Name: Chicken Tikka Masala
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 6 garlic cloves, finely grated; 4 tsp. finely grated peeled ginger; 4 tsp. ground turmeric; 2 tsp. garam masala; 2 tsp. ground coriander; 2 tsp. ground cumin; 1½ cups whole-milk yogurt (not Greek); 1 Tbsp. kosher salt; 2 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise; 3 Tbsp. ghee (clarified butter) or vegetable oil; 1 small onion, thinly sliced; ¼ cup tomato paste; 6 cardamom pods, crushed; 2 dried chiles de árbol or ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes; 1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, like San Marzano; 2 cups heavy cream; ¾ cup chopped cilantro, plus sprigs for garnish; Steamed basmati rice (for serving)

Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Judy Mancini

For this chicken tikka masala recipe, the yogurt helps tenderize the chicken; the garlic, ginger, and spices in the marinade infuse it with lots of flavor. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.

Recipe information

Yield
6 servings

Ingredients

6 garlic cloves, finely grated

4 tsp. finely grated peeled ginger

4 tsp. ground turmeric

2 tsp. garam masala

2 tsp. ground coriander

2 tsp. ground cumin

1½ cups whole-milk yogurt (not Greek)

1 Tbsp. kosher salt

2 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise

3 Tbsp. ghee (clarified butter) or vegetable oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced

¼ cup tomato paste

6 cardamom pods, crushed

2 dried chiles de árbol or ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, like San Marzano

2 cups heavy cream

¾ cup chopped cilantro, plus sprigs for garnish

Steamed basmati rice (for serving)

Preparation

Step 1
Combine garlic, ginger, turmeric, garam masala, coriander, and cumin in a small bowl. Whisk yogurt, salt, and half of spice mixture in a medium bowl; add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and chill 4-6 hours. Cover and chill remaining spice mixture.
Step 2
Heat ghee in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, tomato paste, cardamom, and chiles and cook, stirring often, until tomato paste has darkened and onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add remaining half of spice mixture and cook, stirring often, until bottom of pot begins to brown, about 4 minutes.
Step 3
Add tomatoes with juices, crushing them with your hands as you add them. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often and scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot, until sauce thickens, 8-10 minutes.
Step 4
Add cream and chopped cilantro. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, 30-40 minutes.
Step 5
Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack inside sheet. Arrange chicken on rack in a single layer. Broil until chicken starts to blacken in spots (it will not be cooked through), about 10 minutes.
Step 6
Cut chicken into bite-size pieces, add to sauce, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, 8-10 minutes. Serve with rice and cilantro sprigs.
Do Ahead: Chicken can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; chill. Reheat before serving.
Step 7
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Judy Mancini

Nutrition Per Serving

6 servings

1 serving contains: Calories (kcal) 610 Fat (g) 41 Saturated Fat (g) 21 Cholesterol (mg) 205 Carbohydrates (g) 20 Dietary Fiber (g) 4 Total Sugars (g) 11 Protein (g) 41 Sodium (mg) 1550

TagsCurry Indian South Asian Asian Chicken Poultry Canned Tomato Tomato Vegetable Yogurt Dairy Weeknight Meals Main Keto Gluten Free Nut Free Dinner Bon Appétit

Recipe information

Ingredients

Preparation

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Nutrition Per Serving

Recipe notes