Chicken Tikka Masala
Legend has it that this dish was invented in an Indian restaurant in England, to make the best use of leftover chicken Tandoori. Served in a deliciously rich sauce reminiscent of Butter Chicken – no leftovers, guaranteed!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs deboned chicken thighs
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1-inch fresh ginger
- 1 ½ cups plain yogurt
- 3 Tbsp Butter Chicken Masala, ground
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 8 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil, of your choice
- 2 large onions, finely chopped
- 4 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 ½ cups canned tomatoes
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 1 ½ cups 35% cream
- ½ tsp Garam Masala, to garnish (opt.)
- Fresh coriander, to garnish
Method
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1
To make the marinade, place the ginger, yogurt, Butter Chicken Masala and salt in a food processor. Reduce to a homogeneous purée.
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2
Place the chicken in a bowl and pour the marinade over the chicken. Mix well, cover and let rest refrigerated for 1 to 48 hours.
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3
Heat the oven to 500°F.
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4
Melt half the butter and lightly coat a baking sheet using some of the butter. Place the chicken pieces on the baking sheet, taking care to leave as much of the marinade in the bowl as possible. Generously brush the remaining melted butter on the chicken pieces.
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5
Place in the oven and roast for 12-15 minutes, until the chicken is well roasted and almost cooked. Remove from the oven and set aside.
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6
Heat a large casserole on medium. Add vegetable oil, chopped onion and the 4 Tbsp of remaining butter. Cook, stirring often until everything has melted and begun to turn golden brown.
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7
Add tomato paste and remaining marinade. Mix constantly to darken the cooking fat (3–4 minutes). Crush the tomatoes, then incorporate the onions. Simmer for 10 minutes.
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8
Add the yogurt and cream and mix using a whisk to incorporate. Simmer for 2–3 minutes.
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9
Use a hand blender to make the sauce creamy.
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10
Cut the chicken into 1 ½ - inch pieces, add the sauce along with the jus remaining in the baking sheet. Cook for a few more minutes to evenly coat the chicken.
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11
Serve garnished with ground Garam Masala and coriander leaves.
