Quick Indian Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe

Quick Indian Chicken Tikka Masala – Ready in 20 Minutes

Unlike popular belief the Indian Chicken Tikka Masala is simple and quick to make! The process is as simple as adding all ingredients in a bowl and cooking. This is a great recipe cooked in a pan and served over a bowl or rice or threaded over a skewers served with Chapati or Naan. An absolutely treat in summer or winter.

 

To most of my non Indian friends Indian food is Chicken Tikka, Tandoori Chicken, Biryani and those exotic Indian dishes. Right? My friends honestly believe these are so difficult to make at home until I tell them of course.

The truth is Indian cooking can be easy but time consuming. We Indians love food so much that we spend a lot of time fussing over it. Back in the day moms would stay at home and make elaborate meals for the rest of the family to come home to. Today we do not have that luxury of time. So we make the same dishes just using the fast forward or quick methods.

For example –

• If my mom made this recipe she’d start the day before and she’d be marinating the chicken in stages -first the salt and pepper, then just the yogurt, a couple hours later the rest of the spices, an hour before cooking she’d add the lemon juice and oil. Then she’d very carefully sit in front of her telli and skewer each piece of meat making sure easy and every one was coated well in the marinade
• If I make this dish! – I just add all ingredients in a bowl – all at once. The best marinade time I think I ever give my chicken is may be half hour. Either a quick stir fry or skewer and it’s done.

Now I will be honest, my chicken tikka taste absolutely delicious and everybody raves about it. And yet!!
I miss mom’s Chicken Tikka Masala. It’s all that extra love and care she put into it that made every single dish extra delicious. Those of you that have moms will know what I mean when I say.  You can follow mom’s recipes to the ‘t’ but there will still be that little something missing! It’s never the same!
The sad part often we realize it long after mom’s gone!!

Ah well, let’s talk ingredients and substitutes shall we?

• Chicken – You know I’m not a big fan of chicken breast so I always use thighs but chicken breast works just as well. Just don’t cook it too long. Chicken breast will usually cook in about 5 to 6 minutes. Over cooking chicken breast will make it dry and tough.
• Plain Yogurt – It’s always best to use regular whole milk yogurt (about 3% works). Do not use skimmed or low fat these just create too much gravy and do not give that yogurt texture. Also do not use sweetened yogurt! Trust me!
• Sour Cream – if you don’t want to use sour cream you can use more yogurt. But just taste it first; if the yogurt is too sour reduce the lemon juice in the recipe.
• Spice mix – For those of you that have Indian spices I encourage you to use these. Alternatively you can use Curry Powder.
  Curry powder is a good blend of these spices that work great in any simple Indian dish.
• Fenugreek Powder – This is an Indian Spice that usually won’t be in curry powder but is quite authentic to Chicken Tikka Masala. Again it can be omitted! The dish will still be very tasty just with that little unique flavor missing. Living abroad for so long I have had difficulty finding this as well but never stopped me for making Chicken Tikka.

Recipe – Quick Chicken Tikka Masala

Tools

• Chopping Board
• Kitchen knife
• Saute Pan
• Grill
• Spatula
• Skewers
• Tongs

 

Ingredients 

• Boneless Chicken 450 grams / 1 lbs (thigh or breast)
• Plain Yogurt – 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• Ginger – 1 tbsp grated
• Garlic paste  1 tbsp minced
• Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
• Cooking Oil – 2 tbsp
• Red food color  – few drops (optional)
• Tomato Paste – 1 tbsp (Do not use for skewers)
• Sour Cream – 2 tbsp  (Do not use for skewers)

Ground spices or 2 tbsp Curry Powder (see substitutes)

• Chily powder or Cayenne – 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
• Garam masala – 1/4 tsp
• Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
• Cumin powder – 1 tsp
• Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
• Dry Fenugreek /Kasoori Methi – 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Clean, wash, cut chicken pieces into small cubes.
• Drain water well and pat dry.
• Season with salt and pepper.

Prepare Marinade

• In a glass plastic or ceramic bowl prepare marinade (do not use metal)
• Add the yogurt, all the dry spices including salt and pepper,
• Add the chicken pieces and coat well.
• Lastly add the lemon juice and oil
• If using food color add now (not above I have not used any food color)
• Again mix well to coat.

Pan Cooking Method

• Heat a saute pan on medium high heat
• Add the chicken piece with all the marinade
• Toss and stir the pieces around while keeping the heat on medium to high.
• The chicken will release the juices and the high heat will reduce it immediately giving the yogurt that smoked flavor.
• Continue to cook on medium – stirring often until chicken is cooked (6 to 10 minutes) and the pan juices are soaked up.
• Lastly add the tomato paste and sour cream – Cook for two more minutes and turn the heat off.
• Srinkle with cilantro leaves if desired

Skewer Cooking Method

• Alternatively you can skewer the chicken pieces over soaked bamboo or satay sticks
• Grill them on high for 5 to 8 minutes until cooked with beautifully charred marks

Serving Suggestions

• In summer I use the grilled skewer method and serve them with Indian Chapati or Naan
• In Winter I usually use the pan cooking method and serve them with either chapati or Steamed Rice.
• The left overs make great treats for snacks – add them to sandwiches and wraps with Salad.

Save this recipe for later. You can find a collection of my recipes and tutorials here on Pinterest 

Recipe Card – Quick Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe

 Can you see how soft and tender that is? Just melts in the mouth.

Do you love Indian Food?

Well then you must check out some of my other Indian recipes from slow cooked curries to quick and easy as well as Indian Biryani and desserts