The Best Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe

Ingredients (16)

• 5 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (breasts, legs, or a mix), skin removed
• 3 tablespoons toasted ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons toasted paprika
• 2 tablespoon toasted ground coriander seed
• 2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 12 cloves garlic, grated on the medium holes of a box grater, divided
• 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated on the medium holes of a box grater, divided
• 2 cups yogurt
• 3/4 cup fresh juice from 4 to 6 lemons, divided
• Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume
• 4 tablespoons butter or ghee
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, roughly mashed
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
• 1 cup heavy cream