How to Make Rohit Ghai’s Hot Cross Chicken Tikka Sandwich

Michelin-starred chef Rohit Ghai revealed his recipe for making his hot cross chicken tikka sandwich.

Rohit has become one of the culinary world’s most in-demand chefs on the London restaurant scene.

His first solo restaurant, Kutir opened in late 2018 to glowing reviews.

He has also launched a street-food dinner named KoolCha at Wembley’s BOXPARK in 2019.

With the Easter weekend approaching on March 29, 2024, Rohit Ghai announced his partnership with Tesco to create a hot cross bun with a unique twist.

By melding chicken tikka with hot cross buns, Rohit expertly satisfies the South Asian community.

Upon research, Tesco also discovered that 38% of adults in the UK would like to try an international flavour twist on a hot cross bun.

With a popularity of 43%, Indian food is among the three most popular cuisines in the UK.

Speaking about his unique dish, Rohit Ghai said:

“My recipe takes inspiration from a classic British and Indian favourite, the much-loved Chicken Tikka Masala – a staple on curry house menus across the country.

“Inspired by the combination of sweet and spice in the hot cross bun, I thought what better homage than to incorporate the flavours of this rich curry, which balances tikka spices with sweet tomato, to create a delicious Easter meal that all the family will enjoy.”

Preparation

To prepare the chicken and two marinades, slice the chicken thighs into small pieces before marinating them with the ginger and garlic paste, salt and lime juice.

Prepare the second marinade by mixing yoghurt, Kashmiri/mild chilli powder, garam masala, salt, fenugreek leaves and vegetable oil.

Pour it over the chicken and coat it well.

Making the Sauce

To prepare the tikka masala sauce, heat the rapeseed oil in a large pan over medium heat.

Fry the onions for eight to 10 minutes until they turn golden brown.

Add the chopped garlic, and ginger and saute for one minute until the mixture becomes fragrant.

Now, add the powdered spices and cook for four to five minutes.

Don’t forget to stir in between!

Stir in tomato purée and simmer for about 10-15 mins, stirring in between until the sauce thickens and turns a deep reddish-brown.

Next, add the cooked chicken tikka to the sauce and cook for eight to 10 minutes until it is thick and bubbling.

Finish the sauce by stirring in the salted butter and fenugreek leaves.

To assemble, take the cooked chicken thighs and add the tikka masala sauce.

Take the hot cross bun, make a slit and warm it up in the oven.

The Recipe

Ingredients

For the Chicken and Marinade

• 8 Tesco British chicken thigh fillets 
• 100g Tesco Greek-style yoghurt
• 15g Kashmiri or Tesco mild chilli powder
• 1 tbsp Tesco ginger & garlic paste
• 1 tbsp Tesco pure vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp dry kasoori methi (Tesco fenugreek leaves)
• Pinch of Tesco cooking salt
• 1 tbsp Tesco ingredient lime juice
• ½ tsp Tesco garam masala spice blend

For the Tikka Masala Sauce

• 75ml Tesco organic rapeseed oil
• 50g Tesco British salted block butter
• 200g Tesco brown onions
• 1 tbsp chopped Tesco garlic
• 1 tbsp chopped Tesco ginger
• 1 tsp Tesco garam masala spice blend
• 1 tsp Tesco ground cumin powder
• 2-3 Tesco finger chillies (optional)
• 1 tsp Tesco coriander
• 150g Tesco tomato purée
• 1 tsp Kashmiri or Tesco mild chilli powder
• Pinch of Tesco cooking salt
• 50g Tesco British double cream
• 1 tbsp Tesco clear honey (if required)
• Dash of water
• 2 tbsp chopped Tesco ginger

For the Hot Cross Bun Sandwich

• 2 packs of Tesco Finest 4 cheddar & red Leicester hot cross buns
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• Lettuce leaves

Method

1. Slice the chicken thighs into small pieces and marinade them with the ginger and garlic paste, salt and lime juice, then set aside.
2. Make the second marinade by mixing yoghurt, Kashmiri/mild chilli powder, garam masala, salt, kasoori methi (fenugreek leaves) and vegetable oil. Pour this over the chicken and turn to coat well. Keep the marinated chicken in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C / fan 180°C. Cook the chicken for about 15-20 minutes until cooked through. Set it aside to cool.
4. Meanwhile, for the masala sauce, heat the rapeseed oil in a large pan over medium heat and fry the onions for 8–10 minutes until they turn golden brown.
5.  Add the chopped garlic, ginger and chilli (optional) and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, then add the powdered spices and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6.  Stir in the tomato purée and simmer for about 10-15 mins, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and turns a deep reddish-brown. Stir in the cream and honey (if using) and continue to cook, stirring regularly.
7.  Add the cooked chicken tikka to the sauce and cook for 8-10 minutes until it is thick and bubbling. Add a dash of water if it’s too thick.
8.  Finish the sauce by stirring in the salted butter and kasoori methi (Fenugreek leaves). Garnish with chopped ginger.
9. To assemble, take the cooked chicken thighs and add two tbsp of tikka masala sauce.
10. To the tikka masala sauce, add one spoon of mayonnaise.
11. Take the hot cross bun, make a slit and warm it up in the oven. Then, place pieces of lettuce and add the chicken tikka filling, topped with a spoon of the tikka masala mayonnaise. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Rohit Ghai is an innovative chef whose creative take on hot cross buns will be a great meal for South Asians celebrating Easter.