Home cooked Chicken Tikka Masala to warm the soul

This week we’re making Chicken Tikka Masala - a tender, grilled chicken simmered in a rich, creamy tomato sauce infused with aromatic spices. Let’s get stuck in!
COOKBOOK: Pre-order your copy here - bit.ly/3NwdLV4
Music by Epidemic Sound. Free 30 day trial through my link - share.epidemic...
FOLLOW ME:
Instagram: / andyhearnden
TikTok: / andy_cooks
Facebook: / andy.h.cooks
Snapchat: @andy.cooks
Website with all my recipes: www.andy-cooks...
Director, Chef and Host: Andy
Videographer, Editor: Mitch Henderson
Production Manager: Dazz Braeckmans
Editor: Caleb Dawkins
Check out the full recipe below or on my website - www.andy-cooks...
CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA RECIPE
Servings: 6, Prep: 45 minutes, Cook: 60 minutes
First marinade
1 kg chicken thighs, diced
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
juice of 1/2 lemon
tsp salt
Method
1. Place your diced chicken in a bowl with the other ingredients, mix well and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
Second marinade
Your marinated chicken
3 tbsp tempered mustard seed oil
1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
0.5 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp kasuri methi
2 heaped tbsp yoghurt
Method
1. Mix all the spices and ginger garlic paste together. Then add the yoghurt and mix again. Add the chicken from the first step, mix well and place in the fridge for 1-3 hours.
2. Place the chicken on skewers and grill over a hot charcoal barbecue for 3-4 minutes on each side or until you have good colour all over. Alternatively, if you don't have access to a charcoal barbecue simply place into a 220°c oven for 8-10 minutes or until you have good colour.
Tomato gravy
1 tbsp ghee
4 green cardamom pods
0.5 tsp cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
2 red onions, sliced thin
salt to taste
4 tomatoes diced
1 green chilli
small bunch of coriander stalks, washed
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
0.5 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
0.5 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
30g raw cashews
1 tsp kasuri methi
1.5 tbsp butter
30ml cream
1 tsp honey
coriander, rice and naan to serve
Method
1. In a large pot over medium heat, add the ghee along with the cardamon, cumin and bay leaves and infuse for 3-4 minutes.
2. Add the onion and salt, stirring occasionally and cooking for 10 minutes or until the onion starts to brown and caramelise.
3. Add the ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, raw cashews, and kasuri methi, and stir well.
4. Add the diced tomato, green chilli and coriander stalks, a pinch of salt and 150ml water, stir well and cook for a further 20 minutes or until the tomato has broken down.
5. Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Remove the bay leaves before blending until completely smooth.
6. Return the blended mixture to the pot over low heat and add the butter, honey and cream, stirring well until the butter has melted and the cream is well combined.
7. Add the cooked chicken and stir well to combine with the gravy, allowing everything to heat through for a few minutes.
8. Serve with rice and naan and garnish with coriander. Enjoy!

[@ninadjoshi7171]

Hey Andy. Mustard oil is heated up to smoke point to reduce its pungency just a little. Also, it gets some smoky characteristics to it by heating it up. That being said, in a lot of recipes (like Jhalmuri), you use raw mustard oil (not heated). If you don't want to heat it, that's fine, just use a little less, as it will be strong. Cheers!

[@78LedHead]

excellent info. thank you

[@traviswilkes6995]

Thanks bro I was really curious about the reason for it as well! 👍

[@peterthornton2396]

He knows, he’s just getting people to comment lol

[@alexandrastevens8892]

I always wondered, now I know, thank you 😊

[@frasermackenzie7275]

Be prepared for the gagging stench of cooked mustard oil throughout your home

[@robhunt9055]

Hi Andy, I just wanted to say thank you, as your presentation, manner and execution are awesome, I spent many years working in 1, 2 and 3 Michelin stared restaurants, fine dining restaurants in luxury hotels and lodges, and at some point the wheels feel off the trolley, and I had a pretty bad breakdown, and as a result hated cooking for a long time! I'm a carpenter/builder now, and loving it! I somehow stumbled onto your channel quite a while ago when it was still fairly niche, and I have cooked a lot of your dishes at home for my wife and 4 children, and as a result I have started to regain my love of cooking! The family are also grateful, although I have no intention of returning to a professional kitchen, I am enjoying sharing your recipes with my tribe in our family "restaurant" 👍😀 Once again Many thanks and kind regards Rob 🇳🇿

[@andy_cooks]

You made my day, thanks Rob 🙏 cooking for your family and friends is one of the greatest joys in life, and for me that’s what drives me to make these videos. I’m glad you’re happy in your new career, cooking at that level is incredibly hard and not many people come out the other side the same way they went in. 🙏

[@robhunt9055]

@@andy_cooks Thank you for your lovely reply, and your understanding, I actually had a tear in my eye, and a lump in my throat 😊 Kind regards Rob

[@pandadoublexl]

Good on ya mate

[@kizomanizo]

Your story is worth reading some days so that others may learn a thing or two.

[@Mardy72]

On ya Rob 👍

[@NYJWR07]

If you only have round skewers you can also use two and pierce the meat a little bit apart and it will work the same as flat ones

[@BreonNagy]

The production of this video is top notch. You guys are really killing it. Quickly becoming my favorite cooking channel.

[@slumbercat]

I'm a former chef. I like your style, trying your recipe as we "speak". I cook a lot of Indian food, but it is easy to get stuck in my own rut, so I'm glad to try your recipe which seems to make sense from someone who comes across as no-nonsense and a professional. Thumbs up for your channel.

[@wolfman011000]

We have found that the gravy freezes very well at the stage before you add the butter and cream. Freezing with the butter and cream added the sauce can have abit of a grainy mouth feel. Making and freezing batches of gravies and sauces is a great time and energy saver if you have the freezer space, especially those that take time like a ragu. Thank you for the recipe, take care, God bless one and all. Resently rather than adding double cream we have been using canned coconut milk, adds good flavour. If you use coconut oil rather than ghee, those who are lactose-intolerant should be able to enjoy the dish.

[@chrishewitt4220]

Definitely making this one soon! Love my Tikka Masala! As an ex-pat Scotsman living in OZ, this is going to be a go-to favourite. Oh, and got my cookbook yesterday... a beautiful book, with lovely photos and great recipes. Thanks, Andy and team.

[@Rozkovar]

You can add a teespoon tip of tumeric powder to the garlic/ginger paste. That helps to make it last longer. In a fridge sealed in a jar it is usable up to 6 month.

[@cherrikola999]

Thank you

[@TheRambler]

How exactly does that help in making it last longer?

[@Rozkovar]

Curcumin - the active ingredient complex from turmeric Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant with proven anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and hypoallergenic properties.@@TheRambler

[@bjb123ch]

@@TheRambler its a preservative

[@dcmkcbbq]

Get a cheap plastic ice cube tray. Divide up the paste and freeze. When the paste is frozen, pop it out of the ice cube tray and store in a ziploc bag in the freezer.

[@stefanukic4856]

Andy, you are the absolute best. Love watching your content. I'm an Aussie with a Serbian background, moved to Serbia a while back and I thought I should share a great recipe with you. A dish that is totally slept on is Serbian Fish Soup from the Vojvodina region (Riblja Čorba) made from river fish (catfish, carp etc...). Prior to cooking whatsoever, cut up the fish (always include heads and tails as you can extract the most flavor from them and they have the sweetest meat from the cheeks) and put the pieces in tomato juice to tenderize and marinate. Mince some onion (brown) and cook on low heat in sunflower oil or lard until fragrant and translucent. Add the fish and tomato juice and add water until submerged. Season with salt, pepper, vegeta, sweet paprika and spicy paprika (optional), also a pinch of sugar if the tomato is too acidic. Cook for approx. 40min, re-season if necessary and enjoy. Should be a nice deep orange/red color. Such a hearty dish and simple to make. We usually eat this as an entree prior to fried catfish, carp or bream (fried in lard or sunflower oil) with vinegar based potato salad (incl. red onions, pickles...). Hope you can get around to this one. Much love, Stefan.

[@lailamcdaniels7105]

The explanations as to why to use certain ingredients like the mustard oil add a deeper appreciation to the entire recipe! Thanks so much!

[@mandysmith2541]

Making this for my family tonight. Can’t wait to eat it. The marinade smells Devine already. Your videos are very informative and are not rushed so it’s easy to follow along. Muchos Gracias ❤

[@devinmulvaney7146]

This looks like the most comforting dish ever with the amount of care going into it

[@steveroberts7931]

I’m not usually a ctm lover but made it this evening and it was spot on. Marinating the chicken makes all the difference

[@Mmhmm124]

Just made this and it turned out wonderfully! I've tried several other recipes in the past with mediocre results, but this one is a definite keeper. Thank you for sharing!

[@nqgamer]

You should do a video just highlighting the comments/tips from people, enjoyed reading them, from the explanations of mustard oil, to the Why not use 2 skewers instead of one. Simple things like that last one, when you hear it, it’s so obvious, but it’s great to see people sharing tips they know. Saw a few hearts from you so yeah, pretty sure you enjoyed them as well.

[@lomitpatel6617]

Andy! Mate what a recipe! Finally a video that is comprehensive, no shortcuts and utterly delicious!

[@pascali2927]

Hey Andy. One of my favorite childhood dishes in Austria was blueberry Kaiserschmarrn with cream. Would be lovely to see your version of it one day.

[@deanmitchell4233]

Wow my respect for you has gone up a zillion, working in London as a chef is hard work, as a Yorkshire man I love your UK based foods now I know why they are so bloody good.....great vids squire....

[@phylliswurm9473]

Definetly a complex dish but beautiful and delicious. Thank you and great presentation as always. Yum.😊

[@PatSen]

Re Mustard oil: almost all of the mustard oil is cold pressed or ‘ghani’, hence it has pungency even higher than the rapeseed oil that some Chinese provinces use. Hence when cooking, it’s heated to smoking point and then cooled a bit to reduce its pungency as it would intrude into the aromatics. However, there are dishes that call for the raw oil - mostly as a garnish at the end for exactly those same pungent notes. So one can use it as ‘garnish’ in baingan bharta, sarson da saag, in alu-bhatey (the Bengali mashed potatoes), in plain boiled red-lentils, in karela-mash, in jhal-mudi (an eastern snack of puffed rice. Equivalent of the western- Indian bhel); I like to use it in Russian salad and as a salad dressing where mayo is used; so instead I just use hung yoghurt and a dash of mustard oil. It’s delicious on steamed veggies too. Try it.

[@frann.8879]

A fantastic dish Chef…your recipe instructions are well thought out and presented beautifully…such a joy to watch you cook! Thank you 😁😁❤️❤️👌👌👏👏

[@rosiemetha1413]

That's what I say😅

[@salohcin244]

Andy, just made this for my family. Absolutely delicious, thank you!

[@whw226]

I’ve made it twice now 🤤, second batch kicked the heat up ever so slightly… stupendously delicious!! Thanks! Cheers 🍻

[@annacarlyle4967]

Looks amazing! I can't wait for the cookbook to arrive!!!! I'm in the UK, so I'm trying to be especially patient as I know it all takes time... ❤

[@shomikmullick]

Hi Andy. I'm so grateful for your amazing videos and passion for Indian food. I would love to share a small tip as I make this recipe often. I noticed you used a hand blender (easier to leave it in the pot and I do it often myself :p) but as you mentioned it is smoother in a standing blender. An additional step if you have the time is to let the heated mixture of tomatoes, spices and onions cool down and then blend it after. The cooled mixture retains a brighter, richer colour when blended than when it's hot. Hot blending can cause it to have a more faded less rich orange colour. I know a lot of restaurants use artificial colouring but this is one way to improve the colour. An additional step at the start for richer colour and a more nuanced spicy flavour is to use some dried Kashmiri chillis which have been warmed in water (in addition to the powder). Add it to the mixture and simmer before cooling and blending 😊

[@DarkKnight-OO7]

It's upto people's preference, some people like it a bit coarse.

[@rayhanuddin4131]

That cookbook part was amazing, it was subtle. Loved it, already pre ordered it

[@carolynturk-hu7je]

Chef, love this recipe! My sons absolute favorite! Thank you!

[@crispybits3765]

This guy is a top chef. Serious skills and very down to earth with it.

[@regmac64]

I can't wait for your cook book to arrive! Thanks for another great recipe.

[@roptrentelman7676]

Love the major flex with homemade butter!

[@morgan1985uk]

Coriander stalks and a green funger chilli in the garlic ginger paste, takes it to the next level

[@Tjk186]

Love the boomerang garlic trick !....great recipe from scratch, thanks for sharing

[@delacroix3]

Wow Andy this looks amazing. I’m having my birthday party soon and my friend is a great cook and she asked what I’d like her to make. I think this will be amazing! Thank you for sharing Andy!

[@smartypants7954]

Quick tip about using scewers like Andys to make it easier to rotate the food... Use two at a time👍

[@monkeysnake77]

Mate, I've been a home cook for last 20 years, I think I'm pretty good. Watching your videos got me thinking, while it's not too late, I should jump in to professional kitchen. I know there is no money, but the experience, hardships or not - I want to experience! Thank you Andy for pushing me towards what I really want to do

[@chrisnicholls2681]

Just made and ate for the family.. absolutely sensational! Thanks! 😊

[@debbiereilly900]

Mmmm looks delicious Thank you for sharing chef Andy have a blessed day stay safe and healthy. 😋😋😋🙏❤🙏❤🙏

[@benmckay5322]

If only Andy had a cookbook I could reference rather than re-watching his youtube videos over and over again to jot down the recipies on a napkin every time I want to cook one of them for myself 🤣

[@rosiemetha1413]

He has one that just came out 😅

[@kylemcewan9781]

There is literally one of his cookbooks in the background of the whole video 😂😂

[@margueritemitchell1829]

Lol lola 😂ha ha

[@m.-fp8rd]

Sadly Mustard oil for consumption which is made by pressing the seeds for extraction is banned for sale in the USA, the European Union and Canada. It is banned because it contains high levels of erucic acid which the body has difficulty metabolizing. This is a fatty acid which has been shown to cause fatty deposits in the heart muscle of animals , though this hasn’t been proven in humans. When this was first an issue in the ‘50s, Canada began breeding rapeseed which has a lower level of this acid. They called this oil canola from Can= Canada and ola = oil, low acid. The US FDA does allow the sale of a product called mustard essential oil which is issued for massages and mosquito repellent. This essential oil is created using steam distillation and is labeled “for external use only”. [info from Mashed / July 2020 with links] There are a number of articles that hint at the banning having more to do with the peoples who mostly consume this ingredient and the politics surrounding the global acceptance of specific cultures, particularly since the research is decades old and was never followed through to prove harm to humans.

[@michelleread247]

Wowza that looks so good! I swear I can smell it through my phone 😂

[@joshward9426]

This recipe definitely gets my gravy flowing! 😂 Being from the uk this definitely is a meal we can relate too. Can’t beat a good bum burner and a few pints!! Nice one Andy!

[@djmax2]

Hey Andy, been cooking this for my friends for past 20 hrs but I still learned some new tips. Btw, I don’t have a tandoor or bbq, instead I grill the chicken after leaving it marinated overnight.

[@bravogolfnovember]

I love the nerdy discomfort of Andy’s cookbook plug. Well done mate hahaha.

[@benclayton3762]

That looks bloody fantastic!!! I love a chicken tikka and this is a winner!!! Pretty simple to make too.

[@stupidusernameize]

Wow Andy. What a labour of love that recipe is, but looks delicious.

[@roderick673]

I should not watch this video at 2am.....now Im hungry....

[@padders1068]

Andy, Chef, Legend! Looks amazing, thanks for sharing, entertaining and educating, and thanks to all of the team! Peace ❤

[@naveendhir3325]

Rocked it again mate - well done 👏

[@darlouthia5153]

The way Mitch gets thrown under the bus 😂😂😂

[@willp1979]

Nom Nom yum yum thanks Andy!!

[@CheeLiekHo]

From a chemistry point hearing the mustard oil boils off some of the lower boiling point compounds which give mustard's strong taste. I guess it is to attenuate the taste so that more can be used without being over powered by the mustard taste

[@sanyamgoyal8700]

You’re awesome chef…love your cooking 🔥🔥

[@chrishooge3442]

One of my favorite dishes. I particularly like to dredge samosas through the gravy. Baingan Bharta is another dish packed with flavor.

[@coonagh1]

Super job Andy as always.

[@JohnDoe-gq9hp]

Andy most humble chef on KZbin.

[@acounsell]

I need to try this! I'm a korma freak, I usually cook my chicken in a pan with oil and dried curry leaves, but i'll have to try using the bbq for the char.

[@carolynhollen5817]

Another deliciously scrumptious dish 😋👏🏼👏🏼🔥🔥😋

[@emileb7085]

I would recommend smashing the green cardamom before adding them to the pot and also to use hari mirch (Indian green chili) instead of the ones you used. Otherwise, you nailed it :) btw; you should try to recreate Aslam's butter chicken that they make in old Delhi. It's seemingly super easy, but also difficult to nail (and also heavenly good!!!!)

[@jackfeatherstone7838]

Is there nothing this legend cannot cook, I salute you sir!

[@ganjajohn5748]

👍one of my favorite flavors!!👍

[@cherrytrainingltd]

I would say this recipe is a great homemade one, the British Indian Restaurant style takes some more steps such as a pre-made gravy and coconut milk powder.

[@jac3126]

I usually cook my meat in the gravy after frying with spices and re adding . Not sure why kebabing. Maybe just my indian upbriging

[@ChemistryNowForEveryone]

The main reason why mustard oil is heated is due to its eurcic acid content. The harmful effects of it get reduced when the oil is brought to its smoke point. Amazing recipe btw.

[@DamonSlater]

Chicken Tikka Masala is just a poor mans Butter Chicken

[@VirginiaBronson]

I'm gonna have to make this one soon! Thank you, chef! Hope your weekend is a lovely one ❤

[@CannibalShadow]

Nice catch on the flying garlic 😂

[@criminal238]

Man I wish we had a good Indian where I live, got a Tikka Masala from the one we do have and it was sickly sweet that I could only eat half of it.

[@twanswagten]

Great video as always!

[@MackerelCat]

Finally someone who actually pays attention to the “tikka” part!!!

[@ralfhamann6690]

thank you Andy🎉

[@m.macdog5113]

Best explanation of chicken tikka cant wait to try it.

[@elizabethneville3086]

Thadt looks SO good!! 😊

[@BjurnKolbeek]

That must be a fantastic cookbook. EU - NL already sold out. Now we wait for the second round.

[@atharkhan240]

Love how you try and make it so authentically Asian, well as Asian as Glasgow can get lol.

[@alexandrastevens8892]

Just went to order cookbook 😢sold out in uk. I will hopefully get it next edition 😊

[@amym0906]

Hi Andy! Can you make the Dutch frying pan snacks? Like kaassoufles, kroketten or frikandellen. Would be great!

[@naufalnizar2705]

Andy mate, big fan of your content. Would love one day to see you cook the national dish of Malaysia, Nasi Lemak (not really sure if you've done this before). Cheers from KL!

[@shabzone]

Chicken tikka masala is sooo much work for a "common" dish. Makes a lot more sense if you got the chicken tikka already, but I never make chicken tikka. That and the fact that there are so many restaurants with good chicken tikka masala near me.

[@WinstonSmith64]

Hey Andy! Winston here from Johannesburg South Africa.... I love your channel and your easy style! One comment... Why don't you bruise the cardamon before adding?... Love your crew and the humor without any sacrifice of professionalism. Keep cooking!

[@Teh_Umby]

I was *just* about to request this on your shorts. Thanks!

[@hic_tus]

yes! i live in glasgow since 2015 and i found out about the tikka masala only a couple of months ago, wtf haha! i love it though, i had some 2 days ago, yum! gonna have to try and make it at some point soon..

[@jenga2017]

Hi Andy o/ I'm impressed with how easy you made this recipe. I've been making this for a while and just realized I could cut out quite a few steps. Please do a chicken saag short, it's my favorite! :D

[@williammelvin]

Andy, can you do a equipment vid? Breakdown of what tools you use? What that metal square you use alot?

[@johnpurtill9103]

Looks good! You should make Hungarian chicken paprikash, my mother used to make it with egg dumplings.

[@G.O.ENGINEERING7321]

SALUTE TO THE CHEF FROM OTTAWA 💯👊🏾🍺

[@sree101]

Heating oil is basically the Indian version of chilli oil. Hot oil apparently pulls the flavors of the spice and oil helps them coat over the food. Another version I have seen is putting in the oil & whole spices and then slowly heating up the oil. This pulls the flavors from the spices to the oil. You can remove the whole spices as the flavor is infused into the oil.

[@USAUSAM82]

That looks amazing! Still waiting on some chitterlings, for almost a year in. 😊

[@aanshumehta4037]

I love to see to cooking indian cousin...lot's of love and respect for this 💚

[@gregorythompson5826]

Umm, I think you mean cuisine, its bad to cook your Indian cousin.

[@aanshumehta4037]

@@gregorythompson5826 ya

[@klaussecruz7133]

Worthy Sunday meal. Cooked this one up last week with the fam; cleaned the whole pot. Was wondering if its nice to add some potatoes or carrots in this dish?

[@karldavis1539]

What a coincidence, your cookbook just happed to be in the camera shot. LOL!

[@QBixFPV]

Andy, I know it’s not the chefs tool of choice, but an Air Fryer is perfect for charring the chicken!

[@BreonNagy]

Get this man a Vitamix sponsorship

[@2HatHudders]

6:43 as a fellow British Asian, bring your own booze and a mixed grill with a curry or two after is the right way… well done lol

[@slumbercat]

Just made this recipe. I can vouch for it working and being tasty.

[@BigMuff75]

I will totally try that.

[@grantsmith8502]

Tip smash up cardamom pods put in seed only , better for flavour , the husk don’t desolve 😅

[@KalpeshDesai-i7q]

Andy u are great chef...just a great hint at 8mins.35 u added normal water and decreased the temperature instead u could have used hot water retaining the flavor...just a small suggession but overall it was great..don't want to pin point small mistake

[@ImHowardMoonsir1]

After blending I would recommend seiving through a metal strainer to get rid if the tomato skin and seeds ro nake it silky smooth

[@Vikram-Pawar]

Super Authentic Andy 👌

[@swisski]

Mustard oil can contain between 20 and 40% erucic acid, which has the US and Europe banning its use as a cooking oil in its raw state. It can cause nutritional deficiencies and cardiac lesions on test animals and this is why, apart from tempering the flavour it is recommended to heat it first. Oftentimes it’s recommended use is external on bottles sold outside of India.

[@natbarron]

Sounds nasty!

[@swisski]

@@natbarron It does, and I guess because most non Indian people are not used to using mustard oil and probably don’t know about heating it, they have to label it as such to avoid problems down the road. It’s perfectly fine if it’s heated, or in small doses, but, yeah.

[@theFijian]

"I don't have a tandoor at home like must people" 😂😂😂

[@bearamania]

Hey Andy, love the channel. Just returned from Budapest, you ever have a langos, has garlic oil sourcream and grated cheese, Favorite food while there.. find it hard to find the great recipe.