Chicken Tikka Masala – Yogurt marinated chicken in a spiced curry sauce. Seriously the best!  Serve with rice and Naan bread for a restaurant experience at home!

I love Indian food and curry in general.  There are quite a few of those types of recipes already here on the blog.  Coconut Chicken Curry is ready in minutes, and uses ingredients you probably already have in your house, so it is one of my favorites.  But Tikka Masala has taken me a little longer to master.

When we go out for Indian food, chicken tikka masala is always something we order. So I know what it tastes like in a restaurant.  But getting those flavors at home, is not easy.  Well, I think I have finally mastered it.  After trying more recipes than I can count, combining a bunch of different ones, and adding in some of my own I have done it!  Trust me, this chicken tikka masala recipe is going to be a keeper!

What is Tikka Masala

It is a dish that is made from chunks of chicken that are marinated in a yogurt and spice mixture for hours.  Then the chicken is either grilled or cooked quickly over a high heat.  Tikka masala sauce is made from onions, garlic, ginger and lots of spices.  Then it is simmered with tomato sauce and finished with cream.  It is a rich and delicious sauce.  You will want to make sure you have plenty of Naan bread to soak it all up.

I like the tikka masala sauce to be thin, so I use my immersion blender to puree everything. You can use a regular blender or food processor if that is what you have too.  And if you don’t mind the little pieces of onion and garlic in your sauce, then you can just leave it as is.  I have only ever had it smooth in restaurants, so that is how I like to make it at home.

How to Make Chicken Tikka Masala

It really is rather easy to make, you just need to have lots of spices on hand.  I am able to find all of the spices at my regular grocery store, so hopefully you can to.  My goal was to come up with a recipe that you could make any night of the week.  Not something you had to make a special trip to one store, that is across town, and has limited hours.

I start by mixing together the yogurt with all the spices for the marinade.  Then mix in the chicken that is cut into chunks.  Cover and let it side in the fridge for at least an hour, but over night is even better.  The longer the chicken has the move flavor it gets, and the more tender it is.  When you are ready to cook I broil the chicken while I am making the sauce.  Again, it really is just dump a bunch of spices in and stir.  Simple, just some measuring involved!

If you like Indian food and curry, you are going to love this chicken tikka masala recipe.  It is way easier than you think it is to make, and it will remind you of your favorite restaurant!  You can adjust the heat level to what your family likes.  My family is a fan of heat, so I went heavy with the cayenne.  But you can go light and it will still have all those comforting spices.

Butter chicken is another classic Indian curry that my family loves. There is just something about all those spices together that is pure comfort food to me.  And this Basil Coconut Chicken Curry kind of has a Thai twist, but the chicken is so tender and over the top delicious.

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Yield: 5

Chicken Tikka Masala

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Chicken Tikka Masala - Yogurt marinated chicken in a spiced curry sauce. Seriously the best!  Serve with rice and Naan bread for a restaurant experience at home!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade

• 1 1/2 pound boneless chicken (breast or thighs), cut into pieces
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 1/2 Tbls garlic, minced
• 1 Tbls ginger, minced
• 1 Tbls garam masal
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt

Tikka Masala Sauce

• 2 Tbls vegetable oil
• 14 oz tomato sauce
• 1 Tbls garlic, minced
• 1 Tbls ginger, minced
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 Tbls garam masala
• 1 1/2 Tbls ground cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 Tbls ground coriander
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper, (reduce if you want it mild)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

1. In a large bowl whisk together the yogurt with all of the seasonings for the marinade.  Add chicken and mix until everything is well coated.  Cover and place in fridge for at least an hour, up to overnight. 
2. Preheat oven to Broil.  Place chicken pieces on a baking sheet.  Cook for 3-4 minutes, flip the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes more.  Remove from oven.
3. In a large sauce pan heat oil over medium high heat.  Add onions and cook for 4-5 minutes until soft.  
4. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.  
5. Add garam masala, cumin, turmeric, and coriander, and chili powder. Mix with onions, and cook for about 1 minute.    
6. Add tomato sauce, cayenne, salt and pepper. Stir until all the spices are well blended. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.  
7. Add the chicken and the juices to the sauce.  Stir in the cream and cook for about 10 minutes until the cause is bubbling and thick. 
8. Serve over white rice.  Garnish with cilantro if desired.

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Nutrition Information

Yield

5

Serving Size

1
Amount Per ServingCalories 541 Total Fat 34g Saturated Fat 15g Trans Fat 1g Unsaturated Fat 17g Cholesterol 178mg Sodium 1517mg Carbohydrates 14g Fiber 3g Sugar 8g Protein 45g

Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should only be used as a general guideline.

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Erin S

Welcome to Dinners, Dishes, & Desserts where my love of food meets my busy life. My name is Erin and I’m a casual home cook who loves to feed people. On this blog, you’ll find hundreds of quick and easy recipes made mostly from scratch. My days are spent in the kitchen, creating new recipes to share with family and friends.

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