Try this easy Chicken Tikka Masala recipe.
- Carbohydrate 11.13225 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.115 g
- Fiber 1.28100001618266 g
- Protein 1.4575 g
- Saturated Fat 0.03378 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (544g)
- Sodium 4.475 mg
- Sugar 9.85124998381734 g
- Trans Fat 0.03352 g
- Calories 46 calories
Step-by-step
- In a medium sized bowl, make a marinade with 1 tablespoon of the curry powder, 2 cloves of garlic, the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of oil, and 2 tablespoons of yogurt. Mix well and set aside.
- Cube your chicken and pierce each one in the center with the tip of your knife.
- Season the chicken and then mix into the marinade. Cover and marinade for 20 minutes to 2 hours on the countertop.
- Make the sauce by frying the diced onions and remaining crushed garlic in 1 tablespoon of oil over low heat. When the onions and garlic are soft and brown (about 5 minutes), add 2 tablespoons (mild) or 3 tablespoons (spicy) curry powder and yogurt and fry for a few more minutes. Add the passata and 1 cup water, stir well, and season. Simmer on low until you are ready to serve. If you like your chicken tikka masala on the sweeter side, add a teaspoon or two of sugar at this point.
- Broil your chicken on a rack in foil lined tray for 20 minutes at 500ºF, then flip and broil for another 10.
- Add the chicken plus any roasting juices to the sauce and toss.
Operating under tight kitchen constraints requires relying entirely on sensory cues rather than digital gauges. Piercing the chicken cubes with the tip of a knife prior to marinating serves a functional purpose, allowing the acidic lemon juice and spiced yogurt mixture to penetrate the center of the dense thigh meat faster. Broiling at a high heat of 500 degrees Fahrenheit creates char on the exterior while rendering the interior opaque. Visual inspection remains the primary indicator of doneness here. Cutting into the thickest piece reveals opaque, white meat with no translucent pink remaining. Resting the meat on a foil-lined tray also preserves the rendered juices, which must be poured directly back into the simmering passata and yogurt sauce to recover all the rendered fats and savory compounds.
Adapting the Dairy and Spices
Greek yogurt provides the necessary lactic acid to tenderize poultry proteins, but coconut milk or almond milk yogurt can serve as viable substitutes if dairy must be avoided. Substitute plant-based yogurt at a one-to-one ratio for the marinade, though expect a slightly thinner sauce consistency that requires an extra two minutes of simmering to reduce. Curry powder blends vary widely in heat levels, so control the capsaicin profile by adjusting the spice blend directly in the onion and garlic base. Cooking the dry spices in fat for precisely two to three minutes awakens fat-soluble flavor compounds before the liquid passata is introduced, preventing a raw, powdery mouthfeel.
Managing Leftovers
Storing the finished dish in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days allows the aromatics to deepen further. Reheating benefits from gentle stovetop warming rather than high microwave power to prevent the yogurt-based sauce from breaking into separated fats.
