A melt-in-your-mouth chicken dish with warming Indian spices.
Everyone loves Nicole Cabot’s slow-cooked tikka masala, perfectly spiced with fork-tender pieces of chicken. It can be cooked in a Crock Pot or in a heavy, oven-safe dish such as a Le Creuset any time of year, but is so comforting in the cold weather. Don’t be thrown off by the list of ingredients — 10 of the ingredients are spices. Any combination of steamed carrots, cauliflower, and green beans can top the tikka, served over rice. A dollop of spiced chutney tastes delicious.
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Chicken Tikka Masala
- Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2- inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons coconut or olive oil, divided
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
- 2 tablespoons garam masala (store bought or make your own — recipe below)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1 to 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1 small can tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk plain yogurt, plus extra 1/2 cup for garnish
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- Juice of half a lemon
- Chopped cilantro, for garnish
For the garam masala, mix the following in a small bowl:
- 2 tablespoons cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the coconut or olive oil in large cast iron or other heavy skillet until shimmering. Add chicken in batches to brown. Set aside.
- Add onion and other tablespoon of oil to the skillet and cook on low heat 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and ginger. Cook for 1 minute. Add all ground spices and cook 30 seconds on medium heat. Turn off heat.
- Return chicken to pan. Coat with spices. Add tomato paste and yogurt and coat the chicken. Pour everything into a heavy, covered baking dish such as a Le Creuset or Crock Pot/slow cooker. Add bay leaves. Cook in a slow cooker for 4 hours on low or cook in oven-proof dish at 300 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours. When chicken is fork tender, it is done. Check that the temperature of chicken reaches 165°F.
- Stir in the coconut milk and lemon juice until warmed through. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Top with steamed cauliflower, carrots, and/or green beans or peas, if desired. Serve with basmati or jasmine rice, naan bread, extra yogurt, chopped cilantro, and chutney.
Notes
Like curry, garam masala is a mix of spices. Which spices and the amounts will vary from recipe to recipe or person to person. If you have a decent range of spices, you can make your own — and tailor it to your own likes!
