Chicken Tikka Masala
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Spice up dinner with chicken tikka masala, a crowd-pleasing favorite featuring yogurt-marinated chicken in a creamy tomato sauce—easy to make and totally delicious!
Chicken tikka masala combines yogurt-marinated, broiled chicken with a creamy, spice-rich tomato sauce. It’s easy to prepare and makes a fantastic introduction to Indian cuisine for kids, thanks to its mild spice level. The origin of the dish is uncertain, but it’s thought to have evolved from butter chicken and was popularized by cooks from India living in Great Britain. Today, it’s a staple at Indian restaurants around the world.
The vibrant orange sauce is seasoned with garam masala, an aromatic blend of peppercorns, mace, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and nutmeg, available at most large supermarkets. If necessary, curry powder can be used as a substitute. Serve chicken tikka masala with fluffy basmati rice, buttery peas, and warm naan bread for a truly delicious meal that brings the flavors of India right to your dinner table.
Table of Contents
“Amazing! Made this for dinner tonight and it was far better than any I’ve had at an authentic Indian restaurant. Adding this to my rotation.”
What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Tikka Masala
- Whole Milk Yogurt: Used for marinating the chicken, the yogurt helps tenderize the meat and adds a subtle tanginess to the flavor.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: The main protein in the dish, marinated in yogurt and apices, then broiled before being added to the sauce.
- Onion and Fresh Ginger: These aromatics form the base of the sauce.
- Garam Masala, Coriander, Turmeric, and Cumin: A blend of spices used both in the marinade and the sauce, providing the characteristic flavor profile of Chicken Tikka Masala.
- Canned Crushed Tomatoes: The acidic component of the sauce, crushed tomatoes add body and a rich, tangy flavor that complements the spices.
- Heavy Cream: Added to the sauce for richness and a creamy texture, balancing the acidity of the tomatoes and the heat of the spices.
- Fresh Cilantro: Used as a garnish, it introduces a fresh, herbaceous element to finish the dish, adding a burst of color and flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by chopping the chicken breasts into chunks. Feel free to substitute boneless skinless chicken thighs if you like, but I prefer white meat for this recipe since the sauce is quite rich.
In a bowl large enough to hold the chicken, combine the yogurt, salt and spices.
Whisk to combine.
Then add the chicken and mix until it is evenly coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight.
When you’re ready to cook the chicken, preheat the broiler and set an oven rack in the top position. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a wire rack on top; spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray.
Place the chicken on the prepared rack, spooning any marinade left in the bowl over the chicken. Broil for 7 to 8 minutes, until browned on top. (The chicken does not need to be flipped over.)
While the chicken cooks, start the sauce.
Melt the butter over medium heat in a large pan. Add the onions and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Do not brown; reduce the heat if necessary.
Add the spices and cook 2 minutes more.
Add the tomatoes, heavy cream, salt, sugar, pepper and 1/2 cup water.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 15 minutes.
Add the broiled chicken to the sauce and simmer until the chicken is warmed through and fully cooked, a few minutes.
Sprinkle the cilantro over the chicken and serve with buttered Indian basmati rice and/or naan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, chicken tikka masala is an excellent dish to make ahead. Simply prepare the dish as directed, allow it to cool, and then store it in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat, adding a little extra cream or water if the sauce has thickened too much in the fridge.
Yes, boneless skinless chicken thighs will work well in this recipe. Keep in mind the cook time will be a bit longer.
Yes, for those looking for a dairy-free option, full-fat unsweetened coconut milk makes an excellent substitute for the heavy cream. It offers a similar creamy texture and adds a slight coconut flavor that complements the spices well.
Video Tutorial
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Chicken Tikka Masala
Spice up dinner with chicken tikka masala, a crowd-pleasing favorite featuring yogurt-marinated chicken in a creamy tomato sauce—easy to make and totally delicious!
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- ½ cup whole milk yogurt
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala (okay to substitute curry powder)
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch chunks
For the Sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
- 1¼ teaspoons garam masala (okay to substitute curry powder)
- 1¼ teaspoons ground coriander
- 1¾ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 (14-oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1¼ cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- In a bowl large enough to hold the chicken, whisk together the yogurt, salt, turmeric, garam masala, coriander, and cumin. Add the chicken and mix until it is evenly coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Preheat the broiler and set an oven rack in the top position. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a wire rack on top; spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the chicken on the prepared rack, spooning any marinade left in the bowl over the chicken. Broil for 7 to 8 minutes, until browned on top. (The chicken does not need to be flipped over.) While the chicken cooks, start the sauce.
- To make the sauce: Melt the butter over medium heat in a large pan. Add the onions and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Do not brown; reduce the heat if necessary. Add the spices and cook 2 minutes more. Add the tomatoes, heavy cream, salt, sugar, pepper and ½ cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (I usually add a bit more salt and sugar).
- Add the broiled chicken to the sauce and simmer until the chicken is warmed through and fully cooked, a few minutes. Sprinkle the cilantro over the chicken and serve with buttered Indian basmati rice and/or naan.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: This dish can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored, covered, in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 475
- Fat: 31 g
- Saturated fat: 18 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Sugar: 2 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Sodium: 745 mg
- Cholesterol: 201 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Comments
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To save a step/time–could the chicken just be marinated and then simmered in the sauce until cooked through (how long do you think), stored overnight and reheated? (Provided willing to sacrifice “browning” and whole element that broiling brings to the equation). The spice and flavor profile sounds amazing, Jenn!
I don’t recommend it, Diane. The marinade is quite thick and will change the sauce; also the chicken won’t be as tender or tasty. Sorry!!
Dear Jenn: I need to cook for healthy eaters: Can I substitute Non fat Greek yogurt and then use Low Fat Coconut Milk instead of the Cream in the Sauce? I understand it is sacrificing richness, etc. but knowing this want to make sure this would still hold up okay structurally, i.e. not separate or throw off the flavor profile too much. Thanks for any thoughts you may have.
Hi Diane, I think those changes will be okay – although coconut milk will definitely change the flavor profile. Please lmk how it turns out if you try it!
Hi Jenn! I made a super lightened up version for company and it turned out GREAT!!!
Did everything you said except: marinated it in nonfat Greek yogurt, used no butter (1-2 tsp. only olive oil ), used light coconut milk instead of cream. As expected, I had to simmer the sauce for longer than you said until it got thick (WORTH IT!).
Reheated for guests. Everyone LOVED it. Could not stop talking about how delicious it was! My husband who had professed to not liking Indian food said “I could eat this all night”. The depth of flavor on this dish is simply incredible.
And yet not heavy and oily at all—you could actually taste the tomatoes along with the incredible spices and tender chicken. Just seemed so healthy and yet so interesting and delicious. Thank you so much. Another winner that I can’t wait to make again.
So glad you were happy with the results! Thanks for following up regarding the tweaks you made- I think it will definitely be helpful to others!
This lightened-up version is the one I will make. Too much heart disease in this family. Thanks, Jenn and Diane for posting!
LCJ
Amazing! This dish was a huge hit with my family! I am so happy there will be leftovers!
Hi Jen! Do you know if there is a non-dairy substitute I could use instead of the yogurt?
Hi Leah, I haven’t tried this with non-dairy yogurt, but I think it would work here. LMK how it turns out!
Curious, is there a benefit (flavor/texture-wise) to broiling the chicken this way, as opposed to sautéing it? Wondering if this yields a less “dry/chewy chicken? What’s the secret in this method?
Hi Colleen, The chicken turns out incredibly tender when marinated and quickly cooked under the broiler. Also, the marinade is thick and clings to the meat when broiled, creating a flavorful and gorgeous brown coating. It’d be a bit of a mess in a sauté pan, but you could definitely grill it as an alternative to the broiler.
We don’t have the best ventilation in our home and even though we love how wonderfully fragrant some of these recipes are while we cook them, we aren’t thrilled to come home the next day to that lingering food smell, especially when it comes to Asian or Indian recipes. It’s a really annoying pet peeve I guess… anywho, you mentioned here that an alternative to the broiler would be to grill the meat. The broiling aspect is the only thing deterring me from making this recipe so how would you recommend to go about the grilling part of it all? Grilled until fully cooked or just to get that slightly burned outer shell and then finished by simmering in the sauce? Thanks so much. Haven’t had something from your site that isn’t a winner!
Hi Celeste, I agree that the aromas the next day are not nearly as appealing they were the night before! I would grill this for 7 – 8 minutes (just like the broiling instructions). The chicken won’t be fully cooked then; you’ll finish it off in the sauce. Enjoy!
I know that using yogurt in the marinade is traditional, but I’m wondering how buttermilk would work, and if so, how much? Just a thought!
Also, what kind of Naan bread is best here? There are several kinds at Trader Joe’s that look good, I’m guessing the garlic flavored…
Hi Susie, While you could use buttermilk, I think you’ll get better results with the yogurt; it clings nicely to the chicken giving it a delicious, almost crust-like coating. Garlic naan sounds like it would pair nicely with this or, if you’re feeling ambitious, you could make the naan recipe I have on the blog.
I just made this today and it was delicious! Thank you for the recipe.
Hi Jenn, I love this recipe and can’t wait to make it but is there any way to make it with fewer calories. With the full-fat yogurt butter and heavy cream, it seems really heavy. Thank u.
Hi Talasha, I’ve only made this with full-fat yogurt, but you could try reduced-fat yogurt instead. And you could replace the heavy cream with half and half. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you prepare it with these tweaks!
Hello! Quick question, if i wanted to make this really spicy what would i use? paprika? chilli powder or flakes?
Hi Karina, I would add cayenne pepper or chili flakes.
thank you!
I love chicken tikka masala! I was wondering if it would change the flavor or consistency too much if I subbed I unsweetened coconut milk for the heavy cream? I usually have that as a pantry staple but not heavy cream in my fridge.
Thanks!
Hi Steph, It will definitely change the flavor but I think it’d work. Please lmk how it turns out if you try it that way!
Hi Steph and Jen,
While the flavor would certainly change it will still taste good. Coconut milk and cream are both used as thickening agents. Coconut milk is used more commonly in the coastal regions (Kerala, Mumbai etc), while the Northern regions of India use yogurt and heavy cream as their thickening agents.
I made the recipe last night using the unsweetened coconut milk – it was absolutely delicious! My family loved it! I’ve eaten chicken tikka masala in lots of different parts of the US and England, and I think the coconut milk tastes just as good, if not better, than using the heavy cream! Thanks again for another great recipe!
Thank you for the very helpful comments on using coconut milk rather than cream. I gave that a try this evening and as my husband and son said “we have a winner”! Thanks for another great recipe Jenn!