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Weeknight Chicken Tikka Masala
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Ingredients
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Step by step
Method
7 steps
- 1
Stir the yogurt with lemon juice, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Add the chicken pieces and coat them well. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes (an hour is nicer if you've got it).
- 2
When you're ready to cook, pull the chicken out and shake off the extra marinade — you want a thin coat, not a yogurt puddle. Discard what's left in the bowl.
- 3
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and green chile and cook about a minute until it smells sharp and warm, not raw.
- 4
Sprinkle in the coriander, cumin, paprika, 1 teaspoon of the garam masala, and salt. Stir 20–30 seconds so the spices bloom in the butter, then pour in the tomato sauce. Simmer 12–15 minutes, stirring now and then, until it darkens a shade and thickens a little.
- 5
Stir in the cream and let it bubble gently about 5 minutes until the sauce looks silky. Taste — add salt or another pinch of chile if you want more kick.
- 6
Meanwhile, get a second pan (or the grill/broiler) ripping hot. Cook the chicken 8–10 minutes, turning once, until it's lightly charred on the edges and cooked through (165°F in the thickest piece).
- 7
Tip the chicken into the sauce with the remaining teaspoon of garam masala. Simmer 5 minutes so everything hangs together. Scatter cilantro on top and serve with basmati rice or warm naan.