You may not know this, but chicken tikka masala is widely credited as being U.K.-born. Yes, the original chicken tikka came from south Asia, but the masala version was created by a Pakistani-Scottish chef in Glasgow, Scotland. This creamy, tomatoey, flagrantly spicy dish is very popular amongst Americans and crossed into U.S. territory in the mid-20th Century when changes to the U.S. immigration law saw an influx of immigrants, who naturally brought their food culture with them. It has since fully integrated into American gastronomy and become part of the country’s multicultural food offerings.
Your traditional chicken tikka masala can take around 3.5 hours to make, as your chicken needs to soak in its yogurt-based marinade for two or so hours. But there’s a great hack that you can use to make a super tasty version of this dish that doesn’t require the time-consuming marinating process. All you need to do is swap out your chicken thigh chunks with chicken nuggets, and you’ll have the quick and easy makings of a delicious homemade chicken tikka masala.
You fry them up in a little oil until they’re golden brown and crispy, then, just before serving, toss the nuggets in your sauce to bring in those gorgeous flavors. The crispiness of the breading prevents the sauce from making the nuggets instantly soggy and introduces a mouthwatering juxtaposition of flavors and textures that will make this a firm fave in your household.
Simple but superb sauce with some alternatives
The masala element in your dish comes from the garam masala spice that is mixed with your yogurt along with paprika, salt, pepper, coriander, and cayenne pepper, then added to an already-frying mix of onions, garlic, tomatoes, and tomato paste, to make the sauce. Chili peppers can be added to kick up the heat a little — without them, you have a dish that’s not too spicy but has enough of a spark to give your taste buds a memorable tingle. Finally, mix in some cream right at the end, or switch it out for coconut milk. You can also use the lighter versions of the chicken nuggets and your coconut cream if you’re watching your calorie intake.
There are also different variations of tikka masala that you can make but swapping the chicken out altogether. Try it with shrimp, which also doesn’t need to be marinated. Or make your life even easier and get a store-bought tikka masala sauce — we’re big fans of the Maya Kaimal Tikka Masala Indian Simmer Sauce for its wonderful balance of flavors and spices. If you can’t get hold of that, we’ve ranked 10 store-bought tikka masala sauces that you can use as a handy guide when gathering your ingredients.
