Chicken Tikka Masala
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Chicken tikka masala is a dish of yogurt-marinated broiled chicken in a creamy, spice-infused tomato sauce.
Chicken tikka masala is a dish of yogurt-marinated and broiled chicken in a creamy, spice-infused tomato sauce. It’s surprisingly easy to make, and it’s a great intro to Indian food for kids, as it’s not too spicy. The sauce is seasoned with garam masala, a fragrant Indian spice blend typically made from peppercorns, mace, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and nutmeg. You can find it at most large supermarkets, but feel free to substitute curry powder if need be. Pair the dish with fluffy basmati rice, buttery peas, and warm naan bread for a truly special dinner that brings the rich flavors of India right to your 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
Chicken tikka masala is a dish of yogurt-marinated broiled chicken in a creamy, spice-infused tomato sauce.
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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This is the BEST chicken tikka masala recipe! My kids absolutely loved it, and it’s not spicy at all. I served it with white rice and homemade garlic & onion naan. DELICIOUS❤️
Absolutely delicious! We’ve added this to our regular meal rotation. I’m lazy so I just use whole boneless/skinless thighs and then cut them with a kitchen shears after they’ve broiled and while they’re simmering in the sauce.
“This is the best thing you have ever made, mom.” – my 15-year-old. To which my 12 and 7-year-old and husband heartily agreed. Your recipes have brought so much joy to my family and the friends we have had over the past couple of weeks. This one especially made for a magical night around our table, enjoying delicious food and having great conversation. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Your recipes have made me excited about cooking for the people that I love again.
❤️
That review convinced me to try this. My friend who lives with me can’t tolerate much heat, so I’m hoping it will sit well with her. I love a little -to- moderate heat myself. Thank you! Isn’t Jenn the bomb? I adore her recipes.
Excellent receipe! I ended up grilling our chicken and substituted half of the masala garam for curry and cut back on the cumin based on preference.
I don’t think this recipe deserves 5 stars
I was not very careful and didn’t clearly read the directions…. I have some generously sized chunks of chicken marinating right now! Probably double the size they should be. Other than making a huge mess by trying to chop them further before broiling, would you have any other suggestions on how I should bake/broil to have them done properly without over cooking?
Thank you!
Hi Shawna, for the best results when cooking, I’d bite the bullet and cut the chicken into smaller pieces before putting in the oven. If you use a fork and knife, it shouldn’t be too messy. 🙂
Question: the grocery store was completely out of heavy cream. I bought cream cheese and put that in at the end. My husband wondered if I should have substituted half and half instead. I’m not sure so I’m asking you; which would have been the better substitute.
Hi Sharon, I would’ve gone with half and half because it’s more neutral in flavor. Hope you enjoyed it nevertheless!
Hi Jen- I have no yogurt ( or mayo) can I sub a different base to marinate the chicken. Leaving for vacation so I am not running to the store for anything. Thanks!
Sour cream would also work. 🙂
I just need to tell you that this dish is soooo good, and it regularly graces our kitchen table (including tonight).
I only make one minor tweak to the dish that I thought I’d share. Once I’m done simmering the sauce, I purée a good portion of it. It makes it a nice, creamy consistency.
Thanks for such a great recipe. My daughter has pistachio and cashew allergies and those nuts can often be present in Indian cuisine. This has been a delicious way to still enjoy the flavors without worry of accidental cross contamination. Thank you!!
Love this recipe, Jenn, and yes, it freezes well despite the dairy.
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!
Delicious dish, made exactly as is! This is my go-to when we invite friends to dinner. And Jenn’s website is also my go-to when looking for foolproof recipes!
Another winner from OUAC! Your recipes simply never fail. Thank you Jen, whatever you earn from this blog is not enough
Hi Jenn,
We just love all your recipes. Can you help me figure out how to enable watching a full video of a recipe? When I try watching a recipe video on your site, it stops in the middle and takes me to another video recipe. Thanks soooo much! I have both your cookbooks!
Hi Sue, so glad you like the recipes! To watch a full video of a recipe, search for the recipe using the search function on the blog. If the recipe has a corresponding video, you’ll see that in the search results. Click on that to watch the video. About 30 seconds or so into the video, you’ll see two buttons on the right; one will take you to the next video and the other says “stay”. Click the “stay” button and you’ll be able to watch the entire video. Hope that helps!
Delicious. Another keeper.
Made exactly as is, this is a fabulous recipe! The crushed tomatoes and cream makes an awesome sauce! I have made it a few times for different guests and they all loved it. Definitely a keeper for me, both for just my husband and I or when we have dinner guests.
Hi Jen! I have made this recipe before and it turned out so good, as your recipes always do! Just wondering is it okay to not marinate it when i’m tight on time? Also If I don’t have a wire rack, can I cook just on the foil?
Glad you like it, Olivia! Yes, you can get away with not marinating if time doesn’t allow. And the rack is nice as it allows the air to circulate under the chicken (and the marinate is a bit messy), but you can skip the rack if you don’t have one.
We sooo loved this recipe!!! The chicken melted in your mouth and the masala was just right.
This recipe is absolutely superb! I don’t particularly like chicken but gobbled this up because of the wonderful sauce…I will make again and again!
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.
Hi Jenn,
I made this dish last night and my family loved it. My daughter said it tasted like the same dish from an Indian restaurant my husband sometimes goes there for lunch and brings home the leftover. 🙂 I used skinless and boneless chicken thighs. Thank you for your great recipes.
Any chance I can substitute sour cream or anything else instead of yogurt? I just hardly ever use yogurt. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks, Staci
Hi Staci, It’s perfectly fine to substitute with sour cream. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn,
At what temperature do you broil the chicken at? 500 degrees F?
Hi Sandy, My oven doesn’t have a temperature for broiling, but 500 degrees sounds right. Hope you enjoy!
I CAN’T BELIEVE I MADE INDIAN!!! This chicken was incredible. The juiciest and softest chicken I’ve ever made. My husband wants me to make the sauce for future vegetarian curries. I actually cut the chicken into much smaller pieces than instructed and then threaded them onto metal skewers and it worked perfectly. A little time-consuming to make but totally worth it.
Made this last night and it’s a winner. Marinating and broiling the chicken kept it moist and flavorful. I cut the recipe in half for the 2 of us and it worked perfectly. Even in DC it’s hard to find crushed tomatoes in less than a 28 oz can. Since I only used 7 ounces of the tomatoes for half the recipe, I’ll have to find a use for the rest of the tomatoes, which I’m sure will be easy to do. I wasn’t a big fan of the basmati rice method on the site. Mine looked right but was mushy. Could I have rinsed it too many times before cooking?
Hi Linda so glad you enjoyed it! Regarding the rice, is there any chance you used parboiled basmati rice?
Hi Jenn, no, I used regular Mahatma brand Basmati rice and followed your procedure. I think I’ll try one fewer rinse next time.
That’s strange – I’m sorry you had a problem with it — I hope you have better luck the second time around!
Hi Jen! I love this recipe and it’s on regular rotation in our house. We’ve done it with coconut milk when we haven’t had heavy cream and it is always delicious. I’ve also sautéed the chicken in the past when I didn’t have time to marinate and broil it, and it was still very good. Question: Do you think it would work if you kept the chicken in larger pieces and grilled it? I am meal prepping for the week and I would like to do your fajitas tomorrow, but also grill this recipe’s marinated chicken at the same time to use later in the week with this recipe. Is that crazy?
So glad you like it Tess! Yes, I do think you could get away with grilling it. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Delicious and better than many Indian restaurants I ordered Tikka Masala from! Thank you for your perfect recipe!
I have not used a baking sheet and wire rack (as in cookie cooling rack?) I
under a broiler. Do I need a certain type to prevent warping?
Thanks!
Hi Kate, I believe that most cooling racks are oven safe as they often serve a dual purpose of going into the oven as well. Here’s what I have. If you know what brand it is, you could look it up online to ensure that it’s oven safe. Hope that helps!
I’ve made this recipe twice now; first with leftover chicken thighs from a previous meal and then tonight with chicken breast as the recipe calls for. Both were fantastic. I add some frozen green peas right before serving, and just let the heat from the dish bring them to temperature. One of my favorites from this site.
OMG this is incredible! Once Upon a Chef has become my go-to for weekly dinner recipes. I’ve never found another recipe creator to be so consistent with amazing recipes that I want to eat again and again. This Chicken Tikka Masala recipe is a perfect example. This is packed with flavor, but felt like it came together so easily – I love a low effort high impact recipe! I will be making this again for sure.
My husband and I loved this! I’ve always been better at making sweets, but since getting married I’ve been trying to broaden my horizons as far as making meals. This tasted just like it does when we go to our favorite Indian restaurant. Thank you!
I love this recipe too but I didn’t have heavy cream this time around so used milk and some cornstarch and it was fantastic! I might switch over to this for the less fat.
I think this is the recipe I’ve made most often from this site. The first time I made it was a real “wow” moment, and it truly helped me build trust in Jen and her recipes, because my previous few attempts at Indian recipes (from an Indian food cookbook) had been pretty disastrous. My husband and I like Indian food, and I knew I hadn’t gotten it right. So I was already unsure of myself with this one because of those past failures… but this one turned out GREAT. My kids call it “chicken with yummy sauce”, and my oldest asks for it on a regular basis. I double the sauce; fresh naan or plain old flatbread are excellent for sopping it up, it’s great over both roasted cauliflower and rice, and it’s hard for me to find 14-oz cans of crushed tomatoes anyway. 🙂 Recipes that the whole family loves are such a rarity. This is one of those special few, and I’ll be making it for years to come.
Made this last night. It was a HUGE hit! I made everything but the rice ahead. I have never made a bad meal when I follow your recipes.
Another great recipe from Jenn! A note: The flavor noticeably improved after this sat in our fridge for a day. If you have time, I’d make this a day ahead and reheat. I also like the idea of adding a little heat (e.g., 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper); the recipe tasted good, I just felt it could use something extra.
Has anyone tried this for Vegans? I’m cooking dinner for some friends who are vegan next week. My friends who are not vegan who I’ve made this for, LOVED it. And they requested it at this dinner next week (but vegan friendly for the sake of our other guests) I’m thinking maybe using coconut milk yogurt, coconut cream, and either chickpeas or firm tofu….has anyone tried these alterations?
Just a few week ago I did this for Vegans! They loved it. Both had lived in India and said they thought the spicing was perfection–Jenn really knocked it out of the park with this creation. Made the sauce subbing a small amount of vegetable oil for the butter (mostly steam sauteed the onions) and used coconut milk instead of cream. Of course, I left the chicken/yogurt component completely out. I steamed carrots, then cauliflower, then broccoli and added to the sauce along with garbanzo beans. Let it sit overnight. Before we ate I gently reheated and added frozen peas just before serving with the rice. (My husband, the meat-eater added cooked chicken I had pre-made to his–might be a good option for your carnivore friends.) All the prep and steaming of the veg took a long time but end result was worth it. I also doubled the spices b/c so many additional things in the sauce. Hope this helps.
Thank you for sharing this!
Hi Jenn
I made this last night for company and it was so delicious everyone enjoyed it. I made the sauce early in the day and refrigerated. Also marinated the chicken. Then broiled the chicken and simmered the sauce just before eating. Did jasmine rice and plain steamed broccoli and a green side salad.
I need to perfect the broiling of the chicken part as it was not slightly burnt. Will work on that.
Thanks for an amazing recipe!
Amazing
Another great recipe from Jennifer!
Hi Jenn,
Greek yoghurt?
Thanks
Hi Diana, I use regular yogurt here, but Greek will work just fine too. Enjoy!
Absolutely fabulous!! Thanks Jen
Best Tikki Masala recipe I’ve tried. My 3 year old loves it too. I do add 1/2 the cream but that is the only thing I change.