Introduction:

The smell of Indian spices permeates the house. Something truly delicious is cooking. Here’s my twist on one of India’s most iconic dishes, a delightful combination of sweet and spice, a great option for dinner or weekend cooking!

Ingredients:

For the Chicken Marinade:

• 1.5 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup of plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons of ginger-garlic paste (you can make your own by grating 3 cloves of garlic and a small piece of ginger)
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
• 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder (saffron)
• 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder (adjust to your spice preference)
• Salt, to taste
• 1 teaspoon of sugar

For the Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-inch piece of ginger, grated
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon chili powder (adjust to your spice preference)
• 1 cup of chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup heavy cream (I use evaporated milk when I can’t get heavy cream).
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• Chopped fresh cilantro (to garnish)

Instructions:

1. Marinating the Chicken:

1. In a large bowl, mix the yogurt, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, chili powder, and salt.
2. Add the chicken pieces to the marinade, ensuring they are well coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or preferably, overnight. The longer, the better.

2. Grilling the Chicken:

1. Preheat your grill or frying pan to medium-high heat.
2. Place the marinated chicken pieces in skewers. Grill for about 5-7 minutes per side, or until the chicken is fully cooked. If you don’t have skewers, you can simply cook the pieces of chicken individually in a frying pan. Set aside the chicken.

3. The Tikka Masala Sauce:

1. In a large pan, heat the vegetable oil. Add the chopped onions and cook until they become soft and translucent, for about 5-7 minutes.
2. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Add the ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, and chili powder. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens
5. Add the heavy cream and butter. Allow the sauce to simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the butter has melted and the sauce has thickened.
6. Season the sauce with salt to taste. If you prefer a spicier dish, you can add more chili powder at this stage.

4. Combining the Grilled Chicken and Sauce:

1. Remove the cooked chicken and add it to the sauce. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes to allow the chicken to absorb the flavors of the sauce.
2. Stir in the garam masala.

5. Serving:

1. Garnish your Chicken Tikka Masala with chopped fresh cilantro.
2. Serve hot over steamed rice or with naan bread.