dinner
Chicken Tikka Masala
Nervous about cooking Indian food? Ease into it with our surprisingly simple chicken tikka masala. Serve with a side of warm naan and some steamed rice to soak up the amazing sauce.
Servings:
4
Total Time:
45m
Prep Time:
10m
Cooking Time:
35m
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
- Salt
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more or less to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Handful of freshly chopped cilantro, for garnish
Preparation Instructions
- Cook the chicken—Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch oven or ceramic non-stick casserole pan over medium heat. When oil is shimmering, add chicken and cook for about 4 minutes. Flip chicken and continue cooking until chicken is cooked through, another 4 minutes or so. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Sauté the onions—Add another splash of oil to ceramic non-stick skillet, if needed, and sauté onions until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, and spices and cook until your kitchen smells incredible, about 1 minute.
- Make the sauce—Add tomatoes and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Finish and serve—Stir in heavy cream, add chicken, and continue simmering until chicken is warm, about 5 minutes. Taste sauce and add additional salt, if needed. Garnish with cilantro and serve with steamed rice, warm naan, or both.
Tips
Lighten Up!
Looking to cut calories? Substitute 1/2 cup of reduced-fat plain yogurt or sour cream in place of heavy cream.
Check Your Spices
Nothing ruins a dish faster than stale spices. Open the cap and sniff—if a spice isn’t fragrant, it won’t add much flavor to food.
