Chicken Tikka Marksala

Bowl from Crate & Barrel and serving plate made by Heath Ceramics.

Indian food is so complex and full of flavor! I made Murgh Makhani (butter chicken) a few weeks back, and today is all about Chicken Tikka Masala. The main difference is the sauce (buttery/creamy vs. tomato-forward), spices, and preparing the chicken. My Indian friend also said “Murgh Makhani actually came from India, and Chicken Tikka Masala was created by the Brits.” I can’t confirm, but I do know that both are fuckin delicious and pair perfectly with rice, naan, or roti.

Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:

• Chicken Marinade

  • 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces

  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt

  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 6 cloves grated garlic

  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger

  • 2 teaspoons salt

  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 1 tablespoon garam masala

  • 1 tablespoon paprika

• Sauce:

  • 1 large onion, finely chopped

  • 2 tablespoons minced ginger

  • 8 cloves grated garlic

  • 1 jalapeño, sliced halfway lengthwise

  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 2 teaspoons ground turmeric

  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander

  • 2 teaspoons paprika

  • 2 teaspoons chili powder

  • 2 teaspoons garam masala

  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste

  • 28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes (San Marzano preferably)

  • 1 1/4 cups water

  • 1 cup heavy cream

  • 3 tablespoons butter

  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, for garnish

  • Canola or vegetable oil

  • Kosher salt & pepper

• Cooked rice, naan bread, or roti (for serving)

Steps:

1. In a large bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients except the chicken, and whisk together until combined. Toss in the cut chicken and mix until coated in the the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap, and store in the fridge for at least 2 hours (overnight is the best).

2. Preheat your broiler to 500 degrees. Create a make-shift tandoor: on a sheet pan, create a couple elevations out of foil, so you could place skewers on top of them (see image below)

3. Remove the marinated chicken and skewer the pieces, leaving a couple inches on the top and bottom (reference image above). Place the sheet pan and chicken in the oven’s middle rack for 15 minutes until you start to get charred marks on the chicken (image below).

4. Make the sauce by heating up a few tablespoons of oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Throw in onions until they soften, but not browned. Add in the jalapeño, ginger, and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the cumin, turmeric, coriander, paprika, chili powder, and garam masala, and stir for another minute to “bloom” the spices. Add in the tomato paste, canned tomatoes, water, and 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Bring to a boil, and reduce the sauce for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to a simmer, and add in the cream and butter.

5. Remove the chicken from the skewers, and add that to the sauce. Cook the chicken in the sauce for 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.

6. To plate, serve with either rice, naan, or roti. Eat a lot of it, and your tummy will thank you.