Description
A flavorful roasting tin chicken tikka masala featuring crispy chicken legs cooked in a rich, spiced tomato and cream sauce. This dish combines the deep, aromatic flavors of traditional Indian spices with tender oven-baked chicken, served best with pilau rice and naan bread for a comforting and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 4 large chicken legs
- 1 tsp rapeseed oil
- Salt, to season
Spice Paste
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- Thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 red chilli, roughly chopped
Cooking Sauce
- 2 tbsp ghee or butter
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 4 tbsp tomato purée
- 4 cardamom pods, bashed with the end of a rolling pin
- 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
- 200ml chicken stock
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 100ml double cream
Garnish and Serving
- ½ bunch of coriander, finely chopped
- ½ red onion, finely chopped, to serve
- Cooked pilau rice and naans, to serve
Instructions
- Season and Fry Chicken: Season the chicken legs with salt. Heat rapeseed oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add chicken legs skin-side down, frying for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally until they are deep golden brown and crisp on all sides. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.
- Prepare Spice Paste: Peel garlic cloves and place in a food processor along with chopped onion, ginger, and red chilli. Blitz until it forms a purée.
- Cook Spice Paste: Heat ghee or butter in the same frying pan over medium heat. Add the oniony spice purée and cook for 15 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning and to develop flavors.
- Add Spices and Tomatoes: Stir in ground turmeric, garam masala, ground coriander, ground cumin, tomato purée, and bashed cardamom pods. Cook the mixture for 2 minutes to release the spices’ aroma.
- Simmer Sauce: Add canned chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, and caster sugar to the pan. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Season the sauce to taste with salt.
- Prepare for Roasting: Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Stir the double cream into the sauce. Transfer the sauce into a baking dish large enough to arrange all the chicken legs in a single layer.
- Roast Chicken: Nestle the fried chicken legs into the sauce in the baking dish. Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. The juices should run clear when pierced with a knife in the thickest part of the leg.
- Garnish and Serve: Scatter finely chopped coriander and red onion over the chicken tikka masala. Serve hot with cooked pilau rice and naan bread to mop up the delicious sauce.
Notes
- Ensure chicken legs are cooked thoroughly by checking that juices run clear when pierced.
- Adjust the amount of red chilli to control the heat level of the dish.
- Use ghee for a richer, more authentic flavor or butter as a convenient alternative.
- Double cream can be substituted with coconut cream for a dairy-free version, though it will alter the flavor profile.
- This dish pairs excellently with fresh coriander and warm naan for an authentic experience.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: chicken tikka masala, roasting tin tikka masala, Indian chicken recipe, creamy chicken curry, oven-baked chicken tikka
