Serious Eats Chicken Tikka Masala Maybe The Best Recipes

THE BEST CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Steps:

• For the chicken marinade: Whisk together the yogurt, ginger, salt, chili powder, garam masala, pepper, turmeric and garlic in a large bowl until combined. Toss the chicken in the spiced yogurt marinade until evenly coated. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to 24. (Overnight works best.)
• For the sauce: Melt the ghee in a large Dutch oven or wide heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions and serrano, season with 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden and beginning to caramelize, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, until very fragrant and the ginger starts to turn golden and sticks to the bottom of the pot, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the fenugreek leaves, garam masala, chili powder and paprika and cook, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up into pieces with a spoon, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced by half and the tomatoes are very tender, about 30 minutes.
• Let the hot sauce cool for about 5 minutes or so, then transfer it to a blender filling no more than halfway. (If your blender is small, you may need to work in batches.) Remove the center cap from the lid and place it on the blender. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters, and pulse until smooth. Add 1/4 cup heavy cream and puree until creamy. Pour into a clean pot and bring to a simmer. Season with salt.
• Meanwhile, position a rack directly under the broiler and preheat to high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack inside.
• Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the rack. Broil until the chicken starts to brown in spots, 3 to 6 minutes per side (it will not be cooked through). Remove from the broiler. When cool enough to handle, cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces. Add the chicken to the simmering sauce, cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Top the chicken and sauce with cilantro. Serve with rice and naan.

SERIOUS EATS CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA - MAYBE THE BEST

Steps:

• Place the chicken pieces on a cutting board with flesh-side up. Score deeply at 1-inch intervals with a sharp knife. Pat dry and place in a large rimmed non-reactive baking dish.
• MARINADE:.
• Combine cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric and cayenne in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside 3 tablespoons of spice mixture (for Step 10).
• Combine remaining 6 tablespoons of spice mixture, 8 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons ginger, yogurt, 1/2 cup lemon juice and 1/4 cup salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine (or process all in food processor).
• Pour marinade all over chicken pieces, using hands to coat every surface. Cover loosely and refrigerate. Refrigerate and allow to marinate for at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours, turning occasionally.
• SAUCE:.
• Meanwhile, heat ghee or butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until melted and foaming subsides.
• In clean food processor, pulse garlic to yield 4 tablespoons (or crush in a garlic press). Remove excess of garlic from food processor and add about 2 inches fresh gingerroot cut in small chunks, and pulse until finely grated.
• Add onions and garlic-ginger mix to the Dutch oven. Cook, stirring frequently, until dark and beginning to char in spots, about 10 minutes.
• Add reserved spice mixture from Step 3. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add tomatoes and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan with a spoon.
• Simmer sauce for 15 minutes, then puree using a hand blender or by transferring to a tabletop blender in batches. (If you use a VitaMix, you will not need to allow the sauce to cool off first.)
• Stir in cream and remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice. Season to taste with salt, then set aside until chicken is cooked.
• TO COOK ON THE GRILL:.
• Light 1 chimney full of charcoal. When all of the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread the coals evenly over half of a coal grate.
• Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes.
• Clean and oil the grilling grate. (I recommend a GrillGrate.).
• Wipe excess marinade off chicken and place over hot side of grill, flesh-side down.
• Grill without moving until well charred, 5-7 minutes.
• Flip chicken and cook until second side is charred, 4-5 minutes. (Chicken will not be completely cooked through, which is okay). Transfer to a cutting board and allow to rest 10 minutes.
• TO COOK UNDER THE BROILER:.
• Line a broiler pan with heavy duty aluminum foil and preheat the broiler to high with the rack set 6 inches below broiler element.
• Wipe excess marinade off chicken and place on foil-lined pan, flesh side up. Broil until charred an blackened on surface, about 8 minutes (but if you have a professional oven broiler, it may take much less time). (Chicken will not be completely cooked through, which is okay.) Transfer to a cutting board and allow to rest 10 minutes.
• FINALE:.
• Remove chicken from bone using a sharp knife and cut into rough bite-sized chunks.
• Transfer chicken chunks to pot of sauce.
• Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is just cooked through, about 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle with 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves.
• Serve immediately with rice or grilled naan.

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Steps:

• Marinate the chicken:
• Use a fork to prick the chicken breasts all over on both sides. Arrange the chicken breasts on a large sheet of plastic wrap, spacing them apart from one another, then cover with a second large sheet of plastic wrap. Using the smooth side of a meat mallet or a rolling pin, beat the chicken until the breasts are an even 1/2- to 3/4-inch thickness.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 tablespoon peanut oil, lime juice, and garlic. Add the pounded chicken, and rub the marinade over the meat. Set the chicken aside while you make the sauce.
• Make the sauce:
• In a small bowl, whisk together the coriander, cumin, cardamom, nutmeg, paprika, cayenne, and grated ginger. In a heavy, wide 4-quart pot or sauté pan over moderately high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until light brown and caramelized, about 5 minutes. (Note that because they are sautéed so quickly over moderately high heat, the onions will not caramelize evenly.) Reduce the heat to moderate then stir in the spice and ginger mixture. Add the tomato purée, water, heavy cream, and salt, and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat to gently simmer the sauce, uncovered, until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. DO AHEAD: The sauce can be prepared ahead and refrigerated, in an airtight container, up to 3 days.
• While sauce is simmering, cook chicken:
• Heat a heavy 11- to 12-inch griddle or skillet over moderately high heat until very hot and add 1/2 tablespoon of peanut oil. Working in two batches, cook the chicken breasts, turning them a few times and lowering the heat if the chicken chars too quickly, until just cooked through and browned well on both sides, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer the chicken as cooked to a cutting board. Wipe the griddle or skillet clean with a paper towel and cook the remaining chicken, adding the remaining 1/2 tablespoon peanut oil between batches.
• When all the chicken is cooked, cut it into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Add the chicken to the simmering sauce and continue to gently simmer it, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the black pepper and chopped cilantro, and season with salt. DO AHEAD: Chicken tikka masala can be prepared ahead, cooled, uncovered, and refrigerated, covered, up to 3 days.
• To serve:
• Transfer the chicken to a serving dish and garnish with additional cilantro sprigs. Serve with naan, and/or if desired with Basmati Rice .