My recipe of Chicken Tikka Masala is rich, creamy and flavorsome.

Detailed recipe is mentioned below.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • Boneless Chicken Thigh – 2 kgs.
  • Curd – 2 cup. Whisked.
  • Fresh Cream – 3/4th cup.
  • Ginger/Garlic paste – 4 tbs.
  • Roasted Besan Flour – One and half tsp.
  • Ghee / Clarified Butter – 3/4th  cup.
  • Bay Leaves – 3 small size.
  • Coriander powder – 3 tbs.
  • Kashmiri Red Chilli powder – 3 tbs.
  • Fennel seeds – 1 tsp.
  • Black Pepper – 10 to 12 corns.
  • Cumin seeds – 2 tsp.
  • Garam Masala powder – 2 tsp.
  • Fresh Green chilies – 3 medium sized. Finely chopped.
  • Cinnamon stick – One and half inch.
  • Cumin powder – One and half tsp.
  • Sugar – 1 tsp.
  • Black Cardamom – 2 pieces.
  • Turmeric / Haldi powder – 1 tsp.
  • Dried Fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi) – One and half tsp.
  • Green Cardamom – 10 pieces.
  • Salt to taste.
  • Asafoetida / Hing powder – Half tsp.
  • Onion paste – of 10 medium sized.
  • Tomato paste – of 10 medium sized.
  • Hung Curd – 3/4th cup.
  • Fresh Coriander Leaves –  One cup. Finely chopped.

Method:

  • Take a large mixing bowl and add chicken to it.  Prepare it for marination.
  • Add the following ingredients into the chicken bowl – roasted besan flour, half the quantity of kashmiri red chilli powder, half the quantity of coriander powder, half the quantity of chopped green chilies, half the quantity of kasuri methi powder, half the quantity of cumin powder, half the quantity of haldi powder, half the quantity of garam masala powder, hung curd, half the quantity of ginger garlic paste and salt to taste. Mix them well using your palm and fingers.  Rub them on the chicken so that all these spices stick and coat on the chicken.  Keep it in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
  • While the chicken is marinating in the fridge, prepare to cook the rest of the ingredients.
  • Take a large deep Kadai and add Ghee into it.  Heat it up.
  • Once the Ghee is hot, add cinnamon stick, black pepper, black cardamom, green cardamom, bay leaves and allow them to crackle.
  • Add cumin seeds and allow it to crackle.  And Hing powder.
  • Add Onion paste and fry the onions until it becomes golden brown. 
  • Add chopped green chilies, ginger and garlic paste.  Keep mixing/stirring continuously to prevent onion from burning.  Add little water if required to prevent the onion/ginger/garlic from burning.
  • Add tomato paste and mix it well.  Cook the tomato paste on high flame until the raw smell of tomato is gone and moisture has dried up.  Keep stirring it continuously to prevent it from burning.  This may take from 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Add coriander powder, kashmiri red chili powder, haldi powder, garam masala powder, cumin powder, fennel seeds, sugar, salt to taste and 1/4th of the fresh chopped coriander leaves.  Mix them well and fry all these spice powder.  Add little water if required to prevent the spice powders from burning.
  • Add whisked curd into the kadai.  Mix them well.  Cook the curd on high flame until the moisture from curd is gone and curd has cooked properly.  This may take around 10 minutes. Keep stirring it continuously to prevent it from burning.
  • Chicken Tikka Masala gravy base is ready. Turn off the heat and keep this gravy base kadai aside.
  • Remove the marinated chicken from fridge.
  • Take flat grill pan or non-stick pan and heat it up.  Ad 2 tsp of oil.
  • Place the marinated chicken on the pan and roast them on high flame on both the side until you see the charred mark on both sides of chicken.  Keep flipping the chicken to prevent it from burning completely or overcooked. Do this in batches.
  • Repeat the above step for all the remaining marinated chicken.
  • Place the Chicken Tikka Masala gravy base kadai on the flame and heat it up on medium flame.  Keep stirring it.
  • Once the gravy is nice and hot, add roasted chicken into the kadai and mix them well.  Let the masala gravy coat the chicken properly from all sides.
  • Add one to one and half cup of water into the kadai and mix them well.  The consistency of this gravy should be thick and not watery.  So add sufficient enough water until you see the gravy is thick. Keep mixing it.
  • Cover it with a lid and cook the Chicken Tikka Masala on medium flame for 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Add fresh cream, chopped fresh coriander leaves and kasuri methi powder.  Give it a nice mix.
  • Cover it with a lid again and cook the Chicken Tikka Masala on low to medium flame for another 5 to 8 minutes.
  • Turn off the flame.
  • Garnish it with chopped fresh coriander and fresh cream. Serve hot along with roti, chappati, naan, paratha or jeera rice.
  • Delicious Chicken Tikka Masala is ready to be served.
  • Happy Eating.