ridiculously easy chicken tikka masala

This recipe has lots of ingredients but it is still truly a "Ridiculously easy recipe" to make

Receita em português no final do post.

Chicken Tikka Masala was a dish probably created in Britain. The history of the dish is not clear and different people give different accounts of its origin. I adapted it to my taste, with the addition of peas and the use of heavy cream and no yogurt, but I give you other options as well, in the notes below.

Many Chicken Tikka Masala recipes take a long time to make and they involve draining yogurt and letting the chicken marinate in a yogurt mix for hours.  

what you need: 

The annoying part of this recipe is to gather the ingredients. It is very important to prepare all ingredients before you start cooking. Once you start, it will go very fast so you need to be ready. You will not have time to measure ingredients while cooking. 

In a medium bowl mix - bowl # 1

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sizes about 1" cubes
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garam masala

In a medium bowl - bowl # 2

• 1 cup onion thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, peeled, finely grated OR 1/2 tablespoon powder ginger, but the fresh ginger is way better 
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

In a small bowl - bowl # 3

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 1/8 to1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon garam masala

In another small bowl - bowl # 4

• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin (optional)

And in separate containers

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large pan, preferably a dutch ove
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas, thawed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

Notes: 

Instead of 1 cup heavy cream you can use 1/2 cup cream and 1/2 cup plain full-fat yogurt that you must add at the very end after taking the dish out of the heat. 

When reheating do not let it boil or the milk will separate.

Another option is to use coconut milk instead of heavy cream, which I also love.

Serve with Basmatti rice or Naan (Indian flat bread) or both.

what to do: 

Heat oil over high heat in a large skillet (at least 12" in diameter). Add seasoned chicken and cook, tossing occasionally, until lightly browned and cooked through. About 5 minutes.

Transfer chicken to a clean medium bowl.

Add butter to the same pan you fried the chicken over medium high heat. Let it melt. Add contents of bowl #2 (chopped onion, garlic, ginger, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper)

Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and translucent. About 2 1/2 minutes.

Add content of bowl # 3 (tomato paste, turmeric, cayenne, and 1 tsp garam masala), and cook, stirring constantly. About 1 minute. Add a bit of water if it gets too dry. Careful not to burn.

Add content of bowl # 4 (tomatoes, cardamom, coriander, and cumin) and cook, stirring occasionally. 

About 3 minutes.

Return chicken to pan, add peas, and heavy cream, and cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. About 1 more minute. Taste and if necessary add more salt and pepper.

             Top with chopped cilantro to serve.

Bon Appétit!

Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe

what you need:

In a medium bowl mix - bowl # 1

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sizes about 1" cubes
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garam masala

In a medium bowl - bowl # 2

• 1 cup onion thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, peeled, finely grated OR 1/2 tablespoon powder ginger, but the fresh ginger is way better 
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

In a small bowl - bowl # 3

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 1/8 to1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon garam masala

In another small bowl - bowl # 4

• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin (optional)

And in separate containers

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large pan, preferably a dutch oven 
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas, thawed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

what to do:

Heat oil over high heat in a large skillet (at least 12" in diameter). Add seasoned chicken and cook, tossing occasionally, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a clean medium bowl.

Add butter to the same pan over medium high heat. Let it melt. Add contents of bowl #2 (chopped onion, garlic, ginger, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper) Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and translucent, about 2 1/2 minutes.

Add content of bowl # 3 (tomato paste, turmeric, cayenne, and 1 tsp garam masala), and cook, stirring constantly. About 1 minute. Add a bit of water if necessary.

Add content of bowl # 4 (tomatoes, cardamom, coriander, and cumin) and cook, stirring occasionally. About 3 minutes.

Return chicken to pan, add peas, and heavy cream. Cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. About 1 more minute.

Taste and if necessary add more salt and pepper. Top with chopped cilantro to serve.

Receita em Português

Receita de Galinha Tikka Masala

Essa receita é muito fácil de se fazer. A única chatice é separar todos os ingredientes. E você realmente precisa separar tudo antes de começar a cozinhar, senão você vai dar chute no fogão, ou gritar com o marido, ou queimar o fundo da panela, ou todas as opções acima, e nada disso é uma boa idéia. Portanto não se assuste com a lista de ingredientes e vai pegando suas tijelinhas porque esse prato vale a pena. 

do que você precisa:

Numa tijela média misture - tijela # 1

• 1 kg de peito de frango sem pele e sem osso, cortado em cubos pequenos. 
• 1 ½ colheres de sobremesa de sal 
• ½ colher de sobremesa de pimenta-do-reino 
• 1 colher de sobremesa de garam masala

Numa tijela média misture - tijela # 2

• 1 xícara de cebola cortada em fatias finas
• 1 colher de sopa de gengibre fresco descascado e ralado (um pouquinho chato eu confesso - se a preguiça bater forte use 1/2 colher de sopa de gengibre em fresco)
• 6 dentes de alho amassados
• 1/2 colher de chá de sal
• 1/4 colher de chá de pimenta-do-reino

Numa tijela pequena misture - tijela # 3

• 2 colheres de sopa de extrato de tomate
• 2 1/2 colheres de chá de açafrão de terra em pó
• 1/8 a 1/4 colher de chá de pimenta caiena (dedo-de-moça)
• 1 colher de chá de garam masala

Numa tijela pequena misture - tijela # 4

• 1 lata de tomates picados (300 gr)
• 1 colher de chá de cardamomo
• 2 colheres de chá de coentro em pó
• 2 colheres de chá de cominho em pó (opcional)

Em tijelas separadas

• 3 colheres de sopa de óleo numa panela grande 
• 1 lata de creme de leite sem soro OU 1 xícara de creme de leite fresco OU 1 xícara de leite de coco
• 250 gramas de ervilhas congeladas (já descongeladas, faz sentido?)
• 2 colheres de sopa de manteiga
• 1/4 xícara de coentro fresco picado para guarnição 

what to do:

Aqueça o óleo em fogo alto numa panela grande. Adicione a galinha e frite mexendo ocasionalmente, até que cozinhe por dentro. Cerca de 5 minutos. Retire a galinha da panela e coloque numa tijela.

Na mesma panela em que fritou a galinha, coloque a manteiga e deixe derreter em fogo médio alto. Adicione o conteúdo da tijela # 1 (cebola, alho, gengibre, sal e pimenta). Cozinhe mexendo ocasionalmente. Cerca de 2 1/2 minutos.

Adicione o conteúdo da tijela # 3 (extrato de tomate, açafrão em pó, pimenta caiena e garam masala) e mexa sem parar por cerca de um minuto adicionando agua se a mistura ficar muito seca.

Adicione o conteúdo da tijela # 4 (tomate, cardamomo, coentro e cominho). Mexa ocasionalmente por uns 3 minutos.

Retorne a galinha à panela e acrescente a ervilha, o creme de leite e mexa ocasionalmente até que tudo esteja quente. Cerca de 1 minuto. 

Agora prove e adicione sal e pimenta a gosto. Adorou, não foi? Eu sabia :)

Ao servir salpique com coentro picado.

updated 2020