Restaurant Style Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe

This is the most delicious chicken tikka masala recipe I’ve ever tried! It tastes just like the restaurant, fooling even the most ardent takeout fans.

This chicken tikka masala recipe has been developed over years to be the greatest! Rich and creamy with tender bits of chicken

Prepare to be wowed by your taste sensations.

A gateway drug is chicken tikka masala.

Most of us start with chicken tikka masala since we’ve never had a hot and sour rassam, never dunked a crunchy piece of pakora in brilliant green chutney, and never fought over the last gulab jamun in the order.

It’s the national dish of the United Kingdom, and it’s probably likely the world’s unofficial first-order. timer’s Perhaps it’s the menu description:

• Mesquite-grilled Chicken Tikka in a tomato butter sauce with bell peppers and onions
• Chicken tikka pieces cooked in a creamy sauce with fresh tomatoes and exotic spices.
• Don’t you see a few terms in each of those descriptions? Tomato. Cream. Butter.
• Cuisine from India “It couldn’t be awful,” neophytes throughout the country say, pointing to that item on the menu. And they’re completely wrong.

If you ask me (and you are, aren’t you? ), this chicken tikka masala recipe is quite probably the most divine dish on the world.

The heady combination of spices, the slow-cooked onions and garlic, the creamy, buttery ho-my-goodness sauce: it instantly entices most Indian food newcomers, converting them for life.

The trouble is that making a restaurant-style chicken tikka masala at home is strangely difficult. No, I retract; it is really difficult to locate. I’ve been attempting to nail it for almost a decade with no success.

Sure, the curries I made were fantastic renditions of Indian curries.

But did they taste like chicken tikka masala from a restaurant? Was this the finest chicken tikka masala recipe you’ve ever tried? Not exactly. Something was simply lacking.

So, a few months ago, I started to look into what restaurants actually do to create that incredible food. I read a lot of theories about how different things come together to make the cuisine you know and love.

I combined those new techniques with a recipe I was working on, and I went in with extremely low hopes.

So it was pure happiness when I realized I’d done it when I took that first mouthful.

Finally, a restaurant-style chicken tikka masala recipe! The onions, garlic, tomatoes, and spices simmered slowly; the thick, creamy half-and-half; the pungent spices and fenugreek. It easily outperformed any previous attempt I’d done.

Why Is This Recipe So Delicious?

• It uses authentic caramelization procedures to make tikka masala that tastes just like the restaurant’s version.
• It’s rich, creamy, smooth, spicy, and just right.
• There are even healthier varieties, such as Whole30, paleo, and dairy-free, making it highly healthful and adaptable to even the most restrictive diets.

Important Reminder!

Neither the aromatics nor the tomato sauce should be cooked without caramelization.

You’ll end up with a curry that’s less than Indian, and not the tastiest chicken tikka masala recipe ever! If you make this and it isn’t the finest you’ve ever had, you didn’t caramelize it long enough!

Do not, I repeat, omit the caramelization step!

I used full-fat plain yogurt as a marinade, but if you’re following a paleo or Whole30 diet, you can avoid it. If you’re avoiding dairy, substitute 2 cups solid coconut cream for the 2 cups half-and-half.

Fenugreek Leaves: Where Can I Find Them?

Fenugreek leaves are optional, but they really elevate the dish. If you can find them, utilize them! I got a large box from an Asian shop and have barely scratched the surface.

If you enjoy Indian cuisine, having a box of fenugreek leaves on hand would make you very pleased. I also use them in my saag chicken recipe, and they really bring everything together.

Is Chicken Tikka Masala a Good Recipe?

This chicken tikka masala recipe is delicious and nutritious! It makes use of natural, entire foods.

This dairy-free chicken tikka masala is also suitable for a Whole30 or paleo diet. It’s gluten-free and grain-free, with no added sugar or processed ingredients! All genuine food adoration.

Chicken Tikka Masala

15-minute prep time 1 hour 10 minutes to cook 1 hour of marinating 2 hours and 25 minutes total

This is the richest, most wonderfully spiced chicken tikka masala recipe I’ve ever tried. A double caramelization procedure results in a chicken tikka masala that rivals the greatest restaurant-style dish.

Ingredients

• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts diced, about 1 ½ pound

For the Marinade

• 1 cup plain full-fat yogurt See Notes for alternate diets
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice about half a lemon
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon dried ginger

For the Sauce

• 1 medium white onion diced
• 3 ½ teaspoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 ½ tablespoon fresh ginger grated
• 1-2 serrano chiles minced, see Notes for heat level
• 1 15-ounce can of tomato sauce
• 4 tablespoons ghee or butter, ¼ cup
• 1 green bell pepper deseeded and sliced into strips
• 5 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
• lots of salt to taste2 cups heavy cream or half-and-half, See Notes for alternate diets

For Serving

• basmati rice See Notes for alternate diets
• naan
• fresh cilantro chopped

Instructions For Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken should be marinated.

1. In a medium mixing basin, whisk together all of the marinade ingredients except the chicken. Toss in the chicken to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.

Preparing the Sauce

1. In a large skillet, melt the ghee over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion has softened. Reduce heat to medium-low and add serrano chiles, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring regularly, for about 20 minutes, or until a good toffee color has developed, adding a few drops of water here and there if it starts to dry up and stick. Stir in the garam masala and paprika well. Cook for a few minutes, until fragrant, adding a few tablespoons of water if necessary to prevent sticking.
   To make the onion, ginger, garlic, and chilies toffee-colored, cook them until they are soft.
2. Stir in the tomato sauce, then puree until smooth in a blender. Toss the sauce back into the skillet. Fenugreek, salt, and sliced bell pepper.
3. Cook the chicken in the meantime. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet and preheat the broiler. On top of the rack, arrange the chicken pieces. Broil for about 8 minutes, turning periodically, until browned in places and cooked through.
4. Simmer for 30 minutes on medium-low heat, or until the sauce has thickened and resembles a paste. Stir in the heavy cream until it is completely smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Stir in the chicken and serve with naan and basmati or cauliflower rice. Lots of chopped cilantro on top.

Notes

Temperatures:

• 1 serrano chile, seeded, mild
• 1 serrano chile (not seeded) medium
• 2 serrano chilies, seeds removed

If you’re doing the Whole30,…

• To marinate your chicken, use a mild non-dairy yogurt like Kite Hill unsweetened. You may also omit the yogurt altogether and simply marinate the chicken in spices and lemon juice, or substitute it with canned coconut milk.
• Instead of half & half, use 2 cups coconut cream (the solid white part of a can of coconut milk or cream).
• Instead of ordinary rice, serve overheated cauliflower rice.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 459kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 42g, Saturated Fat: 26g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 164mg, Sodium: 96mg, Potassium: 373mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1470IU, Vitamin C: 21mg, Calcium: 119mg, Iron: 1mg, Net Carbs: 8g