Chicken Tikka Masala is one of the most popular dishes of Indian cuisine. Marrying the tender marinated chicken with rich and creamy tomato sauce, this dish is an experience in itself regarding flavour. The recipe of chicken tikka masala is so good that a novice in this field can feel like a perfect home cook. Begin by marinating bite-sized chicken pieces with yoghurt, lemon juice, and spices like garam masala, cumin, and turmeric. The longer the chicken sits in these flavours, the better, as it should be soaked for at least an hour or overnight. Grill or bake once marinated and let it cook through until it is slightly blackened on the outside. To prepare masala sauce, heat oil or ghee in a pan, and saut the very finely chopped onions until golden brown. Add some ginger-garlic paste until fragrant, then add the pureed tomatoes with spices, including coriander, cumin, and chilli powder. Simmer the mixture so the flavours meld together. Add the grilled chicken pieces and stir to coat the sauce when it thickens. Finish the dish with a dollop of cream and fresh cilantro, which gives it a pop of colour. This chicken tikka masala recipe is versatile- it can be served with simple basmati rice and naan bread for dinner. Its aromatic spices and comfortable flavours make it a winner at home to tantalise your senses and bring the emotions of Indian cooking to your table!

• 500 gms chicken
• 200 gms tomato puree
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1/2 cup dairy cream
• 200 gms curd
• As per taste salt
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• Coriander leaves
• 1 chopped onion
• 2 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp cooking oil

• Start by cutting 500 gms of boneless chicken into small, manageable pieces for a great and juicy dish.
• Place those pieces in a large bowl with 200 gms of yoghurt - which will be a partial tenderiser of the meat to make it soft and rich with a cream texture.
• Add in 1 tablespoon of ginger-garlic paste, deepening all the flavours; heat from 1 teaspoon of red chilli powder; add yellow with earthy undertones by adding one teaspoon of turmeric powder; and a complex aromatic with one teaspoon of garam masala.
• Finally, add salt to taste and mix everything well together so the chicken pieces are evenly coated.
• Cover the bowl with a lid, and refrigerate the chicken for at least 2 hours to marinate- the longer it can be allowed to sit, the deeper the flavours of the meat will be.
• When the chicken has been sufficiently marinated, preheat your oven to 200 C or 400 F.
• Skewer the chicken pieces onto metal or wooden skewers to cook evenly as well as to make handling easier.
• Put the skewered chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, making cleanup a lot easier.
• Bake in a preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until both sides of the skewers are cooked through and lightly browned.
• The aim is to get a soft interior and some smoky flavour from the oven. By this time, the chicken should have cooked, so it's now time to prepare the gravy to make the dish impressive.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil or ghee in a large pan over medium heat.
• Add one finely chopped onion and saut until it becomes golden brown; that builds the base of your sauce.
• Add one tablespoon of ginger-garlic paste when the onions get perfectly browned and stir it for almost 2 minutes so that the raw smell may disappear.
• Add in 1 teaspoon of red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon of coriander powder, 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of garam masala.
• Let's add the spices to the mixture of onions, then stir and add the pan, which is going to cook for 1 minute, and let the required essential oils be released from the spices.
• Then add 200 gms tomato puree. Let the tomato puree cook for 5 to 7 minutes, occasionally stirring till the oil separates from the masala- this will then be well-cooked and infused with flavour.
• When the tomato base is ready, add 1 cup of water to the pan and bring the gravy to a boil.
• Then, reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
• The flavours go well with the simmering process.
• After the gravy has set a little thicker, slowly add the oven-cooked pieces of chicken to the pan.
• Stir well to combine the chicken with the gravy and allow it to cook for another 5 minutes, during which time the rich flavour of the sauce is absorbed by the chicken.
• A final touch of splendour is added with 1/2 cup fresh cream rich and tempering spices, stir for another 2 to 3 minutes, taste the dish, then adjust salt and spice levels accordingly.
• Lastly, garnish with fresh coriander leaves for that burst of colour and freshness.
• Serve the lovely chicken preparation hot with naan, roti, or rice so that the warm flavour gravy is sipped with bread or grains.
• The layers of flavour, along with soft, juicy chicken, will make this the perfect centrepiece of any meal!