Name: Chicken tikka masala
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 10
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons cooking oil; 25 grams butter; 4 onions, coarsely chopped; 6 tablespoons tikka masala curry paste (store-bought or homemade – see recipe below); 2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into pieces; 8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, diced into 2.5cm pieces; 2 tins (400g each) chopped tomatoes; 4 tablespoons tomato paste; 2–3 tablespoons mango chutney; 150ml heavy cream; 150ml plain yogurt; fresh coriander leaves, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Step 1

Grab a large, lidded casserole — the kind with a tight-fitting lid, since you'll need it later — and set it over a medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and 25g of butter, letting the butter melt and foam gently before it starts to brown. Toss in 3 large onions, sliced into thin half-moons, along with a good pinch of salt. The salt helps draw out moisture, so don't skip it. Stir everything together, then let the onions cook low and slow for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes. You're waiting for them to turn soft, floppy, and a deep golden colour — not crispy, just beautifully sweet and jammy. When they look like this, they're ready to become the backbone of your sauce.

Step 2

Grab your tikka masala paste and measure out 3 tablespoons into a small bowl so it's ready to go. Add it straight into the pan along with your sliced peppers, then stir everything together until the paste coats the chicken and vegetables evenly. Let it cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until you can smell the spices turn warm and fragrant and the raw edge has mellowed out.

Step 3

Now it's time to bring everything together. Pat your chicken pieces dry with kitchen paper — this helps them sear instead of stew. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large, deep frying pan or casserole dish over a medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken in a single layer, working in batches if needed, and fry for about 2 minutes until it's just starting to colour on the edges. Give it a good stir to coat every piece in that fragrant tikka paste, then let it cook for another 2 minutes until you can smell the spices toasting. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, add the tomato purée, and measure out 200ml of water straight into the empty tomato tin to swish out any last bits of purée. Tip it all into the pan and stir well to combine. Bring everything to a gentle bubble, then reduce the heat to low, pop a lid on, and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Give it a stir every so often so nothing catches on the bottom. The chicken is done when it's opaque all the way through and the sauce has thickened slightly — about 15 minutes total.

Step 4

Lift the lid off your pan and give everything a good stir. Add 2 tablespoons of mango chutney, 100ml of double cream and 100ml of natural yogurt, then fold them through the sauce until it's smooth and glossy. Let it bubble gently over a low heat for about 3–4 minutes until warmed through and just starting to steam — don't let it boil or the yogurt might split. Taste and season with salt and a pinch of sugar if it needs a little balance. If you're freezing a portion, let that part cool completely first, then transfer to an airtight container — it'll keep happily in the freezer for up to three months.

Step 5

Gather a small handful of fresh coriander and roughly chop the leaves, leaving the tender stems for garnish. Spoon your chicken tikka masala into warm bowls or onto a large platter, then scatter the chopped coriander generously over the top—you want flecks of green against that rich orange sauce. Serve immediately with fluffy basmati rice and warm naan bread on the side, so everything lands on the table while the sauce is still bubbling gently.

Freezer-Friendly Chicken Tikka Masala | Budget Takeaway Fakeaway

Chicken tikka masala