Chicken tikka masala

Wash and dry the chicken and joint into 6-8 pieces. Score the surface of the chicken pieces to a depth of 0.5cm/1/4 inch and put them into a shallow dish.

Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper, salt and the juice of a lemon. Let stand for about 30 minutes. Peel the ginger and garlic. Press the garlic.

Mix all the spices for the marinade with the yoghurt. Coat the chicken pieces generously with the marinade and seal the dish with aluminium foil. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line a cookie sheet with aluminium foil and put the chicken pieces on the sheet. Cook in the oven for 35-40 minutes, brushing frequently with marinade (using about 1/4) and adding a little water if necessary. Steam the rice according to the package instructions.

Heat the remaining marinade and add the chicken pieces. Heat very gently for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with coriander and serve with rice.

How to serve chicken tikka masala

Sprinkle the curry with coriander before serving accompanied by steamed rice and naan bread, paratha or roti on the side for dipping in the delicious sauce.

Tips & tricks

• Use a thick yoghurt, such as Greek or strained Indian yoghurt known as hung curd.
• It’s fine to use either chicken thighs or breasts, but breast meat will take a long time to marinade – ideally more than eight hours – to stop it drying out.

Storage

Your chicken tikka masala can be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 48 hours. It can also be frozen if sealed carefully – unless the chicken was previously frozen. Ensure that it has been reheated thoroughly before serving.

This recipe was updated on 27/03/2023.