Grilled Chicken Tikka Masala. Marinate succulent chicken thighs in a blend of yogurt, aromatic spices, and fresh herbs. The rich sauce, crafted with caramelized onions, tomatoes, and a medley of spices, is a harmonious balance of flavours. Grill the marinated chicken to perfection, then simmer it in the luscious sauce until tender.
Serve over fragrant basmati rice, garnish with cilantro, and enjoy this delicious dish with warm naan for an authentic and delightful dining experience.
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- Whole milk yogurt
- Fresh ginger
- Kosher salt
- Kashmiri red chili powder
- Garam masala
- Ground black pepper
- Ground turmeric
- Garlic cloves
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs
Sauce
- Olive oil
- Cooking onion
- Red onion
- Long chilies, red &/or green
- Kosher salt
- Ginger
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh methi leaves
- Garam masala
- Kashmiri red chili powder
- Hot paprika
- Can of whole peeled tomatoes
- Tomato passata
- 15% cooking cream
- Salt to taste
For Serving
- Chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
- Basmati rice
- Naan, homemade or store bought
Instructions
Chicken Marinade
Whisk together all the ingredients (except the chicken) in a large bowl until combined. Toss the chicken in the marinade until well coated. Pour chicken, marinade into a resealable bag, and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours.
Sauce
Heat the oil in a 5-quart covered pan over medium heat. Add the onions and chilies, season with 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to caramelize, 8-10 minutes. Add the ginger & garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until very fragrant, 2-3 minutes (lower heat if garlic browns too quickly, do not let it burn). Next, add the methi leaves, garam masala, chili powder and paprika. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes & passata, breaking the tomatoes into pieces with a spoon, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are very tender, about 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and let the sauce cool slightly (5 minutes).
While the sauce is cooling begin making the rice as per the package instructions
Transfer it to a blender filling no more than halfway. (Work in batches if required or alternatively use an immersion blender.) Place the lid on the blender and remove the center cap. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel, and blend starting low, and work speed up slowly, until smooth. Add cream and blend to incorporate. Pour into the cleaned pan and bring to a simmer. Season with salt.
Grill the Chicken
Meanwhile, preheat the grill or grill pan on medium-high. Cook the chicken (without overcrowding) until the chicken gets some charred spots, 4-5 minutes per side (raise heat slightly if needed to char) Note: chicken will not be fully cooked at this point. Remove from the grill and cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces.
Add the chicken to the simmering sauce, cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 10-12 minutes.
Serve and Enjoy
Serve over fragrant basmati rice, garnish with cilantro, and enjoy this delicious dish with warm naan for an authentic and delightful dining experience.
This recipe was adapted from the Food Network Kitchen Recipe.
Equipment
This recipe was made (and served) in my Hestan ProBond Forged Stainless Steel 5qt Sauté Pan and 2qt Sauce Pan and on my Hestan Dual Fuel Range and grill. Proud Hestan Culinary & Hestan Ambassador. Opinions in this post are my own.
Leave a Comment
If you get the chance to try this Grilled Chicken Tikka Masala recipe please drop back and leave us a comment and rating here. We would love to know what you think! Thanks Elaine & James 🙂
📖 Recipe
Grilled Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 2 cups whole milk yogurt
- 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 12 boneless skinless chicken thighs
Sauce
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium cooking onion diced
- 1 medium red onion diced
- 3-4 long chiles red &/or green, seeded and chopped
Kosher salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons finely grated ginger
- 8 cloves garlic finely grated
- ⅓ cup fresh methi leaves picked from stems & washed. Substitute 4 teaspoons dried whole fenugreek leaves (Kasoori methi) if fresh methi leaves are unavailable.
- 4 teaspoons garam masala
- 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 2 teaspoon hot paprika
- 1 x 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 cups tomato passata
- ½ cup 15% cooking cream
- Salt to taste
For serving:
- Chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
- Basmati rice
- Naan
Instructions
Chicken Marinade
- Whisk together all the ingredients (except the chicken) in a large bowl until combined. Toss the chicken in the marinade until well coated. Pour chicken, marinade into a resealable bag, and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours.
Sauce
- Heat the oil in a 5-quart covered pan over medium heat. Add the onions and chilies, season with 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to caramelize, 8-10 minutes. Add the ginger & garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until very fragrant, 2-3 minutes (lower heat if garlic browns too quickly, do not let it burn). Add the methi leaves, garam masala, chili powder and paprika. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes & passata, breaking the tomatoes into pieces with a spoon, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are very tender, about 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let the sauce cool slightly (5 minutes).
- While the sauce is cooling begin making the rice as per the package instructions
- Transfer it to a blender filling no more than halfway. (Work in batches if required or alternatively use an immersion blender.) Place the lid on the blender and remove the center cap. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel, and blend starting low, and work speed up slowly, until smooth. Add cream and blend to incorporate. Pour into the cleaned pan and bring to a simmer. Season with salt.
Grill the Chicken
- Meanwhile, preheat the grill or grill pan on medium-high. Cook the chicken (without overcrowding) until the chicken gets some charred spots, 4-5 minutes per side (raise heat slightly if needed to char) Note: chicken will not be fully cooked at this point. Remove from the grill and cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces.
- Add the chicken to the simmering sauce, cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 10-12 minutes.
Serve and Enjoy
- Serve over fragrant basmati rice, garnish with cilantro, and enjoy this delicious dish with warm naan for an authentic and delightful dining experience.
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