I’ve been wanting to make Chicken Tikka Masala for a while, and while I’m mostly into fish as a source of animal protein, the amazing array of spices drew me in.
Don’t get me wrong—I still cook chicken now and then, mostly for others, especially this much-requested chicken dish. What really appealed to me though—the scent of garam masala, and the fact that my little stash has been sitting in my spice cabinet way too long. Spices lose their potency over a several months, and ground spices last only about a year.
I looked up the origin of Chicken Tikki Masala and I had to laugh at what Wikipedia had to say:
“Chicken tikka masala is chicken tikka, chunks of chicken marinated in spices and yogurt, that is then baked in a tandoor oven, and served in a masala (spice mix) sauce. A tomato and coriander sauce is common, but there is no standard recipe for chicken tikka masala; a survey found that of 48 different recipes, the only common ingredient was chicken.”
My guides were several recipes found while searching online. I chose the spices that I favored (and had on hand) and then tasted as I went along. And for those, like me, who are not tolerant of certain spices (black pepper is the one I avoid), you can make your own garam masala using a variation on the usual ingredients.
I recommend pairing this with a grain-free rice, like my saffron cauliflower rice (see recipe below).
The first time I had this dish I was a few weeks out of surgery. That night I slept like a baby and woke up feeling renewed. I’m planning on keeping my own custom blend of garam masala to sprinkle around. Wishing you much spice in your life!
Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-size pieces (trim excess fat)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup yogurt or cashew cream (recipe follows)
Masala Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 2 tablespoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups crushed or strained tomatoes
- 1/2 cup yogurt or cashew cream (recipe follows)
- handful of cilantro, chopped (optional as garnish)
Instructions
- Mix the chicken and marinade together in a bowl, cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour or overnight.
- Prepare the chicken to be grilled on skewers or broiled for about 8 minutes in your oven.
- Preheat a large skillet or frying pan on medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Gently shake off excess marinade on the chicken and place the chicken on a preheated grill using skewers, or in a preheated oven on a baking sheet or broiling pan and cook until the chicken for about 8 minutes or until it begins to char on top.
- Meanwhile, add the onions to the skillet and sauté them until they begin to brown, about 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for a minute. Add the garam masala, chili powder and salt and blend well.
- Add the tomatoes and simmer the sauce for a few minutes.
- Turn the heat off, add the yogurt and stir to blend it in.
- Add the chicken and lightly blend it into the in sauce.
- Serve with rice or cauliflower rice. Store covered for a few days in the refrigerator, or a few weeks in the freezer.
Nutrition
Cashew Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 3 cups water
Instructions
- You can soak the cashews in the water for 4 hours, or to speed up the process, place the cashew in 3 cups of boiled water and let it stand for about 30 minutes.
- Rinse the cashews after soaking, and place them in a high-speed blender, add about 1/2 cup of water (or more if needed) and blend until you get a thick, creamy consistency.
Nutrition
Saffron Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
- 2 large cauliflower heads, chopped into large pieces
- 1 tablespoon oil or ghee for the saffront rice, plus 1 tablespoon for the onions
- 2-3 saffront threads
- 1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C or gas mark 6).
- Break the saffron threads into small pieces and place in a large bowl.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the saffron and place the bowl in a warm spot, such as next to a warm oven, and let sit for about 10 minutes.
- Add the cauliflower, turmeric, salt, and saffron-infused olive oil to the saffron bowl and blend well to coat the cauliflower.
- Spread out the cauliflower on a piece of parchment paper (or non-stick mat) on top of a cookie sheet, and bake for 15 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown and the cauliflower is tender.
- Place the onions and a tablespoon of oil in a small frying pan and cook the onions on a medium heat until they are transparent and starting to brown (about 8 minutes). Add the peas and cook for a few minutes.
- Cool the cauliflower for a few minutes and pulse a few times in food processor (or chop finely by hand) to process it into small rice pieces.
- Combine the rice, onions and peas and blend well. Serve warm.
Nutrition
So yummy-what a great recipe!
I know this would completely change the dish-but is there anyway you could make this without the tomatoes? Perhaps substituting pureed carrots or pumpkin or something? Hmmm. Unfortunately I’m allergic to tomatoes–although I have been dying for some tikka masala!!
While I haven’t tried it, you can substitute butternut squash puree for the tomato sauce.
Hi Erica,
I just made Chicken Tikka Masala + Cashew Cream for dinner and everyone loved it! Thank you so much for the recipe – it is definitely one of my favorites 🙂
Thanks, Dara. My older son loves it as well!
Quick update: If your tomatoes are tart you can add a drizzle or so of honey or maple syrup after you add the crushed tomatoes.
Thanks so much for this recipe. I made it two nights ago (using SCD yogurt) and the whole family loved it. The leftovers were my daughter’s school lunch the next day.
It really tastes like restaurant Chicken Tikka Masala.
Recipes like this make SCD so much easier to sustain.
Good to hear! This dish makes great leftovers, so glad you discovered that. Yes, one of the tricks to SCD is to make more of everything so you always have leftovers. And that kind of works for any food lifestyle 🙂
I love Indian food. Can’t wait to try this. Looks like it will become one of my favorites. Thank you.
Thanks, it definitely hits the spot if you’re craving Indian food.
Chicken Tikka Masala is one of the curries that my husband most often requests that I make (apart from a vindaloo). We have very fond memories of eating it from Indian takeaways in the UK, but it is almost impossible to find in Canada, so I make it at home. Love the stuff!
Apart from going to an Indian restaurant, I’m not sure where I would find it around my area. Funny that you mentioned the UK because Wikipedia says that it is quite popular in the UK and they suggest the it is a British version of chicken tikka!