Chicken Tikka Makhani

It is a mild curry dish of chicken, combination of Chicken Tikka Masala and Butter Chicken. It is one of my favorite dishes in the menu for a party and liked by my grand children most.

In this recipe I have used tikka sized cubed chicken pieces which are pan fried instead of baked in oven or tandoor.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of skinless boneless chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp chicken tikka masala
• 1 tsp lime juice
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• ½ tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tbsp Maida (All purpose flour)
• 1 ½ cup milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 medium sized onions sliced thin
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• 2 tbsp solid butter cut into small pieces
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 pinch of orange food color
• 5-6 tbsps cooking oil
• Chopped coriander to garnish

Method:

• Cut the chicken into 1” cubes.
• Add chicken tikka masala, lime juice, ginger paste, orange food color, salt, and 1 tbsp of oil. Keep it to marinate for about an hour.
• Prepare white sauce: For this take a small pan. Heat 1 tbsp butter. Roast maida in it till it becomes pink. Now add milk and stir continuously to avoid forming lump formation. Add a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper powder. Consistency of sauce should be like a soft paste. Keep it aside.
• Heat 4 tbsp cooking oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or a non stick pan on a medium flame. Add onions. Fry till they are golden brown.
• Add chicken pieces to it without its marinade. Fry it for about 3-4 minutes on high heat.
• Add tomato paste and remaining marinade to it and fry it for another 2-3 minutes. Lower the heat and cook it covered till chicken is tender.
• Now add white sauce and sour cream. Mix well and simmer it for 2-3 minutes. Take out in a serving dish.
• Sprinkle chunks of butter over the dish. Let the butter melt slowly. Garnish with chopped coriander.
• Serve hot with Nan or tandoori roti or Lachcha Paratha (layered Indian Flat Bread).

Do You Know?

Pan frying is a form of frying characterized by the use of less cooking oil than deep frying; using enough oil to, at most, cover the food to be cooked only half way.

Pan frying usually requires the use of a frying pan. During frying food in the frying pan the exposed topside of the food allows some moisture loss and contact with the pan bottom creates greater browning on the contact surface. Because of the partial coverage, the food must be flipped at least once to cook both sides.

The advantage of using pan frying is the need of less oil; time spent heating the oil is also much shorter. The chief disadvantage of using less oil is that it is more difficult to keep the oil at an even temperature. The moisture loss and increased browning can be beneficial or detrimental depending on the item cooked and its preparation.