Chicken Tikka Masala
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
Bring the flavors of India to your dinner table with this surprisingly easy chicken tikka masala recipe—tender yogurt-marinated chicken in a spiced tomato cream sauce.
With tender chicken simmered in a rich and flavorful sauce, this chicken tikka masala is a fantastic Indian dish to make at home. It’s easy to prepare and family-friendly, with a mild heat level that everyone can enjoy. The dish is believed to have evolved from butter chicken and gained popularity thanks to Indian chefs in Great Britain. Today, it’s a favorite on Indian restaurant menus everywhere.
The vibrant orange sauce gets its bold flavor from garam masala, a fragrant spice blend that’s readily available at most grocery stores. If you don’t have any on hand, curry powder makes a great substitute. Serve chicken tikka masala with basmati rice, peas, and naan for a comforting and satisfying meal.
“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, it helps tenderize the meat and adds a subtle tanginess.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: This lean cut is a great option for this recipe as the sauce is quite rich, but boneless skinless chicken thighs work well too.
- 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: 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 to add a fresh burst of color and flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a bowl large enough to hold the chicken, combine the yogurt, salt, and spices and whisk to combine. 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 with an oven rack in the top position. Line a baking sheet with foil, place a wire rack on top, and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange the chicken on the rack, spooning any leftover marinade over it.
Broil the chicken for 7 to 8 minutes, until it is nicely browned on top—there’s no need to flip it over.
While the chicken cooks, start the sauce. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large pan. Sauté the onions and ginger until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir in the spices and cook for 2 minutes. Next, add the tomatoes, heavy cream, salt, sugar, pepper, and 1/2 cup water.
Bring to a boil, then simmer on medium-low until thickened, about 15 minutes. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Add the broiled chicken to the sauce and simmer for a few minutes until warmed through and fully cooked. Sprinkle the cilantro over the chicken and serve.
Video Tutorial
You May Also Like
Chicken Tikka Masala
Spice up dinner with chicken tikka masala—a restaurant favorite made simple enough to prepare at home.
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
Powered by 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
This recipe is delicious! It immediately made it’s way to our ‘Family Favorite List.’ It’s going to be part of our regular rotation now. Pretty simple, and Jenn’s recipes make it so easy to come through with a flawless final product.
YUM!!!!
This was SO. GOOD! I added peas for the compulsive need for a green thing and it was great! Served over buttered basmati rice and it was incredible. So comforting and complex. Will make again! Highly recommend.
It was delicious. Took longer for the sauce to thicken than suggested. I served it with basmati rice, peas and I made the naan suggested. Everything was delicious! And we have enough leftover for another meal.
I just made this recipe tonight. It was spectacular! I followed your instructions exactly and everything was perfect! I was a bit concerned about all the butter and cream, but I believe we ate smaller portions because the dish was so satisfying. We have leftovers for a yummy lunch! Thank you so much for such good directions and such a thoughtful recipe.
Hi! Just wondering if a whole milk vanilla yogurt is okay to use? Thanks! Can’t wait to make it.
Hi Courtney, I don’t recommend vanilla yogurt here; it will introduce a strange taste to the marinade. Sorry!
SOOOOO good! My family appreciates a break from tomato-based sauces so I used white wine and chicken stock to roughly mimic the same volume. No sugar if you do this! And about 1/2 the cream. It was amazing! I also added some frozen peas a the end to up the veg 🙂
I made this for guests last night and they were blown away. It looks like a bit of a daunting recipe at first, but it’s a nice easy, no rushed pace to make, and mostly spices! Very convenient for entertaining as you can prep most of it in advance.
Thanks Jen – you are my go-to when I need inspiration xo
I have made this many times and we love it! I usually serve it with your delicious naan. I want to make both soon. Can whole milk Greek yogurt be substituted for the regular in both recipes? I have a large container in the fridge.
So glad you like it! Yes, whole milk yogurt will work with both this and the naan.
Hi Jenn,
What brand of garam masala do you use? The last one I purchased was heavy on the coriander and not edible (IMO). Any suggestions would be great. My son loves tikka masala as do I!
Thanks
Hi Lori, I typically use McCormick. 🙂
Fabulous recipe! You mention that after simmering the sauce you “usually add a bit more salt and sugar.” Exactly how much more salt and sugar do you usually add?
Hi Cheyenne, I never measure it — it’s really just a pinch of both, but after adding that, taste it and add a touch more if necessary.
This was super delicious! My husband and I made it tonight, and it was fast and easy. We only marinated the chicken for 10 min because we were making dinner late. For our family, we need to lower our intake of fat so we only put 5 tbsp of half & half and 2% low fat Greek yogurt, but the flavor was fantastic!!! This will be a regular in our kitchen.