Curry Stand Chicken Tikka Masala Sauce

Description

A classic curry-stand recipe. This is not haute cuisine; this is the kind of nuclear-orange tikka masala that you crave when you stumble out of a pub at 2 a.m. I make vast quantities of the sauce at one time, and it freezes very well. I also added much more cayenne pepper than 1 teaspoon, but I give out the recipe like this for people who don’t like heat.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt (Optional)
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 (14 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 tablespoon white sugar (Optional)
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-size pieces
  • ½ teaspoon curry powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste (Optional)
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar, or to taste (Optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until translucent
  2. about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook and stir just until fragrant
  3. about 1 minute. Stir cumin
  4. 1 teaspoon salt
  5. ginger
  6. cayenne pepper
  7. cinnamon
  8. and turmeric into onion mixture; fry until fragrant
  9. about 2 minutes.
  10. Stir tomato sauce into onion and spice mixture; bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer sauce for 10 minutes
  11. then mix in cream
  12. 1 tablespoon sugar
  13. and paprika. Bring sauce back to a simmer and cook
  14. stirring often
  15. until sauce is thickened
  16. 10 to 15 minutes.
  17. Heat vegetable oil in a separate skillet over medium heat. Stir chicken into hot oil; add curry powder. Sear chicken until lightly browned but still pink inside
  18. about 3 minutes; stir often.
  19. Transfer chicken and any pan juices into sauce. Simmer chicken in sauce until no longer pink
  20. about 30 minutes; adjust sugar and salt to taste.

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 1 hr 5 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins

Servings: 6

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