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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Outstanding! Have been making this recipe for years and it always gets raves–again last night. One reader asked if it might be “lightened up”…I always use Fat Free Greek Yogurt to marinate the chicken. For the sauce–I double everything but I do not use any butter–only a small amount (a few teaspoons) of olive oil to sweat saute the onion and ginger before adding spices. I also omit all cream and instead use one 14 oz. can of reduced fat coconut milk. Have made it this way countless times, always for company and everyone always raves and goes back for seconds. Jenn, your combination of technique and spice combinations make it magical. I love that it can be adapted to be healthy and safe for those with gluten and lactose sensitivities/intolerances and still be so good your guests go back for more and rave about it all night. Bravo!
This was delicious! I reduced the fat to 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil and used half and half in place of heavy cream. It was still wonderful. Thank you, Jenn!
Hey Jenn, this was amazing. Restaurant quality! 2020 has meant a lot more time at home for our family. Every weekend when I build my grocery list, I just come to your site and choose recipes for the week. They are soo good and reliable I don’t even try them before having guests over. I really appreciate the time you put into your blog because it makes my life easier and our meals better and healthier. There are a million blogs to choose from, but I choose yours every week. I really want to say thank you!
You’re so welcome! ❤️❤️
Any suggestions on how to make this a little lighter? Can I use something other than heavy cream?
Hi Susan, you could use 1/2 and 1/2 instead of the heavy cream and coconut oil or olive oil instead of the butter. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it with these adjustments!
Delicious, fragrant, rich, and filling! I often add a can of drained chickpeas, as well as defrosted frozen peas, zucchini and/or summer squash, just to veg it up a bit. I also add some cayenne pepper, because we prefer more heat. Served over jasmine or basmati rice, it is so, so good!
This was amazing, delicious and so easy to make!
HEAVENLY! Made this last night and it turned out insanely delicious. All your recipes are a hit with us and you have made my life so much easier, not to mention tastier! Thank you!!!
This was delicious. I used tenderloins, sub’d sour cream for the yogurt, used 1/2 olive oil and 1/2 butter, a can of diced tomatoes instead of crushed and it still came out great. Served over brown rice with plain steamed peas on the side.
I should add that my substitutions (except the oil for butter) were not purposeful. I assumed I had the ingredients on hand and by the time I realized I didn’t, I was already determined to eat this for dinner. Even my very picky 10 year old liked it.
My question for Jenn is this: I’ve made several of your recipes in the past few weeks since discovering the site over pickles, and though everything has been great and pretty easy, I can’t help but be aware of the high sodium and high fat content of most recipes. With your background as a pro chef, I completely understand the correlation. But as a mom and woman, what do you do to combat some of those unhealthy-for-flavor choices? You look great and appear extremely healthy! Are these recipes meals you are actually making for you and your family most nights of the week? And if not, what are you REALLY eating daily? And if you ARE, what are the healthy habits your family has adopted to be able to incorporate restaurant-level delicious food so often without the negative consequences?
Hi Joannah, So glad you enjoyed this! I understand that some of my recipes are definite indulgences — if you ever need suggestions for how to reduce the fat or calories in one, I’m happy to weigh in.
And I am definitely not an expert, but I can tell you that on days that I am testing recipes, I really don’t eat regular meals. That part is actually not that hard…you know how when you’re cooking all day for a holiday or something, and you lose your appetite by the time you sit down to eat? That’s exactly how I feel when I’m working in the kitchen all day. On all other days, I do have regular meals but I try to have small portions…and I do my best to avoid refined carbs (even if everyone else is eating them). So if I make chicken, rice, and broccoli for dinner, I just skip the rice. I never snack and, in general, I avoid sweets unless it’s a special occasion or we’re out to dinner…but again, just a few bites. I don’t know how helpful all this is…I’ve noticed in the past few years an extra few pounds that I just can’t shake no matter what I do…must be age creeping up on me! Hope that helps!
Love this question and response! I have been cooking Jen’s recipes for many, many years and follow to a T because when I don’t, I don’t feel they are as good. That being said, I have recently done a complete dietary overhaul due to medical reasons and this recipe with substitution for sugar, is exactly how I eat. The fat is NOT the enemy people!! AND if you note the portion size, that is KEY!!! I will always be a devoted fan Jen!
This is AMAZING!! I had never tried to make Indian food at home before finding this recipe. It is better than any I’ve had at a restaurant. The smell of my home when I cook this is intoxicating. Thank you for sharing. It takes some time, so it has been a special occasion treat. Definitely worth looking forward to!
Hi Jenn! Made this for my picky fiancé and he loved it! Wondering if I can make the sauce alone and freeze?
So glad it was a hit! Typically, I’d be hesitant to freeze this because of the dairy it contains. That said, a few readers have commented that they have frozen it and were happy with the results. Hope that helps!