As part of my Navy travels a few years back, I was able to go to Scotland multiple times – and it’s there that I learned that chicken tikka masala is a national dish of the UK! While I’m certain my recipe is barely authentic (I did grow up in Vermont, after all), I truly love the flavors of this dish and it was so cool to see that it’s beloved by so many people around the world. Pair with some freshly baked naan and you’ve got a perfect meal!
Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients
- 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 1 can tomato sauce (14 oz)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cumin, salt, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, and cayenne, and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Once the pan is hot, add the chopped onion and cook until it starts to soften, ~5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly to prevent the garlic from burning. Add the prepared spice mix and stir constantly for another 2 minutes.
- Add the tomato sauce to the onion and bring the skillet to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes. Mix in the heavy cream, sugar, and paprika and stir to thoroughly combine. Once the sauce is simmering again, let it simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until thickened.
- While the sauce is cooking, in a separate large skillet, heat the vegetable oil on medium heat. While the oil is heating up, cut the chicken breasts into bite sized pieces (but not too small). Once the oil is hot, add the chicken and the curry powder, tossing to evenly coat the chicken. Cook the chicken for only a few minutes, you're just trying to lightly brown the outside, not cook it all the way through. Add the chicken and any juices from the skillet to the simmering sauce. Mix everything together well; the oil from the pan will take some stirring to incorporate with the sauce. Continue to simmer the sauce with the chicken until the chicken is cooked through, ~30 minutes. Taste before serving and adjust the salt and sugar as desired.
- Enjoy!
