Chicken Tikka Masala

Name: Chicken Tikka Masala
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 800g (1.75 lb) chicken thigh, boneless skinless, in 3cm / 1in pieces; 150g (2/3 cup) Greek yogurt, 0%; 400g (1.5 cups) passata; 60g (1/4 cup) tomato paste; 120ml (1/2 cup) heavy cream; 150g (1 medium) onion, diced; 15g (5 cloves) garlic, minced; 15g (1 tbsp) fresh ginger, grated; 2 tbsp (24ml) olive oil; 2 tbsp garam masala, 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp paprika, 1 tsp turmeric; 1 tsp chilli powder, 1.5 tsp salt; coriander to finish

SERVES 4 · 45 MIN · ONE PAN

Make

Portion kcal

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590
CALORIES: 47g
PROTEIN: 17g
CARBS: 37g
FAT

Macros are for one serving as written. Make gives you more servings of the same size; Portion resizes one serving and moves the macros with it.

Ingredients

800g (1.75 lb) chicken thigh, boneless skinless, in 3cm / 1in pieces
150g (2/3 cup) Greek yogurt, 0%
400g (1.5 cups) passata
60g (1/4 cup) tomato paste
120ml (1/2 cup) heavy cream
150g (1 medium) onion, diced
15g (5 cloves) garlic, minced
15g (1 tbsp) fresh ginger, grated
2 tbsp (24ml) olive oil
2 tbsp garam masala, 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp paprika, 1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder, 1.5 tsp salt; coriander to finish

Method

Mix the yogurt with half the spices and the salt, and marinate the chicken in it for at least 30 min - overnight if you can. The yogurt's acid is doing the tenderising here.
Get a skillet very hot. Cook the chicken in two batches, 4 min a batch, until the marinade catches and blackens in places. Those black bits are the entire point of tikka.
Set the chicken aside. Lower the heat to medium and cook the onion 6 min.
Add the garlic, ginger and the remaining spices and cook 90 seconds.
Stir in the tomato paste and fry it 2 min until it turns from red to brick.
Add the passata, half a cup of water, and simmer 12 min uncovered until it darkens and thickens.
Return the chicken with its juices and simmer 8 min more.
Off the heat, stir in the cream. Add it to a simmering pan and it will split. Finish with coriander.

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Tip: let the marinade actually char in the pan. A pale, gently cooked curry is where most home tikka masala goes wrong.

EquipmentSkillet, mixing bowls, saucepan with lid

KitSkillet Mixing bowls Saucepan with lid

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KeepsFridge 4 days, freezer 3 months. Noticeably better on day two - the spices settle.

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Macros are computed from the raw ingredient weights above using USDA FoodData Central reference values. Brands vary, so treat them as close estimates rather than lab figures. Nothing here is medical or dietary advice.