Chicken (or Paneer) Tikka Masala

Rob and I made this for the 2013 Allegan Smack Down. We didn't win (in fact, I think we brought up the rear), but we have been making this again and again. We make both paneer and chicken versions of the recipe. And we serve it with cauliflower rice.

Restaurant Style Paneer Tikka Masala
adapted from: My Fancy Pantry
(serves 6, generously)

Curry Ingredients:

12-16 oz. paneer (homemade is best), diced and marinated (recipe below)
1 red bell pepper, chopped into large chunks
1 tablespoon ghee (sub. veg. oil)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
7 cloves garlic – smashed and diced fine
1 inch ginger – smashed and diced fine
3 green cardamom pods
4 whole cloves
1 inch piece of cinnamon
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/2 tablespoon garam masala
2 tablespoons tomato paste
red chilli powder, to taste –taste as you add!  Sometimes, less is more!!!!!
juice of 1/2 small lemon
3 cups curry gravy base – (recipe under separate post)
1/2 c. half & half
milk, as needed
1-2 tablespoons butter
1  handful of fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
salt and pepper to taste


Paneer Tikka Marinade Recipe
1/4 c. plain yogurt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. garam masala
1/4 tsp. turmeric
tiny pinch ground nutmeg
tiny pinch ground clove
tiny pinch ground cinnamon
chili powder, to taste
red food dye–optional
1 1/2 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. lemon juice



Marinade Directions:

Combine all ingredients, except paneer and bell pepper (capsicum), together in a bowl.  Whisk until everything is mixed together.  Add the paneer. Leave the marinade at room temperature for at least 20-30 minutes.

When you’re ready to cook it, you can put it on skewers and grill it–or you can use your broiler.  Heat the oven to Broil.  Put the paneer and bell pepper pieces on a rack over a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.

Put them in the oven and broil until they start turning a little black on the edges and look dry.  The paneer won’t actually be dry, the yogurt in the marinade will help keep that from happening.

Curry Directions:

Heat the ghee/oil in a  large pan over medium high heat.  Once it gets warm, add the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, turmeric, coriander powder, and garam masala.  Stir until everything becomes fragrant and dry.

Toss in the garlic and ginger.  Cook for about a minute before adding the tomato paste, red chilli powder and fenugreek leaves (I think fenugreek and nutmeg are *secret* ingredients).  Stir everything together.  It will be dry.

Add the butter and 3 cups curry gravy base and whisk everything together.  Once it’s smooth, add the lemon juice and half & half.  Transfer the curry to a blender and blend until smooth (this can be skipped if you don’t mind a few little chunks). Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Add the cooked paneer and let the curry simmer for about 20 minutes.  It’ll thicken slightly, use milk to thin…if you’d like.  Garnish with chopped coriander.