Andy Cooks Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

Source video by Andy Cooks on YouTube. This recipe was adapted with strict source-fidelity rules.

Andy's chicken tikka masala is a two-act dish: the tikka (marinated, charred, juicy) and the masala (a smooth onion-tomato gravy enriched at the end). 1 kg of diced chicken thigh sits in a first marinade, ginger-garlic paste, Kashmiri chilli, lemon, salt, for 30 minutes, then a second of tempered mustard seed oil, more spice, yoghurt and kasuri methi for 1 to 3 hours. It chars fast on a charcoal grill or in a 220 C oven for 8 to 10 minutes, long enough for colour, not cooked through. The gravy is built on the hob: ghee infused with cardamom, cumin seeds and bay; two sliced red onions sweated until lightly caramelised; ginger-garlic, chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, cashews and kasuri methi added, then diced tomato, green chilli, coriander stalks and 150 ml water. The gravy simmers, blends smooth, then welcomes butter, honey and a splash of cream. The slow cooker version transfers the blended gravy plus the charred chicken into the slow cooker for a long low marry-up, Andy's last 'few minutes' on the hob becomes hours on low. Served with rice and naan, garnished with coriander and an extra pinch of kasuri methi.

Ingredients

• 1 kgchicken thighs, diced into even pieces
• 2 tbspginger-garlic paste
• 1 tspKashmiri chilli powder
• 0.5 lemonlemon juice
• 1 tspfine salt

• 3 tbspmustard seed oil, heated until just smoking then cooled (tempered)
• 1 tspKashmiri chilli powder
• 0.5 tspground turmeric
• 1 tspgaram masala
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tspfine salt
• 1 tbspginger-garlic paste
• 1 tspkasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), rubbed between palms to release the aroma
• 2 heaped tbspnatural yoghurt

• 1 tbspghee
• 4 podsgreen cardamom pods
• 0.5 tspcumin seeds
• 2 leavesbay leaves
• 2 onionsred onions, thinly sliced
• to tastefine salt, to taste
• 4 tomatoesripe tomatoes, diced
• 1 chilligreen chilli
• coriander stalks, small bunch, washed
• 2 tbspginger-garlic paste
• 0.5 tspKashmiri chilli powder
• 0.5 tspground turmeric
• 1 tspgaram masala
• 30 graw cashews
• 1 tspkasuri methi
• 150 mlwater

• 1.5 tbspunsalted butter (add late)
• 30 mldouble cream (add late)
• 1 tsphoney (add late)

• fresh coriander leaves, picked (add late)
• to servebasmati rice and naan, to serve (add late)

Method

1. First marinade: in a bowl combine the diced chicken with the 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli, juice of half a lemon and 1 tsp salt. Mix well and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

   ~30 min

2. Temper the mustard seed oil: heat 3 tbsp in a small pan over high until it just starts to smoke, then take off the heat to cool.

   ~3 min

3. Second marinade: in a bowl whisk the cooled tempered oil with 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli, 0.5 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste and the kasuri methi. Whisk in the yoghurt.

   ~3 min

4. Fold the second marinade through the first-marinated chicken. Cover and chill 1 to 3 hours (overnight is fine too).

   ~90 min

5. Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers. Grill over hot charcoal 3 to 4 minutes a side, or roast in a 220 C oven 8 to 10 minutes, until well charred all over. The chicken does NOT need to be cooked through, it finishes in the gravy.

   ~10 min

6. In a large pot on medium heat melt the 1 tbsp ghee with the green cardamom, cumin seeds and bay leaves. Infuse 3 to 4 minutes.

   ~4 min

7. Add the sliced red onions and a pinch of salt. Stir occasionally and cook 10 minutes until brown and caramelised at the edges.

   ~10 min

8. Stir in the 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 0.5 tsp Kashmiri chilli, 0.5 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp garam masala, the 30 g cashews and 1 tsp kasuri methi.

   ~1 min

9. Add the diced tomatoes, green chilli, coriander stalks, a pinch of salt and 150 ml water. Stir and simmer 20 minutes until the tomatoes break down.

   ~20 min

10. Off the heat. Fish out the bay leaves (and the cardamom pods if you can find them). Blend the gravy smooth with a stick blender or in a standing blender.

    ~3 min

11. Tip the blended gravy into the slow cooker. Add the charred chicken pieces and any juices. Stir gently. Cover.

    ~2 min

12. Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours.

    ~240 min

13. In the last 15 minutes, stir in the butter, cream and honey. Keep the heat on low so the dairy doesn't split.

    ~15 min

14. Taste, Andy adjusts with a little extra salt and honey. Scatter a final pinch of kasuri methi over the top.

    ~1 min

15. Serve with rice and naan, garnished with fresh coriander.

    ~3 min

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