Chicken Tikka Masala

There are chicken tikka masala recipes out there that are about garam masala and tomatoes. Or tomato soup. This is not one of those recipes.

This is the other end of the spectrum. Go for gold. Pull out all the stops. If you love chicken tikka masala you need to try this version.

Not everyone wants to go the distance. I get that. For some people tomato soup and garam masala is good enough.

I am not one of those people. If you are not one of those people read on.

Chicken tikka masala has humble roots

Indian cuisine is old. It has history. Real history. Truly old world. Timeless. Migrating people. Merging of cultures. Locavores adapting. Absolutely fascinating.

Chicken tikka masala isn’t part of that history. It’s new. Relatively speaking of course. We are talking about a cuisine with a history that goes back millennia. More.

The best story I know is chicken tikka masala was invented in the 1970s. Which is pretty old. But not really. Spoiler alert. It doesn’t even come from India.

Story goes like this. A bus driver goes to his local. Orders his regular. And decides it doesn’t have enough sauce.

So he sends it back. The pivotal moment.

The chef has an ulcer. He’s eating tomato soup. Like anyone with an ulcer would be eating tomato soup. Not my story. Just go with it…

The chef gets annoyed. Somebody is complaining about his masterpiece. And he’s stuck eating canned tomato soup.

He tosses his leftover soup in the guys curry. “That’ll shut this guy up” he’s thinking. A waiter delivers the chefs wrath. And it happens.

Culinary history is made.

Myth? Probably. But it’s a great story. What I really want to know is what curry the bus driver ordered. Anyone know that part of the story?

Choice of chicken tikka matters

This dish is about chicken tikka in sauce. Really good sauce. But sauce. So the chicken tikka has to be good.

Use whatever chicken tikka recipe you like. If it’s good enough to stand on it’s own it’s going to be good enough for this recipe.

I’d push you to this version of chicken tikka . But I’m already asking a lot with this particular recipe. I get that maybe that’s over the top. So I’m offering up a simpler version.

A little naga pickle really works in this version. If you can take the heat naga pickle is something you should consider. Such tasty stuff.

A little tang is nice

I like that tandoori tang in chicken tikka masala. But I don’t think day-glo red is right for hotel style. This is posh. Day-glo isn’t particularly posh.

So I had to limit the amount of tandoori masala that goes into this recipe. More tandoori masala. More red. A problem.

And the different brands of tandoori masala have wildly differing salt content. Another problem. I changed brands mid recipe development. And it messed everything up.

In the end I gave up. I stopped working on this recipe. And came up with my own tandoori masala .

Problem solved. You can still use commercial blends. You just have to be careful with how much extra salt you add. And be OK with how red your curry winds up.

I took these pictures using a commercial version. I thought I had it. The day I took pictures I tried a new commercial tandoori masala. And it was way too salty.

So if you make your version with the glebekitchen tandoori masala and it’s not the same colour that’s why. You’ll get the colour I wanted to see.

I will take the pictures again. Glebekitchen is supposed to be what you see is what you get. Pictures of my dinner. Always.

But I’ve had a lot of requests for this recipe so I can’t wait. And it was my dinner that night. Before I gave up on commercial masala. Please forgive me. Just this once.

There are two gravies in this one

If you’re new to hotel style cooking it’s a little different from what you might be used to. If you cook restaurant style anyway.

Hotel style is super posh restaurant style. It’s still restaurant cooking. Cooking to order. But it brings a more discipline.

The basic idea is the same. There’s a gravy. It’s the base of the curry. But it’s a completely different gravy.

And in this chicken tikka masala there are two gravies. Yes. Two gravies. Think like a high end restaurant.

The sauces are foundational. Like French cooking. Which is why I love it. This is India meets Cordon Bleu. Like I said. Discipline.

There’s an onion gravy. I call that hotel gravy. It’s where the depth of flavour comes from.

And there’s the makhani gravy. Rich tomato flavour. Tang. A little sweetness. Another layer of flavour.

Not really makhani gravy actually. Tomato gravy. Because you use the version without the butter and cream. Two gravies. One serious curry.

Chicken tikka masala – hotel style

This may be the most complicated chicken tikka masala recipe out there. I haven’t looked that hard. But I wouldn’t be surprised.

So I get that this one isn’t for everyone. It’s not for the those with a passing interest. Not for the Campbell’s soup and garam masala crowd.

It is for those that are ready to go the distance. Those that are looking for something special. If that’s you then this one might be what you’re looking for.

chicken tikka masala – Indian hotel style

Ingredients

Quick chicken tikka

• 1 lb chicken thighs boneless, skinless. Each thigh cut into 3 or 4 pieces
• 3 tbsp tandoori masala – you want a brand that isn’t super heavy on the salt. Or you can make your own. See the link in the notes.
• 2 tsp kasoor methi
• 1/4 tsp naga pickle – optional but so tasty if you can stand the heat
• 1 tsp kosher salt – an extra tsp of kosher salt if you are using the glebekitchen tandoori masala.
• 3 tbsp neutral oil

The spice mix

• 2 tsp tandoori masala – same story as above.
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/4-2 tsp kashmiri chili powder 1/4 tsp is pretty mild. 2 tsp has a bit of kick. You decide.
• 1/4 tsp amchoor powder – dried mango powder
• 1 1/2 tsp kasoor methi – dried fenugreek leaves
• 1 tsp kosher salt – if you use the tandoori masala recipe below (no salt). If you are using a commercial tandoori masala I’d think about cutting it back to 1/2 tsp max and seasoning to taste at the end.

chicken tikka masala

• 1 cup Indian hotel curry gravy – link below
• 1/2 cup makhani gravy – without the added butter and cream (link below)
• 5 tbsp neutral oil – canola or vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp garlic ginger paste
• the spice mix from above
• 2 tsp brown sugar – I’m not crazy about sweet curries so if you like it sweet you can probably add a bit more.
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 cup heavy cream – optional. The cream adds richness but also blunts the flavour. Go with what you prefer. I usually leave it out.
• enough chicken stock to get you to the consistency you want chicken stock is not cubes.

Instructions

Make your simple chicken tikka

• Combine the tandoori masala, kasoori methi, salt and oil. Stir to combine. If you like a bit of spice a little naga pickle goes nicely in this mix.
• Add the chicken thighs. Mix. Use tongs for this. This stuff stains. Badly.
• Marinate anywhere from 1 to 4 hours.
• While the chicken marinates, preheat your oven to 400F. Pre-heat a baking pan.
• Use your tongs to place the chicken onto the pre-heated baking sheet. Return the baking sheet to the oven. Cook for around 6 minutes. Flip each piece and return the baking sheet to the oven. Continue to cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160-165F. This should take another 4-8 minutes or so. Really depends on how big your chicken thigh pieces are. When you’ve hit your target internal temp set the chicken aside.
• If you can I do recommend using a BBQ. Asian groceries and restaurant supply stores sell these little wire mesh grates. They are awesome for grilling little pieces like tikka. No skewering required.
• I strongly prefer charcoal over gas. Set yourself up for a direct zone and an indirect zone. Cook the chicken over the indirect zone until you get to an internal temp of about 150F then char the chicken up a bit over the direct zone. Those little Asian grill grates are really nice for this. You can just slide the grate, chicken and all from the indirect zone to the direct zone and back. Super handy. Remove the chicken when you get to 160-165F and set aside.

Make the hotel style chicken tikka masala

• Make your spice mix. Measure out all the spices, kasoor methi and salt and toss them into a little bowl. It’s all going in at once.
• Pre-heat a skillet large enough to hold all the ingredients over medium-low heat. Pick a skillet that has a lid. Add the oil.
• When the oil starts to shimmer add the garlic ginger paste. Cook, stirring continuously, until it stops sputtering. This part can get a bit messy. Stand back. You want to drive the water out and cook the paste a bit. You don’t want it to colour up.
• Add the spice mix. All of it. Stir to combine and fry for about 30-45 seconds. You want the spices to fry in the oil If it looks dry or it’s starting to stick reduce the heat and add more oil. You are blooming spices. This is where the magic happens. If you don’t have a really good hood fan your house should smell like an Indian restaurant at this point.
• Add the hotel gravy and the makhani gravy. Stir to combine. Get the oil worked into the sauce. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Stir in the coconut milk and brown sugar and then add the chicken tikka. Cover and simmer until the chicken tikka is warmed through.
• Add the heavy cream if using.
• Look at the consistency of the sauce. If you would like it a bit thinner add a bit of chicken stock and stir. You probably won’t need any if you are using the heavy cream. Simmer for about a minute.
• Serve with rice and naan or chapatis. A nice chana masala or tarka dal is always good too.

Notes

Nutrition

chicken tikka masala - Indian hotel style

Ingredients

Quick chicken tikka

• 1 lb chicken thighs boneless, skinless. Each thigh cut into 3 or 4 pieces
• 3 tbsp tandoori masala - you want a brand that isn’t super heavy on the salt. Or you can make your own. See the link in the notes.
• 2 tsp kasoor methi
• 1/4 tsp naga pickle - optional but so tasty if you can stand the heat
• 1 tsp kosher salt - an extra tsp of kosher salt if you are using the glebekitchen tandoori masala.
• 3 tbsp neutral oil

The spice mix

• 2 tsp tandoori masala - same story as above.
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/4-2 tsp kashmiri chili powder 1/4 tsp is pretty mild. 2 tsp has a bit of kick. You decide.
• 1/4 tsp amchoor powder - dried mango powder
• 1 1/2 tsp kasoor methi - dried fenugreek leaves
• 1 tsp kosher salt - if you use the tandoori masala recipe below (no salt). If you are using a commercial tandoori masala I’d think about cutting it back to 1/2 tsp max and seasoning to taste at the end.

chicken tikka masala

• 1 cup Indian hotel curry gravy - link below
• 1/2 cup makhani gravy - without the added butter and cream (link below)
• 5 tbsp neutral oil - canola or vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp garlic ginger paste
• the spice mix from above
• 2 tsp brown sugar - I’m not crazy about sweet curries so if you like it sweet you can probably add a bit more.
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 cup heavy cream - optional. The cream adds richness but also blunts the flavour. Go with what you prefer. I usually leave it out.
• enough chicken stock to get you to the consistency you want chicken stock is not cubes.

Instructions

Make your simple chicken tikka

• Combine the tandoori masala, kasoori methi, salt and oil. Stir to combine. If you like a bit of spice a little naga pickle goes nicely in this mix.
• Add the chicken thighs. Mix. Use tongs for this. This stuff stains. Badly.
• Marinate anywhere from 1 to 4 hours.
• While the chicken marinates, preheat your oven to 400F. Pre-heat a baking pan.
• Use your tongs to place the chicken onto the pre-heated baking sheet. Return the baking sheet to the oven. Cook for around 6 minutes. Flip each piece and return the baking sheet to the oven. Continue to cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160-165F. This should take another 4-8 minutes or so. Really depends on how big your chicken thigh pieces are. When you’ve hit your target internal temp set the chicken aside.
• If you can I do recommend using a BBQ. Asian groceries and restaurant supply stores sell these little wire mesh grates. They are awesome for grilling little pieces like tikka. No skewering required.
• I strongly prefer charcoal over gas. Set yourself up for a direct zone and an indirect zone. Cook the chicken over the indirect zone until you get to an internal temp of about 150F then char the chicken up a bit over the direct zone. Those little Asian grill grates are really nice for this. You can just slide the grate, chicken and all from the indirect zone to the direct zone and back. Super handy. Remove the chicken when you get to 160-165F and set aside.

Make the hotel style chicken tikka masala

• Make your spice mix. Measure out all the spices, kasoor methi and salt and toss them into a little bowl. It’s all going in at once.
• Pre-heat a skillet large enough to hold all the ingredients over medium-low heat. Pick a skillet that has a lid. Add the oil.
• When the oil starts to shimmer add the garlic ginger paste. Cook, stirring continuously, until it stops sputtering. This part can get a bit messy. Stand back. You want to drive the water out and cook the paste a bit. You don’t want it to colour up.
• Add the spice mix. All of it. Stir to combine and fry for about 30-45 seconds. You want the spices to fry in the oil If it looks dry or it’s starting to stick reduce the heat and add more oil. You are blooming spices. This is where the magic happens. If you don’t have a really good hood fan your house should smell like an Indian restaurant at this point.
• Add the hotel gravy and the makhani gravy. Stir to combine. Get the oil worked into the sauce. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Stir in the coconut milk and brown sugar and then add the chicken tikka. Cover and simmer until the chicken tikka is warmed through.
• Add the heavy cream if using.
• Look at the consistency of the sauce. If you would like it a bit thinner add a bit of chicken stock and stir. You probably won’t need any if you are using the heavy cream. Simmer for about a minute.
• Serve with rice and naan or chapatis. A nice chana masala or tarka dal is always good too.

Notes

Nutrition

The kathi roll is a beautiful thing. One of the greats. This is one serious sandwich.

Think chicken tikka wrapped up in a flaky paratha with a crazy delicious sauce. A sauce with a glebekitchen twist.

I’d put it up there with a Philly cheesesteak. Banh mi. Pulled pork. Maybe even Montreal smoked meat on rye with a kosher dill.

No, not really. Montreal smoked meat is my sandwich holy grail. My king of sandwiches.

The day I put up something I say is better than that is the day you’ll know I’ve lost my mind.

That said, I love with this sandwich. It just works. If I had a food truck it would be on the menu twice a week. At least.

Kathi roll is Bengali street food

Here’s where it gets a little freaky. Nature vs. nurture. I made this sandwich up. I just did it one night when I was jammed for dinner.

Had some tikka. And parathas. Whipped up a sauce. And sat down to eat.

And I loved it. So I thought I’d blog about it. But I needed a name. Jammed for dinner chicken paratha sandwich isn’t really selling it.

So I started googling. To come up with a name that would mean something to somebody. And I discovered the kathi roll.

That’s not the freaky part. It’s hard in the world of food to come up with something completely new. People have been eating for a long time. I wasn’t surprised.

Turns out it’s Bengali street food. That’s the freaky part. I’ve never been to Kollkata. But my genes come from there. My Bengali sandwich gene finally kicked in. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Great chicken tikka makes a great kathi roll

That’s just so patently obvious I’m embarrassed to write it. But it’s also true.

I have my own thoughts on chicken tikka. Bet you are shocked. And I’m a bit unapologetic about it. No big surprise there either.

Want to rock your tikka? Leave out the yoghurt. Seriously.

I can hear you. “No yoghurt? Every recipe on the internet has yoghurt. You’re an idiot. How can it not have yoghurt?”

Here’s the thing. Context matters. Yoghurt marinades work OK. If you have a tandoor.

And it’s the “if you have a tandoor” part matters. That’s important. Are you firing your tikka at 900F? Context matters. Temperature matters.

I’ve tried it with yoghurt. And without. And I think it’s way better without. Over charcoal. At around 500F. If you have a tandoor maybe yoghurt is right for you. Context.

I like a charcoal BBQ for chicken tikka

This recipe works in an oven. It works well. But it’s really hard to beat the kiss of smoke a charcoal grill brings.

Things like tikka are a bit of a pain on a grill. You can use skewers. But if a piece or two stick to the grill it can get tricky.

There’s an easier way. It doesn’t cost much at all. And it’s handy for all sorts of grilling. Shrimp. Vegetables. Tikka. Pork belly. The list is long.

They sell these little wire mesh grills at Asian groceries. At least around here. For around $5 each.

You can even get really nice ones in stainless. For about $20 a pair. Money well spent.

You set them right on your existing grill. Set up your fire up so you have a direct and indirect zone.

Put the tikka on the little Asian grill. And it becomes a single unit. Chicken and grate. You can slide that single unit around.

Start it over indirect heat. Let your chicken cook and pick up some smoke.

When it’s almost done slide the whole thing over direct heat. Give your chicken a little char. If it gets a bit out of hand slide it back to the indirect zone. Total control.

This works on gas as a well. You don’t get the wonderful charcoal smoke but it’s a great trick no matter what fuel you choose. Spend the 10 bucks. Or splurge on stainless steel. It’s so worth it.

Bread matters too

A kathi roll is fancy name for a paratha wrap. So choice of bread matters.

Parathas are hands down my favourite flat bread. No contest. If you’ve never had one you need to fix that.

Naan is good. I think chapatis are better. But parathas are in a whole different league.

They are to naan as a croissants are to a dinner rolls. Puff pastry to wonder bread. Just not the same.

You could try making these kathi rolls with naan. But then they would be naan rolls. You could even try with a tortilla. That would be a tikka wrap.

Neither are anywhere near as good though. If you want the real deal go with parathas. You won’t be sorry.

The sauce makes it

There are a lot of recipes for tikka out there. And quite a few for kathi rolls. This one is a little different. I’m not trying to be authentic here.

This is about making a sandwich I could serve from a food truck. And get famous for it.

That’s where the sauce comes in. There’s a glebekitchen twist here. Traditional is green chutney. That’s pretty tasty. But not tasty enough. Not for my food truck.

I’m going with a mango and green chili pickle sauce. With yoghurt. And mayonnaise. And it’s the mayonnaise that makes it.

Believe. It’s what makes a great sandwich amazing.

Kathi roll – one serious sandwich

Some really good tikka hot off the grill. Fresh cilantro. Sliced shallots. A good drizzle of sauce. All wrapped up in a warm, flaky paratha.

Might not be a Montreal smoked meat sandwich. But it’s a serious contender for second place. I need to get on the food truck thing. To spread the word. The world needs more kathi rolls. Care to join me?

Kathi rolls – food truck style

Ingredients

Kathi roll sauce

• 3 tbsp plain yoghurt
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp mango pickle
• 1 tsp green chili pickle

Chicken tikka

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces. Look at the chicken pieces. Doesn’t always work out exactly.
• 2 tbsp tandoori masala – look for a low sodium brand or make your own (see notes).
• 1 tsp kasoor methi
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt – you may need more or less depending on how salty your tandoori masala is.
• 1/2 tsp naga pickle – optional but really tasty. Not as crazy as you might think but pretty spicy. Definitely not for those that don’t like heat.
• 3-4 tbsp vegetable oil – any neutral oil

kathi rolls

• 4 parathas
• the chicken tikka
• the kathi roll sauce
• garnish as you like. thinly sliced shallots, thinly sliced green chilies, cilantro, fried shallots. Have fun here…

Instructions

Make the sauce

• Chop the pickles as finely as you can. Mix the pickle with the mayo and the yoghurt. That’s it. Sometimes simple can be great.
• The quantites really depend on the brand of pickle you choose. If it’s a particularly salty pickle you may need to cut it with a bit more mayo/yoghurt. Or you may need to add a bit more pickle. Trust your instincts.
• If you want to use a squirt bottle make around 10 times as much and use a blender. Like a restaurant would. It’s good on burgers too. Especially lamb burgers. Mmmm… lamb burgers.

Make the chicken tikka

• Combine the tandoori masala, kasoori methi, salt and oil. Stir to combine. If you like a bit of spice a little naga pickle goes nicely in this mix.
• Mix your marinade with the chicken thighs. Really stir to get it each piece coated. Use tongs for this. And watch your clothes. This stuff stains. Badly. Unless you make your own tandoori masala of course.
• Marinate anywhere from 1 to 4 hours.

Oven method

• While the chicken marinates, preheat your oven to 400F. Pre-heat a sturdy baking pan.
• Remember to use your tongs. Place the chicken onto the pre-heated baking sheet and return the baking sheet to the oven.
• Cook for around 6 minutes. A timer is never a bad idea. Flip each piece and return the baking sheet to the oven.
• Continue to cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 170-175F. This somewhere between 4-8 minutes. Total cooking time depends on how big your chicken thigh pieces are. When you’ve hit your target internal temp remove the chicken from the oven and set the chicken aside.

Grilling (BBQ) method

• I really like a BBQ for chicken tikka. Truth be told I strongly prefer charcoal over gas. Set yourself up for a direct zone and an indirect zone.
• You can use skewers but if you can get one of those little wire screens they use for grilling at an Asian grocer or restaurant supply store they are super handy.
• Cook the chicken over the indirect zone until you get to an internal temp of about 160F then char the chicken up a bit over the direct zone. You may have to move it back to the indirect zone if it starts to char too much before it gets to the target internal temp.
• Remove the chicken when you get to 175F and set aside.

Make the kathi rolls

• Warm the parathas.
• Put a smear of sauce on the paratha. Top with chicken tikka. You may want to cut the pieces in half to make things easier to eat.
• Drizzle with a bit more sauce.
• Garnish with cilantro, thinly sliced shallots, green chilies or crispy fried onions. Garnish with what you like is what I’m saying here. Make these kathi rolls your own.
• Eat them as you would a taco. Tilt your head as you take a bite. And enjoy!

Notes