Creamy Chicken Tikka Masala🍖 Main

IngredientsCopy

For the marinade

• 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 1/2 cups whole-milk plain yogurt
• 2-inch piece of ginger, finely grated on a microplane
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated on a microplane
• 1 1/2 tbsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 lemon, juiced

For the sauce

• 3 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
• 1 medium onion, diced small
• 2-inch piece of ginger, finely grated on a microplane
• 5 cloves garlic, finely grated on a microplane
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 6 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 (15-oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 1 3/4 cups heavy cream
• salt, to taste
• 1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves, for serving
• cooked basmati rice, for serving

Instructions

Marinate the chicken

1. In a big bowl, stir together the yogurt, ginger, garlic, garam masala, curry powder, cumin, sweet paprika, salt, and lemon juice. Add your chicken pieces and give everything a good mix so the chicken is well coated. Let it marinate for at least 20 minutes, or refrigerate, covered, for up to 8 hours.

Prep

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. If you do not have a rimmed baking sheet, use 2 baking dishes instead (since the chicken releases a lot of liquid as it bakes).

Make the sauce

1. In a wide, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the ghee and add the onions. Cook them until they're soft and smell sweet. Stir in the ginger, garlic, garam masala, smoked paprika, cumin, and curry powder. Keep stirring for one more minute to wake up all the spices.
2. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and cream. Whisking helps the tomato paste incorporate and smooths out any lumps. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to a gentle bubble (too vigorous and the sauce may separate). Let it cook until the sauce has thickened and reduced by a third, about 30 minutes. As it simmers, taste and check for seasoning, adding salt if you think it needs it. As it reduces, the tomato and spice flavors come through even more (the chicken and juices from cooking it bump up the spice flavor later on, too).

Bake the chicken

1. While your sauce is simmering, spread the marinated chicken out in a single layer on your prepared baking sheet (or in the baking dishes). Scrape any leftover marinade from the bowl and spread it over the top of the chicken. Bake until the chicken starts to brown around the edges, about 20 minutes.

To finish

1. When the chicken is done, let it rest while your sauce finishes up. Then add the chicken and all the juices from the baking sheet into the sauce. Let everything simmer together for 5 minutes. Serve over fluffy basmati rice and scatter plenty of fresh cilantro on top.