Indian
Chickpea Tikka Masala
Chickpeas simmer in a tomato sauce scented with garam masala, cumin, and ginger, then cream and yogurt finish the pot. Serve it over basmati so the sauce has somewhere to go.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
Why you’ll love it
- Blooming the spices in oil before the tomatoes go in keeps them from tasting raw.
- Chickpeas from a can only need to heat through and take on the sauce.
- Yogurt and cream go in off a hard boil so they do not curdle.
- A squeeze of lemon at the end cuts the richness of the cream.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Heat the vegetable oil in a wide saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion until soft and starting to brown, about 8 minutes.
- 2
Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute.
- 3
Add the garam masala, cumin, paprika, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Stir 30 seconds, until the spices smell fragrant.
- 4
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and simmer 8 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- 5
Add the chickpeas and kosher salt. Simmer 5 minutes so the chickpeas heat through.
- 6
Lower the heat. Stir in the heavy cream and plain yogurt. Do not boil. Warm 2 minutes.
- 7
Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and cilantro. Serve over the cooked basmati rice.
Pro tips
- If the yogurt looks like it might split, take the pan off the heat and stir it in a spoonful at a time.
- Cayenne is the heat. Leave it out if you want a mild tikka, or use a full teaspoon if you want it hotter.
- The sauce thickens as it sits. Loosen leftovers with a splash of water when you reheat.
Easy substitutions
- Heavy cream
- Full-fat coconut milk
- Plain yogurt
- More cream, and skip the yogurt
- Basmati rice
- Naan on the side
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate the curry, separate from the rice if you can, up to 4 days.
Reheating
Warm the curry in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat until hot. Stir so the cream does not scorch. Reheat the rice with a sprinkle of water.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 399
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fiber
- 10 g
Budget friendly · Stovetop · Vegetarian
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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