Discover the savory legacy of chicken tikka masala

The number of Indian restaurants is growing, and the cuisine is gaining more fans worldwide. You might not need to browse through many menus to find tikka masala; it's a staple of Indian cuisine. Its origin story is quite intriguing. It involves Glasgow, where a chef reportedly added tomato soup to dry Indian-style chicken to satisfy British preferences, creating chicken tikka masala. While the exact events remain a mystery, one thing is certain: it's a delicious dish.

Chicken tikka masala is a wonderfully aromatic chicken stew. "Tikka" refers to pieces of chicken that are marinated in yogurt and spices such as turmeric, cumin, cardamom, and ginger. The chicken is fried and then simmered in a masala sauce, which gives the dish its intense flavor and extraordinary aroma. This sauce is based on tomatoes, onions, garlic, and ginger. True to Indian cuisine, it also includes an array of spices like garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cardamom. A creamy consistency is achieved by adding cream, yogurt, or coconut milk.

Important! Tikka masala is most often served with basmati rice or naan bread, which help to balance the dish's spiciness.

Ingredients:

              
• 3 medium-sized chicken breasts
• 2 onions
• 14 oz of canned tomatoes
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or coconut milk
• Oil for frying
• 1 tablespoon clarified butter
• Salt to taste
• A handful of fresh cilantro or parsley for serving

For the yogurt marinade for the meat:

          
• 7 oz of natural yogurt
• Juice of half a lemon or 1 lime
• 1 chili pepper
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons grated ginger root
• 2 tablespoons of Indian spice garam masala or a homemade spice mix

Homemade Spice Mix:

        
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation method:

              
1. Mix the spices from the homemade spice list. Finely chop the garlic and chili, and combine them with the remaining spices. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pot, add the spices, and briefly fry while stirring.
2. Cut the chicken into small pieces. Mix yogurt with lemon or lime juice and season with half of the spice mix.
3. Pour the prepared yogurt over the chicken and mix so each piece is well coated. Place the meat in the fridge for at least half an hour.
4. Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a pan, add a tablespoon of butter, and sauté the diced onion along with the remaining half of the spice mix.
5. Once the onion is soft, add the chicken pieces and fry until browned.
6. Add the tomatoes, simmer for a few minutes, and then pour in the cream or coconut milk.
7. Heat until the sauce thickens. Season with salt to taste.
8. Serve the tikka masala sprinkled with chopped cilantro and cooked white rice. Naan bread also pairs well with this dish.