Chicken Tikka Masala

Recipe by Chef Neven Maguire.
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Category:
Servings: 4 yield(s)
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 50 mins
Total Time: 65 mins
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp Donegal Rapeseed Oil
  • knob of butter
  • 2 onions (thinly sliced)
  • 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
  • 1 red chilli (seeded and finely chopped)
  • 5cm piece of fresh root ginger (peeled and grated)
  • 100 g tikka masala curry paste
  • 200 g canned chopped tomatoes
  • 250 ml coconut cream
  • 150 ml chicken stock or water
  • 12 chicken thighs/4 chicken breasts (cut into strips)
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 200 g natural yogurt (plus extra to serve)
  • fresh coriander leaves (to garnish)
  • For the saffron rice:
  • 1 tsp saffron threads
  • knob of butter
  • 350 g basmati rice
  • 6 green cardamom pods (cracked)
Instructions
  1. Heat the oil and butter in a large heavy-based pan with a lid. Add the onions, garlic, chilli and ginger and cook for 10 minutes over a medium heat, until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the tikka masala paste and cook for 1 minute. Season to taste.
  2. Add the tomatoes, coconut cream and chicken stock or water. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until reduced by half and thickened.
  3. Tip in the chicken strips and yoghurt and stir well to combine.
  4. Bring back to a gentle simmer, then cover with a lid and cook for another 15-20 minutes, until the sauce is nicely reduced and the chicken is tender.
  5. To prepare the saffron rice, place the saffron threads into a small bowl and pour over a little boiling water and leave to infuse. Melt the butter in a large heavy-based pan with a lid. When it's just starting to foam, tip in the rice and cardamom.
  6. Stir the rice for 2 minutes over a medium heat and season with a little salt. Pour over enough boiling water to cover the rice by 2.5cm (1in), bring to a simmer and put on the lid.
  7. Allow to cook for 5 minutes, then pour in the saffron, including the water that it's been soaking in. Cover the pot again and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the rice is just cooked but retains some bite.
  8. To serve: Spoon the chicken tikka masala into warmed serving bowls and put the saffron rice into separate bowls. Add dollops of yoghurt to each bowl of chicken tikka masala and a good scattering of coriander leaves to garnish.