Chicken Tikka Masala: A Heavenly Food for Non-Vegetarians

Lisa Roy

Chicken Tikka Masala: A Heavenly Food for Non-Vegetarians

A plate of piping hot and spicy chicken tikka masala is a dish that is loved by many non-vegetarians. This world-famous dish with numerous regional variations can be found in Indian restaurants across the world. Despite its contentious origins, the creamy, spiced curry and tender chicken can be enjoyed by anyone, anytime, anywhere. So what is the backstory to this popular entrée? Let's dig deeper into its mysterious origins.

Authentic Chicken Tikka Masala; Image Source: India food

While Britain claims chicken tikka masala as its own, the dish's origins can be traced back to India 5,000 years ago, according to Ashutosh Bisht, restaurant manager at Bombay Dreams in Hong Kong. Although there are many theories about its origin, everyone agrees that it began as an unintentional improvisation.

The dish has only been around since the 1960s, but Bisht believes its origins are much older, at least for the tikka part. The first emperor of the Mughal Dynasty, Babur, invented tandoor clay ovens around 500 years ago. He was so afraid of choking on a chicken bone that he considered them to be a lethal threat because one could swallow the bones and die. To avoid this, boneless, bite-sized chicken pieces were marinated in yoghurt and curry spices before being skewered and cooked in the tandoor. This resulted in the creation of small bite-sized pieces known as tikka.

"It's a simple dish in terms of flavour, so there has to be a perfect balance between the flavours from all the ingredients," says Satpal Sharma, chef de cuisine at The Chinnery, Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong. Given that only a few ingredients are used, the dish can taste horrible if anything goes wrong.

Regardless of its enigmatic origins, Chicken Tikka Masala holds a unique place in the food kingdom. Today, there are over 50 variations of this dish, with the only ingredient in common being, of course, chicken. Chicken Tikka Masala accounts for nearly 15% of all curries sold in the United Kingdom. So, next time you order chicken tikka masala, take a moment to appreciate its mysterious origins and the perfect balance of flavours that make this dish so beloved.

One theory suggests that the dish was born on a dark and stormy night in 1971 in Shish Mahal, a curry house in Glasgow, Scotland. A disgruntled customer complained that his chicken dish was dry, and Mr. Ali, who was on a liquid-based diet due to a stomach ulcer, insisted on adding a touch of tomato soup along with a sprinkling of spices. To everyone’s surprise, the customer's mood changed from dissatisfied to ecstatic, and he returned with his friends time and again to taste this culinary masterpiece. Thus, chicken tikka masala was born.