Photo by Farideh Sadeghin
Serves 4
Prep time: 30 minutes
Total time: 3 hoursIngredientsfor the chicken tikka:
2 pounds|916 grams boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon red chili powder
6 garlic cloves, peeled and mashed into a paste
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and mashed into a paste
2 lemons, juiced
1 cup|225 grams plain yogurt
¼ cup|60 ml canola oil
1 tablespoon garam masala
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, meltedfor the makhni gravy:
1 pound|450 grams tomatoes, halved
1 garlic clove, peeled and mashed into a paste
1 (½-inch) piece ginger, peeled and mashed into a paste
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 small green chilli
1 cardamom pod
1 whole clove
15 grams cilantro with stems
kosher salt, to taste
½ tablespoon unsalted butter
¼ cup|60ml heavy cream
2 tablespoons kasoori methi
honey, to tastefor the onion tomato masala:
¼ cup|60 ml canola oil
½ pound red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and mashed into a paste
1 (¾-inch) piece ginger, peeled and mashed into a paste
½ teaspoon red chili powder
½ pound|225 grams tomatoes, diced
½ teaspoon garam masala
kosher salt, to tastefor the chicken tikka masala:
3 tablespoons|150 grams ghee
3 teaspoons cumin seeds
8 whole dried red chiles
7 small garlic cloves, chopped
2 pounds|1 kg chicken tikka
2 teaspoons red chilli powder
1 ¼ cups onion tomato masala
1 ¼ cups makhni gravy
5 green chillies, thinly sliced
¼ cup|60 ml heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons kasoori methi
1 tablespoon garam masala
kosher salt, to taste
chopped cilantro, for garnish
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and julienned, for garnish
steamed basmati rice, to serveDirections- Marinate the chicken: Place the chicken in a large bowl and toss with the salt, 1 teaspoon of the chili powder, half of the garlic paste, the lemon juice, and half of the ginger paste. Let the chicken sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining chili powder and garlic and ginger pastes with the yogurt, canola oil, garam masala, and turmeric. Toss in the chicken to coat, then cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a rack fitted in a sheet tray with the butter and place the chicken on the tray. Bake until the chicken is cooked through, about 13 minutes. Let the chicken cool slightly, then cut into 2-inch pieces and reserve.
- Make the gravy: Place the tomatoes, garlic and ginger pastes, and half of the chili powder into a small saucepan and cover with 1 ½ cups water. Place the green chiles, cardamom, cloves, and cilantro stems in a piece of cheesecloth, tie it at the top, and add it to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over high, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the sauce has reduced slightly, about 45 minutes.
- Let the sauce cool slightly, then discard the cheesecloth. Transfer the sauce to the bowl of a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Return it to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until thick, about 12 minutes. Add the remaining red chili powder, the butter, cream, and kasoori methi. If the sauce tastes sour, add honey to taste.
- Make the onion tomato masala: Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Add the onions and cook until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger pastes and the chili powder and lower the heat to medium-low. Cook 8 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes are soft and dark and the oil has emerged on the surface of the masala, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garam masala and season with salt.
- Heat the ghee in a large saucepan over medium-high. Add the cumin seeds and dried whole chiles and cook until they start to crackle, about 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook until golden, about 1 minutes. Add the chicken and cook for 1 minute, then add the chili powder. Add the onion tomato masala, the gravy, and the green chiles and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the chicken is heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the cream, butter, garam masala, and kasoori methi and season with salt. Serve with steamed basmati rice and garnish with the chopped cilantro and ginger.
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FAQs
Is tikka masala healthy or unhealthy? ›
Skip: Chicken Tikka Masala
It's one of the most-ordered entrees at Indian joints. But like many Indian dishes that were originally low fat, the modern recipe for chicken tikka masala is anything but. An average portion has whopping 1,249 calories and 90.8 grams of fat. A lot of that comes from the ghee and heavy cream.
What's the difference between chicken tikka masala and curry? ›
Chicken tikka masala has more protein and less fat (7 grams) than chicken curry (4 grams) because chicken curry contains ghee or oil, whereas chicken-tikka masala does not. And that probably explains why people like it so much!
Is butter chicken sauce the same as tikka masala? ›
Butter Chicken has a milder and creamier taste, while Tikka Masala has a spicier, earthy, and tangier taste. Butter Chicken is a buttery and creamy tomato-based sauce. At the same time, Tikka Masala has a slightly sour and tangy tomato-based sauce.
Is chicken tikka masala just butter chicken? ›
The main difference between butter chicken and tandoori chicken tikka masala is the level of creaminess; butter chicken is much creamier, whereas chicken tikka masala relies on tomatoes and other spices, giving it its earthy and spicy flavor profile.
What is the healthiest Indian food to order? ›
Dishes like daal (lentil curry), chana masala (chickpea curry), and rajma (kidney bean curry) are excellent vegetarian options that provide essential nutrients while keeping calorie counts reasonable.
What is better than chicken tikka masala? ›
Butter Chicken has a creamier texture than Tikka Masala. Both dishes are delicious in their own way, and choosing between them depends on your personal taste preference. If you want an exciting twist on your taste buds, try combining them for a unique culinary experience!
What are the disadvantages of chicken tikka? ›
High Fat and Cholesterol Content
Saturated fat can increase your risk for heart disease and raise your cholesterol levels, and each serving of chicken tikka masala contains 28 grams of saturated fat, or 138 percent of the daily value.
Which is better chicken tikka masala or chicken vindaloo? ›
Vindaloo is known for its spicy and tangy profile, often made with vinegar and hot spices. Tikka Masala, on the other hand, has a creamy tomato-based sauce with milder spices, resulting in a rich and mildly spiced flavor. Your preference depends on your taste for spice and degree of creaminess.
Is tikka masala hotter than butter chicken? ›
Butter Chicken is much more creamy and rich due to the addition of a generous amount of butter. The Butter Chicken sauce is pureed until smooth, while Chicken Tikka Masala keeps the tomatoes and onions in chunks to add more texture to the sauce. And, Butter Chicken is much less spicy than Chicken Tikka Masala.
Each dish can have hundreds of variations of seasonings. Tandoori chicken is often marinated with lemon juice and yogurt in addition to various spices before being cooked at high heat, while 'Tikka' dishes are often chunks of meat in a spiced sauce (and thus more commonly called 'Tikka Masala').
Why does chicken tikka masala taste so good? ›
Everyone loves this dish worldwide. It is a delicious combination of marinated chicken with a creamy tomato-based sauce. So, it's not hard to understand why it's become so popular Indian dish. The aromatic herbs and unique mix of flavors make this dish genuinely one-of-a-kind.
What to add to shop bought tikka masala? ›
Add more spices: Store-bought curry sauces often lack the depth of flavour that homemade sauces have. To remedy this, you can add more spices like cumin, turmeric, coriander, and garam masala. Use fresh ginger and garlic: Fresh ginger and garlic add a lot of flavour to curries.
What makes tikka masala taste good? ›
To summarise, Indian chicken tikka masala has fresh flavors due to the use of fresh tomatoes. It's creamy, rich and delicious and won't make you feel bloated as there is a very small amount of cream used. Cashews impart a magical creamy texture and flavour without making you feel heavy.
What does tikka masala sauce taste like? ›
What does Tikka Masala taste like? Tikka Masala is a tomato and cream-based sauce that's smoky from the chargrilled chicken, rich and creamy, with a slight sweetness and tanginess with mild heat (although we like it hot!) punctuated by earthy spices, ginger and garlic.
What is special about chicken tikka masala? ›
Everyone loves this dish worldwide. It is a delicious combination of marinated chicken with a creamy tomato-based sauce. So, it's not hard to understand why it's become so popular Indian dish. The aromatic herbs and unique mix of flavors make this dish genuinely one-of-a-kind.
Is chicken tikka made from breast? ›
At most restaurants, chicken breast is used. There isn't as much flavour in breast meat but it is whiter in colour than thighs which are naturally a little pink even when cooked through. Too many people were sending their chicken tikka back because they thought the thigh meat wasn't cooked through.
What makes tikka masala different? ›
The only major difference that can be seen is that tikka masala contains more masala or spices in it. Tikka and tikka masala are of Indian origin. In tikka preparation, boneless chicken pieces are baked along with skewers in an oven made of clay called a tandoor.
