Chicken Tikka Masala From Cooks Illustrated Recipe 45 Food

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA, FROM COOK'S ILLUSTRATED RECIPE - (4/5)

Steps:

• CHICKEN: Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside. SAUCE: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm. While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160°F on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.

CHICKEN TIKKA MASAL WITH YOGURT

Steps:

• FOR THE CHICKEN: Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside.
• FOR THE SAUCE: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.
• While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.
• Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.
• Serve with rice.

THE BEST CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Steps:

• For the chicken marinade: Whisk together the yogurt, ginger, salt, chili powder, garam masala, pepper, turmeric and garlic in a large bowl until combined. Toss the chicken in the spiced yogurt marinade until evenly coated. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to 24. (Overnight works best.)
• For the sauce: Melt the ghee in a large Dutch oven or wide heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions and serrano, season with 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden and beginning to caramelize, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, until very fragrant and the ginger starts to turn golden and sticks to the bottom of the pot, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the fenugreek leaves, garam masala, chili powder and paprika and cook, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up into pieces with a spoon, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced by half and the tomatoes are very tender, about 30 minutes.
• Let the hot sauce cool for about 5 minutes or so, then transfer it to a blender filling no more than halfway. (If your blender is small, you may need to work in batches.) Remove the center cap from the lid and place it on the blender. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters, and pulse until smooth. Add 1/4 cup heavy cream and puree until creamy. Pour into a clean pot and bring to a simmer. Season with salt.
• Meanwhile, position a rack directly under the broiler and preheat to high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack inside.
• Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the rack. Broil until the chicken starts to brown in spots, 3 to 6 minutes per side (it will not be cooked through). Remove from the broiler. When cool enough to handle, cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces. Add the chicken to the simmering sauce, cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Top the chicken and sauce with cilantro. Serve with rice and naan.

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Steps:

• In a small mixing bowl, combine cardamom, cumin, corriander, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, turmeric, paprika and garam masala; set aside.
• In a large frying pan, heat oil on medium-high heat.
• Add onions and cook until translucent and very tender and lightly golden; about 4 - 5 minutes.
• Stir in the spices, minced ginger and minced garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.
• Stir in tomatoes including liquid, tomato paste and chicken broth and bring to a simmer and simmer for 4 minutes.
• Cut chicken into 3/4 inch cubes, place in a bowl and season with salt and pepper, the add to the frying pan.
• Cover the pan and return to simmer and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened; about 10 minutes.
• Stir in yogurt and heat for 1 minute.
• Serve with cooked Basmati Brown Rice.
• Boneless chicken thighs may also be used instead of chicken breasts.
• Whipping cream may be used instead of yogurt.

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Steps:

• First prepare all chicken and vegetables.
• Chicken can be cut into 1" cubes.
• Pre-cook chicken in a pan. Saute on a low to medium heat, trying not to brown chicken. Poaching chicken also works well and can give the chicken a softer and more moist texture.
• Sweat onions in clarified butter over medium heat. When nearing translucency, add garlic and ginger. Sweat until soft, try not to brown.
• Slowly pour in tomato sauce. Begin adding spices (cumin through cinnamon).
• Blend spices into tomato sauce completely, slowing stirring.
• Add half and half, bringing the sauce to a light simmer. Combine well.
• I suggest tasting the sauce and adding salt to taste if necessary.
• Add chicken to sauce and simmer on low for 10-15 minutes.
• You can also add par-cooked potatoes, carrots, cauliflower or chickpeas to dish if desired.
• Serve over warm rice.