How To Make The Best Chicken Tikka Masala Ever

Chicken tikka masala is an Indian dish of roasted chicken in a creamy masala-spiced sauce. The chicken tikka is marinated in a mixture of yoghurt and spices until it is tender and flavorful. Then it's cooked; many chicken tikka masala recipes call for grilled or flame-roasted chicken. Once the chicken is cooked, it's served with a creamy spiced tomato sauce. The whole dish is then served with like basmati rice or breads like naan, paratha, or roti.

To make your own chicken tikka masala at home, start by mixing yogurt, lemon juice, cayenne, ginger, garlic, coriander, garam masala, and salt. Marinate small pieces of chicken in this mixture for 1 to 24 hours. Then, thread the chicken onto skewers and cook them either in a 400-degree oven or on a grill until cooked through.

After the chicken tikka is cooked, make a simple pan sauce using oil, garlic, and ginger. Spice it with coriander, ground fennel seeds, black pepper, garam masala, and onion powder. Add tomato purée and cook until reduced, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then make the sauce creamy by adding yogurt or cream. Then, stir the chicken into the sauce, heat through, and top with chopped cilantro before serving.

Click here for the full chicken tikka masala recipe.

Kristie Collado is The Daily Meal's Cook Editor. Follow her on Twitter @KColladoCook.