The origins of chicken tikka masala are uncertain. A popular legend has it that this dish was invented in an Indian restaurant located in Glasgow (Scotland) towards the end of the 1960s. A customer, who found traditional chicken too dry, reportedly asked for more gravy, A meat juice often used in English cuisine. The cook would then have improvised a sauce with tomato soup, yogurt and spices. In 2001, former British Foreign Minister Robin Cook described this dish as “true British national dish ” and of “a perfect illustration of how Britain absorbs and adapts external influences“.
Did this story make you want to taste this British emblem? Luckily, the influencer food Emma Geoffroy shared an express recipe for chicken tikka masala that is very easy to make. We detail the different stages of preparation.
An easy recipe to make
“It is a very easy dish to makewhich you can prepare in just a few minutes“, assures Emma. She prepares it in two ways: either by cutting chicken fillets in large cubesthis is the fastest method which ensures really very tender meat“, either by making dumplings of chicken. “It’s just a slightly prettier presentation.” according to her.
The list of ingredients for 6 people:
For the marinade
- 1 peeled onion
- 3 red peppers without seeds
- 8 cm peeled ginger
- 3 peeled garlic cloves
- 1 handful of fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon of paprika
- 1 tablespoon of turmeric
- 2 tablespoons of cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon Masala spices
- 1 tablespoon of honey (or maple syrup)
- 1 tablespoon of rapeseed or sunflower oil
- 1 tablespoon of water
For the dumplings
- 1 kg of chicken fillets
- 1/2 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons of rapeseed or sunflower oil
- 400 g of tomato pulp
- 200 g of Greek yogurt
- 1 lemon
The steps of the recipe:
- Put all the ingredients for the curry paste in a bowl and blend them with a hand blender. Reserve.
- Cut your chicken fillets into large cubes. Add them to the curry paste and mix well so that all the pieces are well covered with the curry paste.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the finely chopped onion and grated garlic.
- After 2-3 minutes, brown the chicken. Mix well.
- Add the tomato pulp, salt. Cook covered for 25 minutes.
- At the end of cooking, add the Greek yogurt and lemon juice.
- Serve hot!
What to serve with chicken tikka masala?
Simmer, travel, enjoy… that’s the credo of this recipe which transports you directly to India. As a side dish, this dish works very well with white basmati rice. For more indulgence, you can also prepare naans, small breads which often accompany dishes with sauces such as curry or dahl.