Chicken Tikka Masala from Scratch
Tender marinated chicken in a rich, spiced tomato-cream sauce. This is the Friday night curry that ends the takeout habit.
Main Dish · Prep 30 min · Cook 40 min · Serves 4 · Medium · By Tina · Published
Ingredients
- 600 g chicken thighs, boneless, cubed
- 150 g Greek yogurt, for marinade
- 2 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 400 g canned tomatoes, crushed
- 2 onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp ginger, grated
- 150 ml heavy cream
- 30 g butter
- 1 handful fresh cilantro, for garnish
I am not going to pretend this is a quick weeknight dinner. It takes some effort. But it is the kind of effort that fills your kitchen with the most incredible smell and ends with a curry so good you will never order takeout again.
The chicken marinates in spiced yogurt — this tenderizes it and infuses flavor deep into the meat. Then you grill or broil it until charred. The sauce is a slow-cooked base of onions, tomatoes, and spices, finished with cream.
The two components meet in the pan and something magical happens. The charred chicken soaks up the creamy sauce and every bite is rich, smoky, and deeply satisfying.
Pro Tips
- Marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours, overnight is ideal. The yogurt does serious work.
- Broil the chicken until charred in spots. This smokiness is what separates homemade from bland.
- Cook the onions LOW and SLOW until they are deeply golden. This is the foundation flavor.
- Add the cream at the very end and do not boil it, or it may split.
Serving
Serve with basmati rice and warm naan bread. A side of raita (yogurt with cucumber and mint) cuts through the richness perfectly.
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