Baked Chicken Tikka Masala🍗

Given my fetish for cooking without knives, I had always turned to my oven to help bake a meal.

Just the thought of standing and stirring at a stove in humid weather just seemed to sap all the energy and enthusiasm. And voila! That gave me the idea of baking a chicken curry!

I love the way the creamy texture blends with the spices to give the whole meal a tangy flavor. Simply put, baking helps harmonize these ingredients bringing out the best in each. So next time, make sure it is baked and not stirred 😀❤️

Ingredients :

Boneless chicken cubed – 500 gm

Marinade:

Chilli powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Cumin powder – 1/2 tsp (optional)
Flavourless oil – 1 tsp
Salt – 1 tsp

Mix the marinade ingredients with the cleaned and cubed chicken pieces. Keep aside for 20 mins atleast.

Tikka Sauce :

Any flavourless oil – 2 tbsp
Onions – 2 medium sized
Garlic – 6 cloves
Yoghurt – 1 cup
Tamarind sauce – 2 tbsps
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Chilli powder – 1 tsp
Garam Masala – 2 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Salt – 1 tsp

Method :

Sauté chopped onions and the garlic in 2 tbsp of oil until slightly brown. Keep aside to cool. Preheat the oven to 175 C.

In the same pan lightly fry the marinated chicken turning once, to seal in the spices.

In a food processor, place the remaining ingredients including the sautéed onions and pulse to a purée.

Assemble the chicken tikka masala in an ovenproof dish, layering the chicken first and the masala sauce over it. Bake for 25 mins until done.

Garnish with chopped cashew nuts and minced coriander leaves. I served it with a pomegranate raita (yogurt salad) and an Indian bread called Chapati.

Pomegranate Raita

Ingredients:

Whisked Yoghurt – 1/2 cup
Milk – 2 tbsp
Pomegranate seeds – 1/4 cup
Coriander leaves minced – 1 tbsp
Cayenne pepper – 1/4 tsp
Salt – 1/4 tsp or as required

Method :

Mix all together and garnish with coriander leaves and a sprinkling of cayenne pepper. This salad is so refreshing, I end up eating it on its own most times.

Add a Pinch of love ❤ :

Add 1/2 tsp of Indian chaat masala to the sauce mix and use butter or ghee instead of flavourless oil to add a richer taste.

I made tamarind sauce by mixing a small ball of tamarind pulp with 3 tbsp hot water and straining the mix once it cools.

xoxo,

Sareeka ❤