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Perfect 'Brindian' chicken tikka masala recipe

A famous staple British-Indian mild curry

September 2020

Chicken Tikka Masala must be one of the most famous 'British' recipes in the world after fish and chips. Rumoured to have been created in the UK by a Bangladeshi chef to appeal to the British palate, this dish is now top of the menu at every Indian restaurant across the Kingdom.

 

Not being a truly authentic Indian dish means that outside of the UK, it's almost impossible to find a good interpretation of it.​

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Germany is not famed for its cuisine and especially not for its international cuisine. When I moved to Berlin I tried several take-out places and was constantly disappointed. The quality of meat was definitely good and the portion sizes very generous. The taste, however, was NOTHING like what I expect a Chicken Tikka Masala to be.

 

With it being my favourite ‘Indian' dish I had to find a way to satisfy my cravings for it and thus began trying to cook my own.

 

I'm sure it's incredibly easy to make in an Indian restaurant's kitchen where they have huge bulk batches of curry base sauce on the go and chicken constantly in marinade. I won't lie – it's a pain in the arse to make yourself at home.

 

Referencing various recipes I'd found online I was frustrated by all of the steps. The first time I made it, it took HOURS. Being a very practical person who likes things to be straight-forward and easy, I challenged myself to make it much more accessible and quick to reproduce in the future. Don't get me wrong - you certainly won't be whipping this up in 30 mins when you get home from work, but at least now you won't have to spend a whole day in the kitchen.

 

I have to say, the result is actually perfect. It's exactly what I expect a Chicken Tikka Masala recipe to taste like. For comparison, I'd say it tastes better than an M&S ready meal and lighter than an Indian take-away (but not as sweet).

 

When I make this, I double the recipe size (10 portions) just because it's hard work and I know I'll always want to eat it. My freezer is nicely stocked and I hope soon yours will be too!

Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe

Serves 5

Equipment

  • Skewers

  • Raised-edge baking tray

  • Baking paper

  • Blender/food processor

  • Large saucepan with lid

Ingredients

The Chicken Tikka

  • 1.2kg Chicken breast, Sliced

  • 250g 0.1% Yogurt 

  • 2 tbsp Lemon juice

  • 5 cloves Garlic, Minced

  • 1 tbsp Ginger, Minced

  • 2 tsp Salt

  • 1 tsp Pepper

  • 2 tsp Ground cumin

  • 2 tsp Garam masala

  • 2 tsp Paprika

  • 1 tsp Tumeric

  • 1 tsp Ground coriander 

The Masala Sauce

  • 1 large Onion, Chopped

  • 1 tbsp Ginger

  • 4 cloves Garlic

  • 1.5 tbsp Vegetable oil

  • 3 tsp Salt

  • 1 tsp Pepper 

  • 1 tsp Ground cumin

  • 1 tsp Garam masala

  • 1 tsp Paprika

  • 1 tsp Turmeric

  • 1 tsp Ground coriander

  • 1 tsp Chili powder

  • 20g Fresh coriander, Chopped

  • 1/2 tbsp Tomato puree

  • 500g Tomato passata

  • 200ml Water

  • 2 tbsp Granulated sweetener

  • 1 tbsp Lemon juice

  • 400g Heavy cream

  • Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Method

The Chicken Tikka

  1. Slice the chicken into bite-sized cubes

  2. Combine the cubed chicken with all of the marinade ingredients and stir until well-coated

  3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight if possible

  4. Preheat the oven to 250°C. Line a raised-edge baking pan or roasting tray with parchment paper

  5. Place the marinated chicken pieces on skewers, then set them over the prepared baking pan, making sure there is space underneath the chicken to help distribute the heat more evenly. Bake for about 15 minutes, until slightly dark brown on the edges

The Masala Sauce

  1. Blend the onion, garlic and ginger together

  2. Prepare a bowl with the spices: cumin, turmeric, ground coriander, paprika, chilli powder, garam masala, salt, pepper and chopped coriander

  3. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, then sauté the onion, garlic and ginger mix until tender but not browned

  4. Add the spices and stir constantly for about 30 seconds, until the spices are fragrant

  5. Stir in the tomato puree, tomato sauce, sweetener, lemon juice and water, then simmer for about 5 minutes

  6. Pour in the cream and simmer for about 5 minutes

  7. Blend the sauce with a hand blade to smoothen it out and mix the flavours

  8. Remove the chicken from the skewers and add to the sauce and simmer with the lid on, on a very low heat for another 5-10 minutes

  9. Garnish with coriander and serve over rice or with naan bread (or both!)

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