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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I have a double batch of chicken in my frig marinating in the yogurt for a dinner party tonite. Just had to cancel as we’re getting snow in NC. Would you recommend freezing the raw chicken in the yogurt or should I finish the recipe first and freeze everything in the sauce? I love this recipe and also made your naan which just went in the freezer.
Hi Candy, sorry to hear you had to cancel your dinner party! I’ve never frozen this (cooked or uncooked) and I’m not 100% confident that it would freeze well because of all the dairy. That said, one reader commented that that she did freeze it after cooking and was happy with the results. Hope that helps and enjoy the snow!
I think this curry is just not meant for native indian taste buds. I followed the curry recipe very closely and quickly realized that it had far too little fat and spice and yielded almost a tomato soup type tasting gravy. I had to them adjust all the spices and add some more typical spices missing in the recipe to make it palatable. It should be mentioned in the recipe that this is an adapted recipe for non-indian taste buds and not authentic. Also it was not clear how long the chicken needs to be cooked in the sauce making a mess where we started place settings and realized that chicken was not cooked. Had to keep going back and checking several times.
I made a dairy free version of this and it was a hit. Used plain coconut milk yogurt for marinade and a whole can of coconut milk to replace both the cream and extra water. Also used combo of earth balance and vegetable oil so not too salty. Don’t know what original recipe tastes like but for Kosher or non- dairy folks, this version works well.
I thought this was delicious but I enjoy Indian food. The hubby was not impressed. Okay, he’s not really into that flavor profile but he also thought the chicken lost any texture. We did marinate it all day, perhaps if it had marinated only a couple hours it would have more chew to it. Not that he wants his chicken tough but it was incredibly tender. I guess this is from the yogurt. He may have enjoyed it more if the texture was more to his liking. Needless to say, I had lots of leftovers but it made wonderful lunches.
If you’re using boneless skinless chicken breasts, the yogurt breaks down the fibers rather quickly. I will marinate cubed chicken breast no more than an hour or two – tops. If you’re looking for even more flavor and a way to leave it to marinate longer, go with bone-in chicken thighs. It’s far more traditional & very tasty.
I absolutely love this Chicken Tikka recipe. I’ve tried several over the past years but this is the most flavorful and closest to a restaurant dish. My 3 boys love this dish and ask me to make it weekly! I love to cook and your site is amazing! Ive made several other recipes and all are fabulous!
Delicious!
Spot on! Incredible recipe. I have made this several times over the past 6 months and it is everything you would expect from Jen’s blog! The naan with anise is a perfect accompaniment. My husband and son loved the naan so much that I made 2 additional batches for other uses in the same week!
I’m not sure there is anything new I can add to the rave reviews from so many of Jen’s followers and fans. I’ve yet to try a recipe from Jen’s cookbook or website that hasn’t turned out to be delicious and beautiful (looks count you know).
Thank you to my favorite Master Chef. You truly inspire!
And special thanks from a most appreciative devotee 😀
Nancy W
Redding, California
LOVE LOVE LOVE! This is one of my go to recipes. My 10 month old loves it as well. I generally double the recipe and haven’t had any problems yet.
The flavor was delicious! This recipe will replace my previous TM recipe. We like a lot of sauce with ours though, so I may double the sauce in this. There was plenty of chicken though. If we wanted to add heat, what spices would you recommend?
So glad you enjoyed it! You could spice it up with some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
Hi!! Another great GREAT recipe- no leftovers- every last drop mopped up by the home made naan! Quick question: what would I add if I wanted to turn up the heat in this dish? We have friends coming over and they really love spicy food.
On another topic: I frequently cook meals for 2 families, therefore doubling the recipes. Is there a rule of thumb for doubling recipes- is it just straight forward x2? OR are there recipes where the seasonings should not be doubled?
And FYI: we are going to the Univ. of Michigan vs Maryland game on Saturday. I am making the spaghetti pie for the tailgate – it looks amazing!! GO BLUE!!
Glad you enjoyed, Laura! As for doubling recipes, you simply multiply by 2. Have fun at the game — you might see my husband and son there (in red). 🙂