Chicken Tikka Masala – creamy, perfectly spicy, and ready in 30 minutes! you won’t believe how easy it is to make this at home!
Chicken Tikka Masala
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I LOVE this recipe. I always double it! Everyone I’ve ever served it to has always taken home the leftovers. Thanks so much for sharing it. Brilliant!
Kerry
Chicken Tikka Masala – at home – on the couch – in 30 minutes. THIS IS HAPPENING.
Welcome to the most creamy, luscious, medium-spicy, weeknight-manageable, must-have-it-NOW chicken tikka masala.
It is everything you want tikka masala to be: packed with flavor, with just enough browned bits on your chicken to keep it interesting, tangy but also rich, with that signature bronze-orange tikka masala color. Scoop it up over hot basmati rice (or with some naan) with a shower of fresh cilantro and you are in tikka masala biz-ness.
Watch How To Make Chicken Tikka Masala
What Is Chicken Tikka Masala?
This recipe is one of my favorite Indian dishes. Chicken tikka masala consists of marinated chicken in a creamy, spiced tomato sauce.
Recipes can vary from place to place and restaurant to restaurant, but it is typically always served with hunks of chicken that are marinated in spices and yogurt and then served in a creamy curry sauce. While we don’t have a tandoori oven at home, typically the chicken would be roasted first.
For a more in-depth look at Indian food including influences, methods, definitions, and more, check out this amazing post called Indian Cooking 101 by our friend Anu from Simmer to Slimmer!
First Step: Masala Paste
Okay, you might have opinions about this, but personally I like to approach chicken tikka masala as a five-ingredient recipe:
- Chicken
- Yogurt
- Tomato sauce
- Cream
- Masala paste
Let’s talk about the masala paste. To approach this as a five-ingredient recipe, we need to establish that one of the “ingredients” is a MASALA PASTE with lots of fragrant, punchy, and deeply flavored ingredients.
You make this masala paste once, it is done in about five minutes, and then it lives in your freezer so that forevermore you will have the ability to make this chicken tikka masala as a – you guessed it – quick, easy, five ingredient recipe.
If you can, if you will, if you need good recipes that taste like your favorite Indian restaurant just came into your house, please make that masala paste which will transform into this sauce which will cover this chicken which makes the simplest chicken tikka masala happen in your life, in your very own home, on your very own couch in your very own sweats because HELLO.
How To Make Chicken Tikka Masala
So the first order of business here is making the masala paste that will serve as our marinade. Today. Right now. End of story. One five minute batch of masala paste = many batches of this five ingredient CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA with hardly any thought or effort.
Then, you bring it all together just like this:
- Marinate Chicken: Add cubed chicken to a bowl and cover it in yogurt and some of the masala sauce. Let it hang together for about 30 minutes.
- Sauté Chicken: After marinating, sauté the chicken in a pan with oil until nice and browned.
- Simmer Sauce: Add more masala paste and tomato purée and let it simmer until it’s nice and flavorful.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in heavy cream, and heap it on top of a mound of hot basmati rice or naan, and sprinkle with cilantro. HEAVEN.
Ways To Make Chicken Tikka Masala
This recipe is written to be done on the stovetop, but you could make it in the Instant Pot or a slow cooker for a more hands-off approach. I prefer the traditional stovetop version, but all ways are very delicious.
- Instant Pot: Same ingredients and instructions for steps 1 and 2 in the recipe card. At step 3, add chicken, masala paste, and tomato puree to the Instant Pot, and cook at high pressure for 8 minutes. Use the quick release. Add cream in at the end.
- Slow Cooker: Same ingredients and instructions for steps 1 and 2 in the recipe card. At step 3, add chicken, masala paste, and tomato purée to the slow cooker, and cook for 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low. Add cream in at the end.
What To Serve With Chicken Tikka Masala
The saucy chicken is the main event here, but there are some extras to go alongside this:
- Rice (basmati preferably!)
- Naan
- Vegetables like green beans, peas, or broccoli
Vegetables are not traditional and definitely not necessary, but can be added if you’re looking for an extra nutritional boost!
Frequently Asked Questions For This Chicken Tikka Masala
How can I make this dairy-free?
Coconut milk or light coconut milk can be used and it’s delicious! It will just be slightly less thick and creamy.
What is the best way to freeze and thaw the masala paste?
I’d freeze the paste into single portions of ¼ cup (an ice cube tray or just Ziploc bags would work well). Thaw the portion of sauce in the fridge overnight or in a bowl of cold water.
Can you freeze this after cooking?
Yes, it should work! Just seal in an airtight bag.
What is tomato pureé?
Tomat pureé is a little thicker than tomato sauce, but otherwise very similar – the tomatoes are cooked and then blended together.
What vegetables would go well with this?
A side of steamed or roasted green beans, broccoli, or cauliflower would be delicious alongside this.
Can you buy masala paste?
I’ve never tried using a pre-made one, but it looks like you can purchase one on Amazon! (affiliate link)
How could you make this vegetarian?
Some pan-fried tofu or paneer would work, or a can or two of chickpeas! Check out this butter cauliflower and chickpeas for something similar!
How can I make this spicier?
Add more cayenne to the paste!
Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast?
Yep! Either will work here, though I do prefer chicken breast.
Chicken Tikka Masala
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Description
Chicken Tikka Masala – creamy, perfectly spicy, and ready in 30 minutes! you won’t believe how easy it is to make this at home!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken Tikka Masala:
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup masala paste (recipe follows)
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1–2 tablespoons oil
- 2 cups tomato puree
- 1 cup heavy cream (sub a 14-ounce can of regular coconut milk)
- 1–2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 cups rice
- 1/4 cup cilantro
Masala Paste:
- 2 onions (about 3 cups when chopped)
- 5 cloves garlic
- a 2-inch piece of fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoons garam masala
- 1 tablespoon each chili powder, turmeric, and cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- a small pile of cilantro stems
- juice of one lemon
Instructions
- MASALA PASTE: Pulse all ingredients into a food processor until smooth. Set aside about 1/4 cup of the paste for this recipe – freeze the rest for your next batch! Boom!
- MARINATE CHICKEN: Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. Marinate with 1-2 tablespoons of masala paste and the yogurt for about 30 minutes in the fridge.
- COOK RICE AND CHICKEN: Get your rice started cooking according to package directions. Then, heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil. Cook the chicken in batches, undisturbed, until each piece is nice and browned on the outside. Remove from pan and set aside. (Chicken does not need to be fully cooked at this point.)
- SAUCE: Add 2-3 tablespoons of masala paste to the same skillet. Stir fry for a few minutes. Add the tomato puree and browned chicken; simmer for 10-15 minutes. (Chicken should now be fully cooked.)
- FINISH: Stir in cream or coconut milk. Season with salt. Let stand for a while so the sauce will thicken up a bit. Serve over rice with cilantro. HEAVEN.
Notes
Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala: Same ingredients and instructions for steps 1 and 2. At step 3, add chicken, masala paste, and tomato puree to the Instant Pot, and cook at high pressure for 8 minutes. Use the quick release. Add cream in at the end.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala: Same ingredients and instructions for steps 1 and 2. At step 3, add chicken, masala paste, and tomato puree to the slow cooker, and cook for 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low. Add cream in at the end.
Tomato Puree: You can buy canned tomato puree at a lot of grocery stores. Otherwise just plain tomato sauce (it’s just a little thinner) or use canned tomatoes and run them through the food processor or blender till smooth. The idea is just plain pureed tomatoes without seasoning.
Dairy Free Chicken Tikka Masala: Coconut milk or light coconut milk can be used and it’s delicious! It will just be slightly less thick and creamy.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sauté
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: chicken tikka masala, masala paste, Indian restaurant, chicken dinner recipe
Like This Recipe? Try These!
One More Thing!
This recipe is part of our collection of best healthy gluten-free recipes. Check it out!
Filed Under: All Recipes Dinner Gluten-Free Main Dishes Meat and Chicken Quick and Easy Rice Sugar Free January Sugar-Free Tomato Winter
January 13, 2020
Nice to meet you!
I’m Lindsay and I ♡ FOOD. I used to be a teacher, and now making food and writing about it online is my full-time job. I love talking with people about food, and I'm so glad you're here.
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FULL of flavor and healthy! It did take longer than 30 min the first time with the chopping for the paste but it will definitely be a quick meal (once the chicken marinates) now that I have paste frozen, yay!
Do you think I could make this with firm tofu or ground chicken?
Absolutely! Both would be great options!
What is garam masala? I have never heard of it, and don’t know where to look for it in the store.
Hi Cindy! Garam masala is a spice blend used in Indian cooking. You can usually find it in the aisle with spices.
This is my go-to tikka recipe, and I make it at least once a month. I love making a large batch of the masala paste and then having that in the freezer. I don’t usually marinate the chicken ahead of time, but it’s great either way (just easier to feed my family during the week by skipping that step).
So delicious masala sauce; I made a bunch for the tiki masala bowl, it’s been 2 days in the fridge, can I use my already made SAUCE with the chicken, and if so, how? SOI much sauce left over from that first recipe. How long will it keep?
Definitely get what you’re saying, but once you store the paste, it’s an incredible dinner with minimal effort, and tons of warm. My son has requested this for his 21st birthday. Grateful to oblige.
Just made this, it was so yummy! Thanks for the recipe will be my go to curry from now on!
I am in the process of making this now. My garam masala had whole cardamom seeds in it. I wasn’t sure if I should have picked them out.😬 Well, I blended them right in! 🤦🏻♀️ I will keep you posted on how it turns out! My chicken is marinating right now! 😅🤞🏼
My paste came out a little brown pls tell me this is okay cause I am currently cooking for my family
Mine is brown too because I used a red onion!
Just made the Chicken Tikka Masala from Pinch of Yum, and it was absolutely phenomenal! The flavors were rich and perfectly balanced, making every bite a delight. The instructions were clear and easy to follow, making the cooking process a breeze. This recipe has definitely earned a spot in my regular dinner rotation. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful and comforting dish.
How can you make this dairy free – do you use coconut milk instead of yogurt AND cream?
Soak everything in full fat coconut milk.
dont use milk
Is the chili powder called for supposed to be Indian red chili powder, or what is sold as chili powder in the US? I guessed US type chili powder, and it was delicious, but we would like a little more heat. I will make this again!
Yes, it’s what’s sold as chili powder in the U.S.!
This recipe is impossible to make authentically without the addition of fenugreek. Add a tablespoon (or two) to the masala paste and just before the end add a heaping tablespoon of powder (or preferably a half cup of leaves— called “methi” in Indian grocery stores) 5 mins before serving. Fenugreek is the magic here.
We love this recipe. I always add a little bit of chicken broth concentrate just to give a flavor boost.
Question: how well do you think the finished product, made with coconut milk not cream, will freeze? Has anyone done this? Does coconut milk change consistency when frozen?
Coconut milk should be just fine in the dish and freeze just fine as well. Enjoy!
Can you use sour cream instead of yougurt?
That could work – it would just add a bit more tang.
Respectfully, it might make sense to remove this from your “5 ingredient” list – this has 19 ingredients. If someone’s looking for a recipe that’s super quick and easy to make with only a few ingredients, it’d be helpful to be able to find a recipe quickly that matches the qualifications they need. Not sure if you delete critical comments on here, but I’m surprised no one else has ever mentioned the fact that the ingredient list is almost 400% above what your site markets it as.
Definitely get what you’re saying, but once you store the paste, it’s an incredible dinner with minimal effort, and tons of warm. My son has requested this for his 21st birthday. Grateful to oblige.
I made this last night and loved it! But I have a question. You have another recipe for this masala paste that includes almonds. We’re they omitted here intentionally?
Hands-down our favorite tikka masala recipe. It’s a go-to. We make the paste in advance, double the recipe and freeze it so it’s always on hand. Sometimes we swap out the chicken for paneer. Amazing!
I love this dish but i’m 12 years old and I wonder if this will be easy to cook because I want to be chef when im older but I need some help with the cooking instructions. I don’t know how long to cook it for.
Would half and half work instead of cream?
Yes!
Made this tonight for dinner with a few minor modifications – chicken thighs and used light coconut milk because that’s what we had on hand. Seriously delicious. As another noted, 4 stars instead of 5 because it took almost and hour with masala prep, etc
This had more of a tang than a rich flavor that I like for tikka masala. I think it’s because I used Greek yogurt. I would recommend specifying in the recipe to use regular plain yogurt. I used the IP method but may try to stovetop version next time and really let it simmer on low for awhile to develop the flavors.
Same. Way too tangy. I read an article that explains how to counter this….cOOK the tomato purée longer, at least 45 minutes. Also really caramélisé your masala paste, before adding the purée. Additionally, you can add caramelized onion.
I’m currently cooking the sauce longer, and adding caramelized onions, and blitzing in the blender before adding the chicken back in.
As it turns out, there’s no such thing as a quick curry (that’s tasty), but having the masala paste on hand will shorten the process in the future.
I’m going to make this and I’m sure I’m gonna enjoy it!! Typically I’m not a cilantro fan, usually sub with parsley in recipes. So is it a strong flavor is the masala paste or subtle? Could it be subbed with parsley in your opinion? Thanks.
Hi Eva! I don’t taste the cilantro at all in the masala paste, especially when it’s mixed in with the yogurt, cream, and tomato puree.
I have to say, this has become a go-to staple in our house! I LOVE having the extra paste in my freezer–it makes such a quick delicious meal that it so easily customizable (veggies, proteins, etc.). Thanks for an amazing addition to my rotation!
What would be good to serve with this Chicken Marsala
I like to serve it with roasted or sauteed vegetables and rice!