3 cooking methods for Chicken Tikka Masala

Making perfectly spiced Chicken Tikka Masala by using our Indian seasoning kits and easy recipe is our favorite hack to make this delicious dish. You can also use 3 different cooking methods to prepare it. If you don't have an oven or if it's not working, no worries! You can cook this dish in a pressure cooker or on the stove. 

1. Bake: This is our favorite way to make this dish. The taste is absolutely on the mark. There is no need to simmer the sauce for an extra 5-7 mins, to thicken it and boil off excess liquid. 

• Marinate chicken with Step 1 spice packet, plain yogurt and lemon juice preferably overnight (per recipe).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line deep baking pan with aluminum or parchment paper. 
• Place marinated chicken in baking pan, bake for 20 minutes.
• While baking chicken, prepare the sauce in a pot (per recipe). 
• After sauce in pot is bubbling, CAREFULLY remove chicken from oven. Scoop chicken out of liquid in baking pan with a slotted spoon and place chicken in sauce. This gets rid of excess liquid easily.
• Simmer for another 20-25 mins till chicken is cooked and it falls apart easily. That's it!

2.  Pressure Cooker: This is a very efficient way to cook the chicken fast while sealing the juices in the chicken. 

• Marinate chicken with Step 1 packet, plain yogurt and lemon juice preferably overnight (per recipe)
• Prepare the sauce in the pressure cooker per recipe. 
• Add marinated chicken directly to the sauce in the pressure cooker. Cover with lid.
• Use pressure cooker function, set to high pressure and "normal" mode. Close pressure cooker vent i.e. toggle the lever to seal pressure cooker.  This usually sets the cooking time to 15 or 20 minutes after pressure is built up in the cooker. 
• After timer goes off, cancel "pressure cooker" function. CAREFULLY toggle lever to vent and let all the steam out. 
• Check to see if chicken is cooked and falls apart easily. Normally, the chicken is cooked at this stage. If it is not, set pressure cooker to "sauté" function in "normal" mode and cook for approximately another 10 mins with lid on. Stir occasionally to ensure chicken is not burning.
• There will be a lot of sauce in the pressure cooker. Simmer for another 5-10 mins with lid off (still in "sauté" function and "normal" mode) to boil off excess liquid and thicken sauce. This will give you the same AMAZING taste as when you bake the chicken. 

3. Stove top: This is the easiest way to make the dish. 

• Marinate chicken with Step 1 packet, plain yogurt and lemon juice preferably overnight (per recipe)
• Prepare the sauce in a pot on the stove top (per recipe). 
• Add marinated chicken directly to the sauce in the pot. Cover tightly with lid.
• Bring to boil, then turn down heat to simmer. 
• Cook for 30-35 mins.  
• Check to see if chicken is cooked and falls apart easily. If it is not cooked, simmer for approximately another 10 mins with lid on. Stir occasionally to ensure chicken is not burning.
• There will be a lot of sauce in pot. Simmer for another 7-10 mins with lid off  to boil off excess liquid and thicken sauce. You will get the same mouthwatering taste when you bake the chicken.

Suggested pairing with dish:

Traditional: Rice (preferably white basmati rice), naan or Indian flat break of choice. Better yet, make some mouthwatering 😋 turmeric infused coconut rice (recipe is on the website) to up the oomph! to this dish. 

Fusion Indian: Eat with taco shells and your favorite toppings, it's just AMAZING! Or repurpose as a second meal with all the yummy sauce. Add some shrimp or veggies, simmer ingredients to cook them in sauce for an amazing mouthwatering fusion Indian dish.