli, minced (short squat ones unless you like the fire of Indian finger chillies)
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried methi leaves or methi powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • Small bunch fresh coriander, finely chopped
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes (approx 400g)
  • 250 ml single cream
  • 4 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1/2 a lemon, juiced
Instructions

  1. Mix the marinade ingredients together then add in the chicken and mix well. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least an hour - if doing it overnight, don't add the lemon juice until you are ready to cook. 

  2. Preheat the grill to high and cover the grill pan with foil. Arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer, discarding excess marinade and cook close to the grill for 5 minutes a side or until the very edges start to catch and crispen up. 

  3. Meanwhile, heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan then add in the garlic. Add in all of the dried spices and stir well until you can smell their fragrance and then stir in the tomato purée and canned tomatoes with a little splash of water if needed. Cover and cook on low-medium heat for 10 minutes before stirring in the single cream. 

  4. Add in the cooked chicken and cook until the chicken is piping hot once again. Stir in as much fresh coriander as you like before serving with roti, naan or rice as liked. 

Recipe Notes

I always, always start curries off by measuring out the spices into small bowls so that I can quickly add them before any garlic (or onion) can burn.