Chicken Tikka Masala
Ney's Kitchen - Asian

Chicken Tikka Masala

'Anyone up for a curry night? This curry can be made ahead of time and heated up when ready to serve. I find it tastes so much better as the flavours have had time to develop. Traditionally this recipe is made with lots of cream, however, I’ve found it’s not strictly necessary, but you can add enough to your taste.

Also, have a go at making my grandma’s recipe for chapatis! Whenever I would go to my grandma’s house on a Sunday, I would ask almost all the time for her to make her delicious chapatis even if she made teriyaki chicken for dinner (lol).'

INGREDIENTS

For the marinade

  • 1 large piece ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 bird’s eye chilli, chopped
  • 1 tsp. ground coriander
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. garam masala
  • 1 tsp. chilli powder
  • 1 tsp. ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp. vegetable or olive oil
  • 2 tbsp. Greek yogurt
  • 1 tbsp. hot water
  • 2 ½ lbs. cubed boneless chicken meat (can be a mix of breast and thigh meat)

For the sauce

  • 3 tbsp. vegetable or olive oil, plus extra
  • 1 large onion
  • 1 tbsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp. garam masala
  • 1 tsp. mustard powder
  • 1 tsp. ground paprika
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. salt, plus extra to taste
  • ½ tsp. pepper 
  • 1 large piece ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2-3 bird’s eye chillies 
  • ¼ pt. tinned chopped tomatoes
  • ½ pt. hot water (you may need more later)
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 tbsp. to 2 fl. oz. double cream (optional)
  • 4 cardamom pods, lightly bashed

For the chapati

  • 10 oz. plain flour, plus extra for kneading
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 tbsp. vegetable oil, plus extra
  • 6. fl. oz. warm water

 

To serve

  • Basmati rice
  • Handful fresh coriander, chopped

METHOD

  1. Start by making the marinade. Place the chicken in a large bowl. Next, add the rest of the ingredients into a blender. Blitz until smooth and then gently rub the marinade into the chicken. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and set aside for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Make the sauce. Place a large pan over a medium heat. Add the oil and heat. Next, stir in the onions for 3 minutes. Add the spices and stir thoroughly scraping the bottom of the pan as you go, cooking for another minute. Next, stir in the ginger, garlic and chillies. Continue to cook for another 2 minutes whilst stirring frequently to avoid anything sticking to the pan. Add the chopped tomatoes, water and bay leaves and gently stir. Reduce to the heat to a simmer, cover the pan with a lid and leave to cook for 30 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes. 
  3. After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and carefully remove the bay leaves from the sauce – these can be discarded. 
  4. Place a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and add a tablespoonful of oil. Once the oil is heated, add the chicken and cook halfway through. (Depending on the size of your pan you may need to cook the chicken in batches).
  5. If there is still marinade left in the bowl add to the pot with the sauce and cook through on a medium heat for 3 minutes. Pour the sauce into a blender and blitz until smooth. Pour the sauce back into the pan, stir in the cardamom pods, cream (to your liking) and 2 fl. oz. hot water. Place back on a medium heat.
  6. Add the chicken and its juices into the pot with the sauce. Add about 2-4 fl. oz. hot water if the sauce is too thick. Bring to a simmer and leave to cook for 15 minutes or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Season with more salt if necessary, then remove from the heat.
  7. Make the chapati by combining all the ingredients together pouring a litter water at a time until you have a soft and slightly sticky dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes. Divide the dough in 8 equal sized pieces and roll into balls. Lightly grease each ball with oil and place in a bowl. Cover with clingfilm and leave for 10 minutes.
  8. Place a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat. (This is where you need to work fast). Dip the dough ball into a bowl of flour until fully covered, then lightly pat down on a flat surface. Using rolling pin, roll the ball into a 6 to 7-inch round or until the dough is thin. Carefully lift the flattened dough into the dry frying pan and cook for 45 seconds on each side. Remove the chapati from the eat and leave to sit on a plate and cover with tin foil to keep it warm. Repeat the process until you have 8 chapatis.
  9. Gently heat up the curry and prepare the basmati rice.
  10. Serve the curry, rice and chapati with a sprinkle of fresh coriander. Enjoy!

For more INCREDIBLE recipes from lovely Ney check out her instagram on @neyskitchen.official 

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