Charred Chicken Tikka Masala

1. Score and Marinate Chicken

To prepare your chicken, start by scoring the pieces deeply at 1-inch intervals. In a large bowl, mix together toasted ground cumin, toasted paprika, toasted ground coriander seed, ground turmeric, cayenne pepper, 8 grated cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons of grated ginger, yogurt, 1/2 cup of lemon juice, and 1/4 cup of kosher salt. Coat the chicken pieces thoroughly with this marinade. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or up to 8 hours.

2. Prepare the Sauce Base

While your chicken is marinating, prepare the sauce. Heat 4 tablespoons of butter or ghee in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onion, remaining 4 cloves of grated garlic, and 2 tablespoons of grated ginger. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown and aromatic.

3. Add Spices and Tomatoes

Add your reserved spice mixture to the pot and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the roughly mashed tomatoes and half of the chopped cilantro. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot as the tomatoes cook down for about 15 minutes.

4. Blend and Season Sauce

Using a hand blender or a tabletop blender, puree the sauce until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream and the remaining lemon juice, and season with salt to taste.

5. Grill the Chicken

Preheat your grill to high. Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off any excess. Grill the chicken pieces for about 5-7 minutes on each side, until they are well-charred and cooked through. Rest the chicken for about 10 minutes.

6. Simmer Chicken in Sauce

Remove the chicken from the bone and cut it into chunks. Add the chicken chunks to the sauce and simmer for about 10 minutes, ensuring the chicken is fully cooked through and has absorbed some of the sauce's flavors.

7. Garnish and Serve

Sprinkle the remaining chopped cilantro over the chicken tikka masala and serve immediately with rice or grilled naan.