This British Curry House style Tandoori Chicken Tikka cooked sous vide is incredibly easy and results in tender chicken, every time. A traditional marinade adds an incredible amount of flavour to chicken breast (you can use thigh meat as well) and takes less than 10 minutes to prepare. Once cooked low and slow in a water bath at 64c, I finish it off on a grill to get a bit of char and add even more flavour. I serve it with a green chutney to make a fun, flavourful entree. It’s also perfect to add to a chicken tikka masala sauce to make a full meal. Either way you serve it, it’ll be incredible!
Note: I use red food colouring to give the the chicken it’s characteristic red appearance that you’ll see in curry houses or takeouts. However note that it doesn’t add any flavour and is totally optional!
Why Cook Tandoori Chicken Tikka Sous Vide?
Using the sous vide method to cook tandoori chicken breast has so many advantages.
Firstly it’s very forgiving which means you don’t have to worry about the fine margins of under or overcooking your chicken. Cooking cubes of breast meat on a skewer over a grill or on a griddle can result in cool and hot spots – this isn’t good.
Secondly, it’s ready when you’re ready. Simply remove the perfectly cooked chicken from the bag, skewer it up and finish it over a grill (charcoal is best!). Alternatively you can use a blow torch or use a cast iron pan to sear the edges.
Finally there’s the great benefit of zero odours, smoke and mess when cooking tandoori chicken tikka under a grill or on a pan. Sure it can take longer but it’s definitely worth the wait.
What You’ll Need
To make Sous Vide Tandoori Chicken, you’ll need:
- Chicken Breast: I use breast as it’s perfect for sous vide cooking and allows you to get incredibly tender, juicy meat. You can also substitute for thigh if you prefer.
- Skyr Yoghurt: I prefer using Skyr 0% fat yoghurt for my marinade. It stays thicker under heat and has a much better flavour compared to using natural or greek style yoghurt.
- Ginger & Garlic Paste: Fresh ginger and garlic paste is a must. As it’s going in a marinade, don’t be tempted to use a blender with water as this will only dilute the flavour. Avoid using shop bought pastes as they don’t have as much flavour as the real deal! I’d recommend using a microplane to grate and puree the ginger and garlic.
- Spices: Fresh spices will give you the best flavour. For my Tandoori Chicken Tikka spice mix I use a mix of base spices (turmeric, cumin, chilli, coriander powder) as well as Mild Madras Powder which you can find in most Asian markets.
- Red Food Colouring (OPTIONAL): As previously mentioned I use red food colouring to give the chicken its characteristic red colour. It’s completely optional and doesn’t add anything in terms of flavour!
- Green Chutney: You’ll need fresh mint, coriander, lime and green chilli for the green chutney. Alternatively you can find pre-made chutney in most Indian grocery stores.
Ingredients
Makes enough for 2 starter portions.
- 2 chicken breasts, cubed into large chunks
- 2 tbsp Skyr 0% fat yoghurt
- 2 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane
- 1 thumb ginger, grated on a microplane
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp Mild Madras powder
- 1/4 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
- Optional: 1/4 tsp red food colouring
- 1 lime
- 1/2 clove garlic
- 1 green chilli, sliced roughly
- 1 handful coriander
- 1 handful mint leaves
- 2 tsp sugar
How to Make Chicken Tikka Sous Vide
- Start by seasoning the cubed chicken breasts liberally with kosher/fine sea salt. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Mix together the yoghurt, ginger garlic paste, spices, food colouring (if using) and 1/2 lime juice together. Add the chicken and ensure every piece is well coated. Reserve in the fridge for min 30 minutes or up to overnight.
- Preheat water bath using a sous vide wand to 64c/147f. Vacuum seal chicken or place into a zip-lock bag.
- Once ready to cook, add the chicken to the water bath and cook for 45 minutes – 1 hour.
- Whilst the chicken cooks, make the chutney. Place the half garlic clove into a mini food processor along with the juice of halve a lime. Add 1 tsp of sugar, green chilli, coriander and mint leaves. Pulse until combined and the herbs and chilli have broken down. Season to taste with salt and add more sugar if needed.
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove the pieces of drain off the excess marinade. Place onto skewers and finish on a grill, griddle or use a blow torch to sear the outside. For best results sear on a charcoal BBQ.
- Serve with a wedge of lime, the chutney and a salad.
