This recipe requires leftover Chicken Tandoori and it substitutes coconut milk in place of cream.

Ingredients

  • Chicken

    • 2–3 cups (~500 g) leftover chicken tandoori, bite-size pieces
    • Any accumulated juices from the chicken, if available

  • Sauce base

    • 2 tbsp butter or ghee
    • 1 tbsp neutral oil
    • 1 medium yellow or white onion, finely diced or grated
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced or grated
    • 2 tbsp tomato paste
    • 1 can diced tomatoes (411 g), preferably blended smooth (or use crushed)
    • ½ cup water or chicken stock
    • ½ cup canned coconut milk, plus more if needed

  • Spices

    • 1 tsp ground cumin
    • 1 tsp ground coriander
    • 1 tsp garam masala
    • ½ tsp turmeric
    • ½–1 tsp smoked paprika or Kashmiri-style chile substitute
    • ¼–½ tsp cayenne, gochugaru, or Aleppo pepper, to taste
    • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon or a small pinch of allspice
    • ½ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
    • Optional: ¼ tsp MSG or mushroom bouillon powder

  • Finishing

    • 1–2 tsp honey or sugar, to balance acidity
    • 1–2 tsp lemon juice or lime juice concentrate
    • 1 tsp crushed dried fenugreek leaves, if you happen to have them; otherwise skip
    • Optional: 1–2 tbsp plain yogurt, stirred in off heat for tang
    • Optional garnish: dried cilantro, fresh green onion, chili crisp, or a drizzle of coconut milk

Directions

  1. Prep the chicken. Cut the leftover tandoori chicken into bite-size pieces. If it is very dry, toss it with a splash of water, stock, or coconut milk and set aside.

  2. Build the aromatics. Heat butter/ghee and oil in a skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until soft, golden, and starting to jam up.

  3. Add garlic and ginger. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook 1–2 minutes, just until fragrant.

  4. Bloom the spices. Add cumin, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, smoked paprika, cayenne or other chile, cinnamon/allspice, and optional MSG or mushroom bouillon. Stir for 30–60 seconds.

  5. Fry the tomato paste. Add tomato paste and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly and the oil starts to separate around the edges.

  6. Add tomatoes and simmer. Add the blended diced tomatoes and ½ cup water or stock. Scrape the pan well, then simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes until thick, darker, and less raw-tomato tasting.

  7. Blend if desired. For a restaurant-style smooth sauce, use an immersion blender directly in the pot, or transfer carefully to a blender. If you like texture, leave it rustic.

  8. Add coconut milk. Stir in ½ cup coconut milk and simmer 3–5 minutes. The sauce should be creamy, orange-red, and spoon-coating. Add more water/stock if too thick or more coconut milk if too sharp or spicy.

  9. Add the leftover chicken gently. Lower the heat and stir in the tandoori chicken. Simmer gently for only 3–5 minutes, just until hot. Do not boil hard, or the already-cooked chicken may toughen.

  10. Balance the sauce. Stir in honey or sugar, then lemon/lime juice. Taste and adjust salt, heat, sweetness, and acidity. If using yogurt, turn off the heat and stir it in at the very end.

  11. Serve. Serve with rice, tortillas warmed like quick flatbread, or over buckwheat groats for a higher-fiber twist. Add green onion, chili crisp, or a little extra garam masala on top if desired.

Notes

  • The key is not recooking the chicken too long. The sauce can simmer as much as it needs before the chicken goes in.
  • Since tandoori chicken is already spiced and smoky, keep the sauce rich and tomato-forward rather than aggressively spicing it from scratch.
  • Coconut milk is a good lactose-light substitute for cream here. Butter/ghee adds the “butter chicken” flavor without relying on heavy cream.
  • If the sauce tastes flat, it probably needs salt + acid, not more spice. Add lemon/lime juice a little at a time.
  • If it tastes too acidic, add a little more coconut milk, butter/ghee, or honey/sugar.
  • If it tastes too coconutty, add a bit more tomato paste, garam masala, and lemon juice to pull it back toward North Indian-ish makhani flavors.
  • For extra fiber/vegetables, stir in frozen spinach, peas, cauliflower rice, or green beans before adding the chicken and simmer until tender.
  • If you want a thicker, nuttier “restaurant” texture and have peanuts available, blend 1–2 tbsp peanut butter into the sauce. It is not traditional, but it works surprisingly well in a pantry version.
  • If you’re scaling up the recipe by half and don’t want to use a half can of tomatoes, add 2-3 tbsp extra tomato paste and 1 cup of water/stock instead.