America’s Test Kitchen, Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe. An easy and manageable recipe. Chicken is marinated in yogurt and spices and then served in a tomato cream sauce. The end result is the most flavor packed sauce ever and beautifully tender chicken.

…without the tikka or the tandoori.

I’ve recently signed up for emails from America’s Test Kitchen and so far I’m impressed and engaged with the content. The latest included a clip from a television segment featuring an easy Chicken Tikka Masala recipe. I felt the excitement and adventure of a challenge since I’ve never had Tikka Masala and couldn’t resist the project.

ATK tells us that Tikka Masala is the most popular dish ordered in Indian Restaurants and assures us that after testing many recipes, this Test Kitchen version will yield tender chunks of chicken in a flavorful aroma of seasonings without skewering and can be prepared in our American kitchens without the need of a tandoori oven or vessel.

How to make Easy Chicken Tikka Masala

Let’s get started.

Using a mixture of cumin, ground coriander, cayenne and salt…

Sprinkle over both sides of  boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. ATK assures us that the addition of salt and plastic wrap will vibrantly flavor the chicken in this short time.

Mix together plain yogurt, chopped garlic, grated ginger and some vegetable oil. Stir together and let rest so that the flavors can marry while the chicken is flavoring in the refrigerator.

At the end of 30 minutes, remove chicken from refrigerator and slather generously with the yogurt mixture.

Heating some oil in a sauce pan stove top, add finely chopped garlic, a seeded and deveined Serrano pepper, tomato paste, garam masala, grated ginger and chopped onion. Stirring, cook over medium heat until chile and onion are tender and flavors have become fragrant.

Add some crushed tomatoes and continue to simmer on low. Whisk in some cream and keep warm until you add the chicken.

Broil the slathered chicken breasts about six minutes per side, until thermometer reads 160 degrees. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for five minutes and then chop into bite sized pieces. Stir the chicken into the tomato sauce and remove from heat immediately so that chicken will not cook any further. Serve alongside basmati rice.

The verdict: 

• Just as promised, I was surprised how flavorful the chicken tasted from its short visit with the spices in the refrigerator sealed under that plastic wrap.
• I was impressed with how the yogurt and olive oil mixture beautifully browned the chicken just as promised.
• It was very good, but never having Tikka Masala before and not being able to compare…we thought the sauce lacked that burst of flavor we were expecting.
• It was somewhat of a lengthy process so I would not recommend this for a weeknight fix.

Recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala

I hope you give this recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala a try, and if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating. And leave a comment about the experience you had with the recipe.

And if you have an easy Indian chicken recipe, let me know, I’d  love to give it a try.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken is marinated in yogurt and spices and then served in a tomato cream sauce. The end result is the most flavor packed sauce ever and beautifully tender chicken.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course Chicken

Cuisine: Indian

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 683kcal

Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

• ▢ Chicken Tikka:
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ▢ 1 teaspoon table salt
• ▢ 2 pounds chicken breast boneless, skinless trimmed of fat
• ▢ 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• ▢ 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ▢ 2 medium garlic cloves about 2 teaspoons, minced or pressed through a garlic press
• ▢ 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• ▢ Masala Sauce:
• ▢ 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 medium onion about 1-1/4 cups, diced fine
• ▢ 2 medium garlic cloves about 2 teaspoons, minced or pressed through a garlic press
• ▢ 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• ▢ 1 Serrano chile ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ▢ 1 tablespoon garam masala
• ▢ 28 ounces crushed tomatoes canned
• ▢ 2 teaspoons sugar
• ▢ 2/3 cup heavy cream
• ▢ 1/4 cup cilantro leaves chopped, fresh
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon table salt

Instructions

• FOR THE CHICKEN: Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside.
• FOR THE SAUCE: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.
• While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.
• Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.

Notes

This dish is best when prepared with whole-milk yogurt, but low-fat yogurt can be substituted. For a spicier dish, do not remove the ribs and seeds from the chile. If you prefer, substitute 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper for the garam masala. The sauce can be made ahead, refrigerated for up to 4 days in an airtight container, and gently reheated before adding the hot chicken. Serve with basmati rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 683kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 207mg | Sodium: 1474mg | Potassium: 1625mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 1320IU | Vitamin C: 25.7mg | Calcium: 191mg | Iron: 3.8mg

Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @lannisam or tag #CookingOnTheRanch!