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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Hi Jenn
So random question, if i marinated the chicken and cannot cook it today, can i freeze the chicken in the marinade until ready to defrost and cook or will it ruin in the yogurt? Thanks so much
Melissa
Hi Melissa, Typically, I’d hesitate to freeze this because of the dairy it contains. That said, some readers have commented that they have frozen it and were happy with the results. Hope you enjoy if you make it!
Oh man this recipe is absolutely amazing. I was wondering though, I like to make this a bit more on the spicy side. I’ve been adding about 1/4 tsp of cayenne to just add a bit of kick to it as to not overwhelm everything else (happens pretty fast with cayenne) but I was wondering if you might have some other suggestions for adding some spice to this?
Glad you like it! I think cayenne is a good way to go. I’d just increase the amount you’re using. You can also add some red pepper flakes to the sauce.
Oh my! This is delicious! I followed the recipe other than omitting the salt.
Hi Jenn,
Me again – what is milk fat content of whole milk yogourt? Would it be 3%? I’m in Canada and can’t find anything on a yogourt container indicating “whole milk”. I usually eat the 0% milk fat Greek so I’m a bit uneducated about yogourts.
Thanks again for the help!
-Liz
Hi Liz, The full-fat yogurt I get at my supermarket has 5% fat.
Ok thanks Jenn! I’m off to read yogourt labels.
Hi Jenn – one more question. Could the chicken + sauce (excluding the cream) be prepared earlier in the day, gently reheated, then the cream added right before serving?
Thanks again!
Sure, Liz, that should work. 🙂
Ok thanks for responding so quickly!
Hi Jenn,
This looks yummo! I want to try it for family but need to double the recipe. Is it a straight ahead doubling of all ingredients or what do you recommend? Thanks!
Yep, I would just double all ingredients. Hope everyone enjoys!
Ok thanks for the quick response, I’m sure they’ll LOVE IT. I’ve never served anything from your cookbooks that wasn’t a huge hit!
Hi Jen, thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. I already tried it using chicken breasts and they turned out great. Now, I only have chicken thighs (with bones) and am wondering how should I go about the oven-cooking with it. Could you please suggest an estimate for the cooking temperature and duration? Thank you in advance!
Glad you like it! For bone-in thighs, I’d bake them in a 425-degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes. I’d love to hear how it turns out with thighs!
Hi Jenn,
This recipe sounds amazing. My question is regarding the size of the chicken chunks. I actually measured 2 inches along the chicken breast. But some of the breasts these days are soooo thick in the middle…at lease 2 inches thick. Do you think the 7-8 minute broiling time will still work to cook them through?
Thanks so much! You’ve turned me into a real cook! 🙂
Hi Rose, That is really thick! I would pound them with a meat mallet to a normal thickness and then proceed with the recipe.
I’ve made this recipe a few times now for company and it’s been a real winner. I was wondering whether, because of the cream, it can be frozen. Will the cream separate once reheated?
Hi Cindy, Unfortunately, I don’t think this one will freeze well. Sorry!
Cindy, I freeze this with great results. I make a triple recipe at a time usually. If the kids aren’t home to eat it up, I use the vacuum sealer and freeze it in quart bags— leaving some out for my husband and I to eat for a couple days. I usually cook a big batch of rice and freeze bags of that as well.
This looks amazing and has so many amazing reviews! I have a question as I am making this tonight for the first time. After removing the chicken from the marinade, do you discard the marinade or do you add it to the tomato sauce? Thank you!
Hi Wendy, You discard the marinade after removing the chicken. Hope you enjoy!