Healthy comfort food doesn’t get much better than a curry! My Chickpea Curry is a vegetarian one-pot wonder and my Instant Pot Butter Chicken is so tender and flavorful!
The BEST Indian Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe
This is the Best Chicken Tikka Masala! It is so flavorful, creamy, and loaded with spices. For this recipe, I like to use chicken thighs instead of breasts. This helps to keep the chicken extra juicy and moist. I marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes (or preferably overnight) to make it super tender. The chicken gets marinated in yogurt, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and Indian spices. The yogurt and lemon juice help to tenderize the chicken and keep it extremely moist. It is DELICIOUS! I love how quick and easy this chicken masala recipe is! I usually prep the marinade the night before, and then throwing it together for dinner takes less than an hour. The flavor is absolutely incredible! It tastes as if it came straight from an Indian restaurant. I’ve also made this recipe in an Instant Pot and a Slow Cooker as well. The slow cooker version is a great idea for busy families, just set it and forget it until dinner time! I’ve included instructions for both appliances below.
Ingredients for this Tikka Masala Chicken Recipe
Chicken: For this recipe, I chose boneless chicken thighs. They are more tender and juicier than chicken breasts, and packed full of flavor, absorbing all of the spices! Yogurt: Plain yogurt is used as the base of the marinade. Yogurt helps to make the meat deliciously tender. It’s SO good! Lemon Juice: Just a little acidity, this tart kick balances the other flavors. Seasonings: Plenty of amazing Indian spices are in both the marinade and the tikka masala sauce. Garam masala, cayenne for a little heat, cumin, turmeric, and paprika all make up the incredible aroma of chicken tikka masala. Butter: Butter adds a little richness to the sauce. You could substitute ghee which is a clarified Indian butter if you have it on hand. Onion & garlic: 4 cloves of garlic to be exact! Under the layer of spices is a delicious buttery onion and garlic taste. Ginger: Ginger adds a little heat and flavor. You’ll find ginger everywhere in Indian cuisine – from dinners to desserts to teas! Tomato Sauce: Chicken tikka masala is known for its luscious tomato sauce so I added in a can of tomato sauce. If you don’t have tomato sauce on hand, passata will work, or a can of diced tomatoes. You could even blend the diced tomatoes to make them into a sauce! Cream: Heavy cream adds more richness and creaminess to the sauce. It is SO good! You could add in coconut cream instead (the hard cream at the top of a can of coconut milk, save the coconut water for smoothies!).
How to make Chicken Tikka Masala
Marinate chicken: Add all of the marinade ingredients to a large ziplock bag. Toss to coat the chicken. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Broil chicken: Preheat the broiler and set the oven rack to the highest position. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Spread the chicken including the marinade onto the prepared baking sheet. Broil for 8 minutes or until golden brown, make sure to keep an eye on it. You do not need to flip the chicken.
Bloom spices: Meanwhile, start your sauce by heating a large pot over medium-high heat and adding in the butter. Once melted add in onion and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add in garlic, ginger, cumin, paprika, garam masala, and turmeric. Saute for 1-2 minutes or until garlic is golden brown and the spices are fragrant.
Simmer sauce: Next, add in the tomato sauce and cream. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the sauce is thickened. Add the chicken to the pan and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
Serve: Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with fresh chopped cilantro for garnish, if desired.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
Store this Chicken Tikka Masala in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it in a pot on the stove until piping hot. Freeze Chicken Tikka Masala in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before reheating.
What to serve with Chicken Tikka Masala
I love to serve this Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe with basmati rice and garlic naan to make it a meal. My Healthy Cilantro Lime Brown Rice would also taste great with this recipe, and if you’re pressed for time, my One Hour Focaccia is perfect, just skip the rosemary and parmesan. For a low-carb option serve with cauliflower rice!
Butter Chicken vs. Chicken Tikka Masala – What’s the difference?
Both dishes have similar spices and flavors. However, Butter Chicken which originated in India is creamier and has a richer mouthfeel. Whereas Chicken Tikka Masala which originated from Britain is more of a tomato-based thinner sauce. Both dishes usually involve marinated chicken pieces broiled or grilled until browned then simmered in a fragrant creamy sauce.
Slow Cooker Option
If you would like to make this Chicken Tikka Masala in the slow cooker simply follow the directions listed above, but wait to add the heavy cream until the very end. Cook the rest of the ingredients in the slow cooker on high for 3-4 or low for 4-6 hours or until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce has thickened. Stir in heavy cream. If you want the sauce to be a bit thicker add 1-2 teaspoons of cornstarch to the heavy cream before adding it to the slow cooker chicken tikka masala. Cook on high for 30 minutes in the slow cooker to thicken.
Instant Pot Option
You can make this Chicken Tikka Masala in the Instant pot as well. Using the sauté option, briefly cook chicken in the instant pot or under the broiler in your oven to get color on it. (You don’t want the chicken to be fully cooked) Add it to the Instant Pot along with the sauce ingredients except for the heavy cream. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and serve! If you want the sauce to be a bit thicker add 1-2 teaspoons of cornstarch to the heavy cream before adding it to the Instant Pot chicken tikka masala. Simmer on saute mode uncovered for 5 minutes to thicken.
Here are more delicious Chicken Recipes to enjoy!
Easy Chicken Marsala The BEST Chicken Parmesan Easy Chicken Shawarma Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Easy One Pan Bourbon Chicken Easy Thai Chicken Satay
title: “Chicken Tikka Masala” ShowToc: true date: “2024-11-05” author: “Susan Arnold”
If you loved my Butter Chicken, you will appreciate this curry recipe just as much. Quick and flavour-packed! This post contains affiliate links. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission. You will know about my undying love for curries if you’ve been following me for a while. I have a whole recipe category dedicated to them! As a busy mum, I appreciate the convenience of a takeout as anyone else. Surprisingly, my kids prefer the homemade version of this curry to the restaurant takeout! I thought I’d share my recipe with you, my friends. Since it’s so popular at home I am guessing you will love it as well. And as much as we all love chicken, this version works particularly well when the chicken is combined with chickpeas. This way we are eating less meat and more fibre. Better for us and the environment.
What is Chicken Tikka Masala?
The dish, just like Mulligatawny Soup, has a shared Indian and British heritage. The story goes that it was invented in the UK by an Indian chef at the request of a customer, who felt like his chicken needed “gravy”. So very British! The chef added a mild tasting tomato cream sauce to the chicken and the legendary curry was born. I believe it is so popular because the dish, in so many ways, is reminiscent of what the Brits like to eat. Light spicing, tender chicken chunks and plenty of creamy sauce. Of course adding chicken is just one way to make this classic curry. I’m a huge fan of Vegetable Tikka Masala, and especially Paneer Tikka Masala. It is also very popular with children. My own kids started eating Indian food because Chicken Tikka Masala as well as Chicken Korma are often served for school lunches in the UK. From those delicious and mild curries they were able to move on to spicier, spunkier ones! You might be thinking at this point that you’d love it too if only Indian food didn’t require so many spices! Fear not, this recipe uses a pre-made curry paste, and is a snap to make at home! No need to go out and buy a collection of spices when you can simply purchase a high quality curry paste, made by experts! So much more convenient and authentic tasting.
Serving Suggestions
This curry is absolutely delicious with plain basmati rice or coconut rice. I also always have either naan bread or chapatis on the side. If I feel like adding a vegetable side, I often cook my Perfectly Spiced Potatoes (Aloo Chat) or Red Lentil Dal. And if we have company coming, I cook them both for a grand Indian feast at home.
More Indian Dishes to Try
Kofta Curry (Meatball Curry) Chickpea and Butternut Squash Curry Cauliflower and Potato Curry (Aloo Gobi) Chicken Curry with Potatoes Chicken Rogan Josh
title: “Chicken Tikka Masala” ShowToc: true date: “2024-11-03” author: “Pedro Beliveau”
Marinated in yogurt, then broiled and simmered in a creamy, rich tomato-based sauce, this recipe is fragrant and is perfect for serving with basmati rice, naan bread, or roti to soak up the velvety, mouthwatering sauce. It’ll definitely become a new family favorite as both adults and kids will want seconds! If you’re interested in another Indian-inspired easy chicken recipe for dinner this week, then try my tandoori chicken recipe, butter chicken recipe, or chicken curry recipe!
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Chicken — I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but you can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Yogurt — a thick yogurt for the marinade is best. If the yogurt is runny, it won’t cling onto the chicken as well and might run off the chicken when you broil it. As the seasoning is also infused into the yogurt, you want the yogurt to cling to the chicken as it cooks. The yogurt also helps keep the chicken from drying out as it broils. Seasoning — this recipe uses red Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, ground coriander, salt, ground cumin, and turmeric. Make sure these are not stale! While spices and seasoning don’t tend to expire, they do lose flavor and potency over time. Tomato puree — when you buy tomato puree for this recipe, make sure it does not contain additional spices and flavorings. Cream — adding cream at the end helps balance out the intense flavor from the seasoning and gives the sauce a rich, creamy texture.
How to Make Chicken Tikka Masala
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken with the yogurt, ginger, garlic, lemon juice, red Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, ground coriander, salt, ground cumin, and turmeric. Toss until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook until the onion is starting to brown. Add the coriander, salt, garam masala, cumin, chili powder, and turmeric, and cook until fragrant and toasted, stirring constantly.
- Add the tomato puree and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer until thick and dark in color, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, position the oven rack directly under the broiler and preheat to High Broil. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack inside. Arrange the marinated chicken pieces in a single layer on the rack. Broil until the chicken is sticky and dark on the edges and set aside.
- Once the tomato and spice mixture has thickened, stir in water and cream until smooth.
- Add chicken and simmer. Serve over hot cooked rice or with naan. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
The longer you’re able to marinate the chicken, the better! The yogurt marinade helps to tenderize the meat and infuse it with flavor. Make sure to cut the chicken as uniformly as possible, as it ensures the chicken cooks evenly. Once you add the chicken to the sauce, don’t skip simmering it. Simmering everything together allows the flavors to develop and meld. The chicken needs to be cooked on a rack due to the liquid released. This ensures the chicken does not get soggy and can brown nicely. When cooking the onions, be patient and cook them until brown. This is key for developing deep, rich flavor in your sauce.
If you’ve tried this Chicken Tikka Masala recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
