Home > Dinner > Chicken > Chicken Tikka Masala Chicken Tikka Masala May 14, 2019 | 26 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. Creamy and rich Chicken Tikka Masala features marinated chicken and a flavorful spice-packed sauce. Why We Love Chicken Tikka Masala Packed with Flavor:: A unique spice blend, tomato, and cream create a delicious flavor. Make It Your Own: Adjust spices or ingredients to your preference. Hearty: Creamy, filling, and totally satisfying. Meal Prep Friendly: Improves in flavor over time, perfect for meal prepping. Loved by all: Family-friendly — kids and adults love this dish! QUICK TIP Don’t confuse this Tikka Masala with Marsala! Tikka Masala, with spiced chunks, differs from Marsala, an Italian wine-based dish; both feature chicken but are otherwise distinct. Ingredients In Chicken Tikka Masala Garlic, Ginger, and Spices: Provides depth, warmth, and that delicious curry taste. Yogurt and Lemon Juice: Tenderizes and flavors the chicken. Chicken: Main protein, absorbing marinade flavors. Vegetable Oil: Use olive for an earthy flavor or coconut for sweetness. Onion and Tomato Paste: Adds sweetness and depth. Red Pepper Flakes: Adjust to taste or serve separately for different spice tolerances. Crushed Tomatoes: Creates a tangy sauce base. Heavy Cream: Essential for authentic richness. Cilantro: Adds freshness; parsley or basil can substitute. How To Make Chicken Tikka Masala Marinate: Combine spices, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, and ginger. Marinate chicken for 6-24 hours. Cook Sauce: Sauté onions, add spices, tomato paste, and tomatoes. Simmer, then add cream and cilantro. Grill Chicken: Cook marinated chicken until done, then chop. Combine and Serve: Mix chicken into sauce and serve with rice and naan. Chicken Breasts Or Chicken Thighs? For Chicken Tikka Masala, use either chicken breasts or thighs. Marinate breasts overnight for best flavor and tenderness. Thighs need less marinating time than breasts, but longer is better, not exceeding 24 hours. Tips For Success Make Ahead: Improves with time, ideal for meal prep or preparing in advance for guests. Quality Tomatoes: Choose high-quality tomatoes for better flavor. Fresh Ingredients: Use fresh ginger and garlic for optimal taste. STORAGE Storage and Freezing Leftovers taste better the next day! Refrigerate Chicken Tikka Masala in airtight containers for 3-5 days. Reheat on the stove, adjust sauce thickness with water or cream. Freeze for longer storage; thaw in fridge and reheat on low to avoid curdling cream. More Delicious Chicken Dinners Coconut Chicken Curry Mango Chicken Chicken Ramen Pesto Chicken Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe adapted from Epicurious FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Chicken Tikka Masala 5 from 11 votes - Review this recipe Creamy and rich Chicken Tikka Masala features marinated chicken and a flavorful spice-packed sauce. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Chicken Tikka Masala 5 from 11 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Creamy and rich Chicken Tikka Masala features marinated chicken and a flavorful spice-packed sauce. Course Dinner, Main Course Cuisine Indian Keyword Chicken Tikka Masala Prep Time 30 minutes minutes Cook Time 1 hour hour Marinating Time 1 day day Total Time 1 day day 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes Servings 4 -6 servings Chelsea Lords Calories 843kcal Author Chelsea Lords Ingredients▢ 6 garlic cloves finely minced (2 tablespoons)▢ 1 and 1/2 tablespoons peeled ginger finely grated (1 and 1/2 inch piece)▢ 1 and 1/2 tablespoons ground turmeric▢ 2 teaspoons garam masala▢ 2 teaspoons ground cumin▢ 2 teaspoons ground coriander▢ 1 tablespoon fine sea salt (if not using Kosher salt or sensitive to salt, reduce to personal preference)▢ 3/4 cup whole milk plain yogurt not Greek yogurt▢ 2 teaspoons lemon juice▢ 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs▢ 3 tablespoons vegetable oil▢ 1 small yellow onion finely chopped▢ 1/4 cup tomato paste▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom▢ 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes▢ 1 can (28 ounces) fire-roasted crushed tomatoes▢ 2 cups heavy cream▢ 3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro plus sprigs for garnish▢ Basmati rice, naan, and additional cilantro, for servingUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsSPICE BLEND and MARINADE: In a small bowl, combine minced garlic, minced ginger, turmeric, garam masala, cumin, coriander, and salt. Stir well. In another bowl, whisk together yogurt, half of spice mixture, and lemon juice. Halve chicken breasts, then pound them to an even thickness using a meat mallet or bottom of a frying pan. Add chicken to the yogurt mixture, ensuring it's coated well. Cover tightly or transfer to a sealable bag and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably 24 hours. Also, cover and chill remaining spice mixture.SAUCE: In a large, heavy pan, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add finely chopped onion and cook until it starts to soften, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, ground cardamom, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until tomato paste darkens and onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add remaining half of spice mixture and cook, stirring often, until the bottom of the pan begins to brown and everything is very fragrant, about 4 minutes (reduce heat if necessary to avoid burning).SAUCE CONT: Add crushed tomatoes to mixture and bring it to a boil over increased heat, then reduce heat. Simmer, stirring often and scraping the bottom of the pot, until the sauce thickens, about 8 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and cilantro. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens further, about 30 to 40 minutes. Optionally, transfer sauce to a blender or use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Taste sauce for any additional seasoning/salt. Depending on tomatoes you used, you may need 1-2 teaspoons sugar to balance acidity.COOK CHICKEN: (Note 1) Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat (about 400°F). Oil grill generously by drenching a rolled-up paper towel in vegetable oil and rubbing it over grill grates using tongs (important step, do not skip). Remove chicken from marinade and discard any excess. Grill chicken, turning once halfway through, for about 4-6 minutes per side or until thickest part registers 165°F and juices run clear. Transfer chicken to a plate, cover with foil, and let it rest for a few minutes to redistribute juices. Chop into bite-sized pieces, then stir into the sauce until coated. Serve over freshly cooked rice with warmed naan. Garnish with additional chopped cilantro as desired. Recipe NotesNote 1: If you don't have a grill or grill pan, follow this alternate cooking method: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a non-stick pan over high heat until smoking. Add half of chicken (pre-cut into 2-inch pieces before marinating) in a single layer and let it cook for about 2 minutes or until charred. Flip each piece and cook the other side until charred (chicken won't be fully cooked, just charred). Remove chicken and set aside. Clean pan by scraping out charred bits and wiping it clean. Add more oil and repeat with the remaining chicken until all is charred. Then, add charred chicken to the sauce and simmer, stirring occasionally, until fully cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Nutritional information does not include naan or rice. Nutrition FactsServing: 1serving | Calories: 843kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 63g | Saturated Fat: 38g | Cholesterol: 314mg | Sodium: 2209mg | Potassium: 1332mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2125IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 186mg | Iron: 3mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
Made this for dinner last night and my family loved it! It made a great dinner that differed from our typical weeknight meals! Reply
so i had never heard of this dish before. but the pictures caught my attention and i just had to try it. so glad i did!! delicious! Reply
Hi Chelsea, I make a lot of your yummy recipes. And I’d like to try your Tikka Masala for V day. I’m not a big fan of spicy food and was wondering, how spicey is the fire-roasted crushed tomatoes are? Or culd I substitute it for crushed tomatoes/tomato puree? Thanks again for your terrific recipes! Reply
Thank you so much Eva! I typically buy Muir Glen fire roasted tomatoes and haven’t ever found them to be spicy; you can certainly substitute in regular crushed tomatoes though 🙂 And make sure to leave out the crushed red pepper flakes! Enjoy! Reply
I did indeed make the Tikka Masala for Kiss Day and my husband and I LOVED it! Realized I didn’t have cardamom so found out I can sub it out for Cinnamon…who knew ;-). The only problem is I’ll have to make it again soon as he keeps telling me how good it was ;-). Gotta also say your Crispy Chicken Salad with that yummy honey BBQ dressing is one of my favorite salads!! Reply
Yay! Love hearing this; so glad you enjoyed this meal and the salad; thanks for the comment Eva! Reply
This was delicious! My whole family loved it…even my picky eater. Indian food has always been a little daunting, but your recipe was so well laid out that it was simple to make and so worth the effort???? Reply
Perfect tikka masala, very juicy and yummy! First time ever cooked this dish! Thanks fir the recipe! Reply
I wonder if one could bulk make the base of spices to have on hand and make the dish easier to pull together? Reply
