This recipe is my current working recipe for a restaurant style chicken tikka masala. What do I mean by restaurant style? Well, a rich, decadent curry that throws caution to the wind with things like salt, fat and sugar. I don’t make any assertions toward authenticity, but hey, it’s not as if this Anglo-Indian mashup of a dish can be said to be traditional by any means anyway!
For the chicken tikka, see this recipe on our sister site, Air Fry Guide. I’d purchase an air fryer just for this alone, but I guarantee you’ll find a million and one uses for it. Check out the site for more ideas.
Note: the recipe is a medium spice level. Half the cayenne for mild, or double for spicy.
- 4 tbsp canola oil
- 1 medium onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp ginger grated
- 4 tbsp plain yogurt
- 2 cups diced, fresh tomatoes
- 1.5 tbsp dried fenugreek
- 1 can chicken stock
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 jalapeños, roasted
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- heavy cream
- cooked chicken tikka pieces
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Finely dice onion, add to pan with canola oil. Cook on medium heat until oniosn start to turn golden. Don't burn. This can take 30-45 minutes, patience is the key to release those sweet onion flavors.
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Add crushed garlic and ginger, cook for one minute.
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Add dry spices, cook for one minute.
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Spoon in one tablespon of yogurt at a time, each time stirring to integrate the yogurt into the curry paste before adding the next.
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Add diced tomato, fenugreek and chopped jalapeño. Cook for five minutes until tomato starts to soften and break down.
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Add chicken stock, cover and simmer for twenty minutes over a low-medium heat.
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Use an immersion blender to process the curry into a smooth sauce.
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Add the well chopped cilantro, sugar, and garam masala. Cook for five minutes.
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Add chicken tikka pieces and cream to taste, cook for two minutes and serve.
Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you! I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC – Utah’s biggest and oldest online food magazine; I’m also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune. I’ve worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, not least helped to consult on national TV shows.
I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have covered the Utah dining scene for the better part of fifteen years. I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand. I started Shop Smart to catalogue my adventures in the grocery store and kitchen. Follow along on Instagram too!