Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala is England’s favourite restaurant food. It is also my favourite type of chicken curry and makes the best comfort food when served with long grain rice on a rainy day.

 

INGREDIENTS:

4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs cut into 1'” cubes

4 green chillies

2 cloves garlic – peeled

3 stalks coriander (separate the leaves and chop for garnishing, keep the stems and root)

1/2” piece ginger – peeled

1 medium sized white onion – peeled

3 tablespoons garam masala

3 tablespoons chili powder

pinch of turmeric powder

1 can whole tomatoes (250 grams) – diced and keep the the juice

1 cup thick natural flavoured yoghurt

1 cup heavy cream

salt to taste

 

METHOD:

1). Blitz green chillies, garlic, coriander stem and root and onion.

2). Marinate the chicken with the mixture and 1/4 teaspoon salt for at least an hour.

3). Place chicken pieces on top of oven rack and grill in the oven for 8 minutes. Make sure you place an aluminum lined oven tray below the rack to catch the juices that will flow from the grilled chicken pieces.

4). Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a pot and sauté garam masala, chili powder and turmeric until fragrant.

5). Add grilled chicken and the juices collected from the oven tray to the pot and stir fry for 1 minute.

6). Add canned tomatoes and yoghurt. Simmer gently for 10 minutes until the gravy is thick.

7). Add heavy cream and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes.

8). Add salt according to taste.

9). Garnish with chopped coriander leaves before serving.

Serve with fluffy long grain rice.