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Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe
Rich, creamy tomato sauce and tender chicken make Chicken Tikka Masala a dinner favourite. Masala nights beat takeaway nights every time.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 500 g – 1.1 lb chicken tikka
- ½ onion – cut into thick pieces
- ½ green capsicum – cut into 2.5 cm – 1 inch pieces
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 3 green cardamom pods
- 1 black cardamom pod
- 3 cloves
- 2.5 cm – 1 inch piece cinnamon stick
- 2 large onions – finely chopped
- 500 ml – 2 cups tomato purée (passata)
- 2 tbsp ground cashew nuts
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1½ tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp chilli powder or more to taste
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp butter – melted
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves
- salt – to taste
Instructions
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Put the vegetable oil in a large pot and heat it. Add the bay leaf, cumin seeds, green cardamoms, black cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon, and fry for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add the chopped onions and sauté until golden brown. Add the ginger and garlic pastes and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the tomato purée (passata), stir well, and cook for another couple of minutes.
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Add the coriander powder, chilli powder, and turmeric. Stir in the ground cashew nuts and salt to taste, then cook the masala until the oil separates. Add the chicken tikka and 250 ml – 1 cup of water, and let it cook for 5 minutes.
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Add the onion and capsicum and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the cream, melted butter, garam masala, lemon juice, and coriander leaves. Cover and let it simmer for a few minutes over a medium flame until the sauce thickens.
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Serve hot with simple basmati rice or Kashmiri pulao, garlic naan, or simple naan.