Creamy Tomato Chicken Curry: AKA Chicken Tikka Masala
I love Indian food, there are so many different types, and they all taste good. If you are a vegetarian or are considering becoming one – Indian food will be your best friend.
Along time ago I tried to make an Indian dish, I don’t remember the name, but I had to buy a bunch of specialty products, and it took like 8 hours, and I remember thinking, I think I will just eat this at the restaurant.
It’s funny how one negative experience can do that. Well fast forward 10 years, and I was at a friends for dinner and she make homemade Chicken Tikka curry, and it was fast and easy. Garam masala is the only ‘extra’ ingredient you might need to buy, and it is not expensive, and turns up in a lot of Indian recipes…
I think it pairs equally with basmati and Jasmine rice, though, basmati would be the more authentic.
Lets talk about rice: You can of course cook it on the stove, but if you want to get that restaurant texture you will need to buy $20 rice cooker. Cheapest one on Amazon works as good as the $200 one – for cooking rice anyway.
Chicken Tikka Masala's Controversial History:
The history of Creamy Tomato Chicken Curry AKA Chicken Tikka Masala, is a bit disputed, but it is generally believed to have originated in the United Kingdom rather than in India. There are several stories surrounding its creation, and the dish has become a quintessential part of British Indian cuisine.
One popular legend attributes the invention of Chicken Tikka Masala to an Indian chef in Glasgow, Scotland, in the 1960s. The story goes that a customer complained that his chicken was too dry, prompting the chef to improvise by adding a tomato and cream sauce to the spiced chicken, creating the now-famous dish.
Another version suggests that the dish was created in the 1970s by a chef in an Indian restaurant in Birmingham, England. This chef supposedly combined leftover chicken tikka (marinated and grilled chicken) with a tomato-based curry sauce to make a flavorful and creamy dish.
The term “Tikka Masala” itself refers to the method of preparation and the spices used. “Tikka” refers to the marinated and grilled chicken, while “Masala” denotes the flavorful spice mixture used to prepare the curry sauce.
Chicken Tikka Masala has become an iconic dish, not only in the UK but also globally.
Creamy Tomato Chicken Curry Ingredients:
- Garam masala
- Salt
- Turmeric
- All-purpose flour
- Chicken
- Canola oil – Don’t use EVOO
- Garlic, minced
- Onion, diced
- Fresh ginger
- Plum tomatoes, undrained
- Whipping cream or milk
- Fresh cilantro for garnish or, basil or mint or even parsley will work
Creamy Tomato Chicken Curry Tips and tricks:
To make the chicken more flavorful, you can marinate it in yogurt and some of the spices for at least 15 minutes before cooking. This will also help tenderize the meat and make it more juicy.
- To make the sauce more smooth and velvety, you can blend it with an immersion blender or a food
processor before adding the cream. - To make the dish more authentic, you can serve it with basmati rice, naan bread, and some fresh cilantro on top.
Quick Creamy Tomato Chicken Curry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 tsp garam masala see Note
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 pound chicken tenders
- 4 tsp canola oil divided - Don't use EVOO
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large sweet onion diced
- 4 tsp minced fresh ginger
- 1 28 ounce can plum tomatoes undrained
- ⅓ cup whipping cream Or milk, but of course the cream is richer
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro for garnish Unless you don't like cilantro, basil or mint or even parsley will work
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients.
- Stir together garam masala, salt and turmeric in a small dish. Place flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle chicken with ½ tsp of the spice mixture and dredge in the flour. (Reserve the remaining spice mix and 1 Tbsp of the remaining flour.)
- Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
- Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in the pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic, onion and ginger and cook, stirring often, until starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the reserved spice mix and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Sprinkle with the reserved 1 tablespoon flour and stir until coated.
- Add tomatoes and their juice. Bring to a simmer, stirring and breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in cream. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium-low heat until the chicken is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Garnish with cilantro.
- Serve with rice and naan.
Notes
Nutrition
Creamy Tomato Chicken Curry Pairs well with:
