UNITED KINGDOM: What is the True Origin of Chicken Tikka Masala? (Recipe)

Nothing makes me salivate more than chicken tikka masala. I mean it. Show me a picture of chicken tikka masala with basmati rice and naan bread and I’m drooling like Pavlov’s dog. To me, dipping a triangle of freshly baked garlic naan into that rich and creamy curry is one of life’s great pleasures.

I lived for many years in San Francisco, CA and every Thanksgiving, my non-American friends and I would celebrate at this Indian restaurant called Indian Oven. Located near the corner of Fillmore and Haight Streets, we’d order the same set of dishes year after year. We’d get chicken tikka masala, naan bread, and basmati rice, and wash it all down with bottle after bottle of Kingfisher beer. That was our Thanksgiving tradition for many years, one that I enjoyed and looked forward to very much.

Like many people, all that time I thought chicken tikka masala was Indian. Why would I not? It was a curry, it sounded Indian, and it was served at Indian restaurants in America. I had no…