Chicken Tikka Masala Tortellini
Aside from Italian food, I think one of my favorite international cuisines has to be Indian food as there is so much rich flavor and technique involved. Be it slightly charred naan bread or fluffy basmati rice or crispy samosas, there are many delicious things to love about Indian food, but one of my absolute favorites, ironically, is a dish that didn’t originate in India at all, the British born chicken tikka masala.
It’s true, chicken tikka masala wasn’t invented in India at all, it was made by an Indian chef in Great Britain who wanted to please the gravy-loving Brits with something they’ll enjoy.
Of course, given my love for this cuisine, it was only natural that I try incorporating this iconic British-Indian dish into a unique pasta dish. My plan is to make a tortellini using a pasta dough that has just a touch of turmeric added for a lovely yellow color. These pasta will be filled with a spiced chicken filling and finished in a classic tikka masala gravy.
However, one thing that I might miss with this dish is that classic roasted flavor that comes from Tandoori chicken, which is classically used to make Tikka Masala, so I’ll be using canned fire roasted tomatoes in my sauce to hopefully help achieve a similar flavor.
I don’t want to sound overconfident but I think it will come out quite nice!
Serves 4
Difficulty: Intermediate
Time: 2 hours
For the Filling:
1 pound ground chicken
Vegetable oil
Salt
3 minced garlic cloves
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili*
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (Not sweetened or flavored)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 eggs
For the Sauce:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 minced garlic cloves
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
3/4 tsp garam masala
3/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 (14 oz) can fire roasted tomatoes
1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
Salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons brown sugar
For the Pasta:
400g 00 or all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
4 eggs
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
For Serving:
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, with enough water added to get a drizzling consistency.
4 tablespoons minced cilantro
Warm garlic naan bread (The garlic naan seemed perfect to me because it’s like having garlic bread with your pasta.)
*Kashmiri chili is a red chili powder that is commonly used in curries and other Indian dishes to give a bright red color plus a touch of heat. Think of it as a cross between paprika and cayenne pepper.
You can find it at specialty spice stores, I got mine through Amazon, or if you don’t want to go through the trouble then a blend of equal parts sweet paprika and cayenne will give you a similar flavor.
Make the Filling. Heat a thin layer of oil in a Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot, then add the ground chicken. Season with salt, the cook over medium heat, breaking up the meat as you go, until the chicken is no longer pink. Add the garlic, ginger and all of the spices, then cook until it smells harmonious.
Transfer to a bowl, then stir in the yogurt and eggs. Set aside to cool.
Make the sauce. Heat the oil and butter in the same pot used to cook the chicken, then add the onion and cook for a few minutes, or until translucent.
Add the ginger, garlic, and all of the spices (except the chili and cayenne) then cook until very fragrant. Add the tomatoes, Kashmiri chili and cayenne (if using), then bring to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the color darkens and the sauce thickens.
Meanwhile, make the pasta. Combine all pasta ingredients in a large bowl, and whisk until a shaggy dough forms. Dump the dough onto a floured surface, then knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if needed. Cover the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Roll out the dough into very thin sheets with a pasta roller or rolling pin, then cut into 2-inch squares.
(The technique for homemade tortellini takes a bit of practice, so be patient. Of course you could pivot towards ravioli if you wish)
Place a heaping teaspoon of filling into one corner of a pasta square, then brush a little water on the two edges facing towards you. Fold the corners together and press out the air around the filling. Wrap two corners of the pasta around your pinkie finger, squeeze those together, then fold the top corner down.
To cook, lower your tortellini into the simmering water and wait about 3 minutes for them to float to the surface. Meanwhile, add the brown sugar and heavy cream to the sauce and season with salt to taste, then use an immersion blender to blend the sauce into a smooth puree.
Once cooked, transfer the tortellini to the sauce and toss to coat. Spoon your beautiful tortellini onto plates and top with a drizzle of yogurt, some cilantro, and serve with garlic naan.
