Rick Stein Chicken Tikka Masala
Calories: 1250|Fat: 47.8|Carbohydrates: 130.8|Protein: 60.3
| 1 hour
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Discover Rick Stein chicken tikka masala with chapatis inspired by Leicester's Indian culinary heritage. A flavorful journey awaits!
Rick’s chicken tikka masala with chapatis stands out due to its authentic blend of spices and meticulous preparation. Inspired by Leicester’s vibrant Indian food scene, this dish offers a unique twist on the classic tikka masala, infusing it with the rich cultural flavors of the region. With each bite, experience the perfect balance of savory and aromatic spices, tender chicken, and creamy sauce, all complemented by the soft and fluffy chapatis.
For the Perfect Tikka Masala
- Grilling Tips: Preheat the grill for 10-15 minutes and flip the chicken halfway for even browning.
- Ingredients: Stick to the original ingredients for an authentic taste.
- Marination: Marinate chicken breast for at least 30 minutes for better flavour.
- Plating: Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lemon juice for extra brightness.
What You Need
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Chicken – Use skinless, boneless chicken breast or thighs if you prefer.
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Yoghurt – Use plain yoghurt to marinate the chicken. Substitute with full-fat Greek yoghurt if you prefer.
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Double cream – Essential for a rich, creamy sauce.
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Ghee – It’s authentic and adds a distinctive flavour to the dish.
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Tomatoes – Use tinned fresh (Roma, heirloom, tomatoes on the vine) or chopped tomatoes and a little tomato paste. You can also use tinned whole plum tomatoes and chop them. Avoid using tomato puree as them tikka masala will not have the best texture at the end.
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Rice – For Pilau rice, the best choice is basmati rice. Basmati rice is known for its long grains, fragrant aroma, and fluffy texture, making it ideal for this flavorful dish.
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Ground almonds – Substitute with 1 tbsp of cashew nuts (soaked and ground).
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Green chillies – Substitute 3 green chillies with 1-2 jalapeños or serrano peppers (seeded and chopped) for a similar level of heat. Alternatively, use a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne pepper to adjust the heat.
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Lemon juice – Substitute with 1 ½ tbsp of lime juice. Avoid using vinegar as a substitute.
- Aromatics & Spices –
- For Marination – Use crushed fresh ginger and garlic mixed with the other dry spices: crushed green cardamom pods, toasted ground cumin seeds, mild or sweet paprika, Kashmiri chilli powder, ground turmeric, and salt. Toast the cumin seeds before grinding for enhanced flavour.
- For the Sauce – Use sliced onion, crushed fresh ginger and garlic, and mix with other dry spices: coriander, cumin, Kashmiri chilli powder, garam masala, mild paprika, and salt. Toast and grind the coriander and cumin seeds together for a superior taste.
- For the Pilau rice – You need a piece of cinnamon stick, crushed cardamom pod, and cloves.
Storage And Make Ahead Instructions
- Storage Instructions – Store leftover chicken tikka masala in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for a longer shelf life.
- Reheating Tips – Reheat the dish gently on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave, adding a splash of water to prevent drying out.
- Make-Ahead Options – Prepare the marinade and marinate the chicken in advance, or even grill the chicken ahead of time and assemble the sauce just before serving for quick weeknight dinners.
Goes Well With
Biryani Pilau
Naan Bread
Chapati
Health Info
- Calories: 1250
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 1293.5
- Fat: 47.8
- Carbohydrates: 130.8
- Fiber: 10.5
- Protein: 60.3
Rick Stein Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe
Servings 4 portions
Calories 1250kcal
Description
Discover Rick Stein chicken tikka masala with chapatis inspired by Leicester's Indian culinary heritage. A flavorful journey awaits!
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Frying pan or skillet
- Grill pan or barbecue (optional)
- Pestle and mortar or spice grinder
- Rolling Pin
- Heavy-based frying pan or griddle
- Saucepan
- Oven (for reheating pilau rice)
Ingredients
For the Marinade:
- 750 g skinless boneless chicken breast (26.5oz)
- 12 seeds green cardamom pods crushed
- 1 tsp freshly toasted cumin seeds ground
- 1 large lemon juice
- 2 tsp mild paprika
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 150 ml plain yoghurt (⅗ cup)
- 25 g peeled ginger (0.9oz) grated
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and grated
- 25 g ghee/clarified butter (0.9oz)
For the Sauce:
- 3 tbsp ghee/clarified butter/vegetable oil (60g / 2.1oz)
- 1 large onion finely sliced
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and grated
- 25 g ginger (0.9oz) peeled and grated
- 1 ½ tsp ground coriander seeds or ground coriander fresh toasted and ground
- 1 tsp cumin seeds freshly toasted and ground
- ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli
- 1 tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp mild paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- 225 g chopped tomatoes (7.9 oz) tinned or fresh
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp ground almonds
- 1 tsp sugar
- 120 ml double cream (½ cup)
- 3 green chillies slit open
- 1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
- Small handful coriander leaves roughly chopped
For the Chapatis:
- 250 g 250g chapati flour, or half wholemeal, half plain white flour, plus extra for dusting (8.8oz)
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp melted ghee butter, or vegetable oil, plus extra for brushing
- 120 ml warm water 1¼ cup warm water
For the Pilau Rice:
- 315 g basmati rice (11.1oz)
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 2 cloves
- 3 cm piece of cinnamon stick (1.2inch)
- 1 green cardamom pod crushed
- ¼ tsp salt
- 350 ml warm water (1½ cups)
Instructions
Make the Marinade
- Toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan until fragrant, then grind them along with the coriander seeds using a pestle and mortar or spice grinder.
- Cut the chicken breast into 3-4cm chunks and place them in a bowl.
- Add the toasted ground cumin and coriander seeds, lemon juice, paprika, Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric, salt, plain yoghurt, grated ginger, and grated garlic to the bowl with the chicken.
- Thoroughly mix the ingredients until the chicken is evenly coated with the marinade.
- Set the chicken aside to marinate for about half an hour.
Make the sauce
- Heat ghee or vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the finely sliced onion and cook until soft and golden brown.
- Add grated garlic and ginger to the pan and cook for a few minutes until fragrant.
- Stir in freshly ground coriander seeds, freshly toasted and ground cumin seeds, Kashmiri chilli, garam masala, mild paprika, and salt. Cook for 1-2 minutes until aromatic.
- Add chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, ground almonds, and salt to the pan. Pour in 300ml of water and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, allowing it to thicken slightly.
Grill the chicken
- Preheat the grill or barbecue to high heat. Line the grill pan with foil or grease it lightly.
- Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and brush them with melted ghee or clarified butter.
- Grill the chicken pieces under the preheated grill or on the barbecue for 5-6 minutes on each side, until lightly charred and cooked through.
- Once cooked, transfer the chicken pieces to a plate and set them aside.
Complete the sauce
- Add any remaining marinade from the chicken bowl to the pan. Stir in sugar, double cream, and slit green chillies.
- Simmer the sauce gently for another 10 minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Add the grilled chicken pieces to the sauce and cook for a few minutes.
- Stir in lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves. Remove from heat.
Make the chapatis
- In a mixing bowl, combine chapati flour (or a mixture of wholemeal and plain white flour) with salt.
- Add melted ghee, butter, or vegetable oil to the flour mixture, along with warm water. Mix to form a soft dough.
- Knead the dough in the bowl for a minute or two, then cover and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then roll out into circles about 13cm in diameter.
- Heat a frying pan or griddle over medium heat. Cook each chapati for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown and puffed up.
Make the pilau rice
- Wash basmati rice under cold water and soak for 30 minutes.
- Heat oil in a saucepan and fry cloves, cinnamon stick, and crushed cardamom for 30 seconds.
- Drain soaked rice and add it to the pan with salt.
- Add water, bring to a boil, then simmer covered for 10-12 minutes until water is absorbed.
- Fluff rice with a fork and serve.
Recipe Notes:
- Grilling: Preheat the grill for 10-15 minutes; flip chicken halfway.
- Pair this dish with the chapati and pilau rice suggested in the recipe but if you don’t have time cook some fragrant basmati rice or warm store-bought naan bread for a complete meal. Garnish with cilantro and lemon juice.
- Leftovers – Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze. Reheat using the stovetop or microwave with water.
- Make-Ahead: Marinate for at least 30 minutes or grill chicken in advance.
- Chicken: Skinless, boneless breast or thighs. For vegetarians, swap chicken breast with tofu or paneer.
- Yoghurt: Plain or full-fat Greek for marinating.
- Double cream: For a rich sauce.
- Ghee: Adds authentic flavour.
- Tomatoes: Use tinned/chopped; avoid puree.
- Rice: Basmati for Pilau rice.
- Ground almonds: Substitute with 1 tbsp ground cashews.
- Green chillies: Substitute with 1-2 jalapeños or red pepper flakes.
- Lemon juice: Substitute with lime juice.
- Aromatics / Spices for Marination: Ginger, garlic, cardamom, toasted cumin, paprika, Kashmiri chilli, turmeric, salt.
- Aromatics / Spices for the Sauce: Onion, ginger, garlic, coriander, cumin, chilli, garam masala, paprika, salt.
- Spices for the Pilau Rice: Cinnamon stick, cardamom pod, cloves.