Chef John's Chicken Tikka Masala
Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Yields: 4 servings
Author: John Mitzewich
Source: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/239867/chef-johns-chicken-tikka-masala/
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut in half
- 0.666 small container plain Greek yogurt
- 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, grated
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 0.25 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
- 0.125 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 onion, chopped
- 0.25 cup tomato paste
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, grated
- 1.5 cup crushed tomatoes/puree
- 13 oz coconut milk (full fat)
- 0.333 small container plain Greek yogurt
- chicken broth/water, as needed
- 2 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp tumeric
- salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Combine all marinade (tikka) ingredients in a bowl. Mix to coat the chicken well. Cover bowl, refrigerate and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour (ideally 4-6 hours, up to 24 hours).
When marinated chicken is ready, remove from refrigeration and cook in oven (or on stove). If using oven option, preheat to 450°F. Spread chicken on lined sheet pan. Bake for 17 minutes, broiling last 2 minutes for char. If using stove option, brown on high heat about 3-4 minutes per side. No need to cook fully as will finish in the sauce. Transfer chicken to a plate. When cool enough to handle, cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Make sauce: Place a skillet or Dutch oven with chicken drippings over medium-high heat. Stir onion into the skillet; sauté until onion softens and turns translucent, about 6 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger and sauté until aromatic, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook until darkened, about 1-2 minutes.
Pour crushed tomatoes/puree into the skillet. Bring to a simmer while scraping the browned bits of food off of the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Add broth as necessary to cover bottom of skillet.
Pour in coconut milk and bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors blend and sauce is slightly reduced, about 15 minutes.
Temper yogurt in bowl by ladling in 2-3 tablespoons of the hot sauce, stirring vigorously. Add more hot sauce until mixture is hot and smooth. Pour mixture back into main sauce.
Stir chicken and any accumulated juices into sauce. Add cilantro and red pepper flakes; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until chicken is cooked through and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
Combine all marinade (tikka) ingredients in a bowl. Mix to coat the chicken well. Cover bowl, refrigerate and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour (ideally 4-6 hours, up to 24 hours).
When marinated chicken is ready, remove from refrigeration and cook in oven (or on stove). If using oven option, preheat to 450°F. Spread chicken on lined sheet pan. Bake for 17 minutes, broiling last 2 minutes for char. If using stove option, brown on high heat about 3-4 minutes per side. No need to cook fully as will finish in the sauce. Transfer chicken to a plate. When cool enough to handle, cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Make sauce: Place a skillet or Dutch oven with chicken drippings over medium-high heat. Stir onion into the skillet; sauté until onion softens and turns translucent, about 6 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger and sauté until aromatic, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook until darkened, about 1-2 minutes.
Pour crushed tomatoes/puree into the skillet. Bring to a simmer while scraping the browned bits of food off of the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Add broth as necessary to cover bottom of skillet.
Pour in coconut milk and bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors blend and sauce is slightly reduced, about 15 minutes.
Temper yogurt in bowl by ladling in 2-3 tablespoons of the hot sauce, stirring vigorously. Add more hot sauce until mixture is hot and smooth. Pour mixture back into main sauce.
Stir chicken and any accumulated juices into sauce. Add cilantro and red pepper flakes; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until chicken is cooked through and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
Notes
The recipe has been modified to add yogurt, garlic and ginger to the marinade. The sauce spices have been adjusted to use more of the marinade spices.
The paprika, Kashmiri chili and red pepper flakes are fairly interchangeable depending on how much heat you like in your sauce.
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