Chicken tikka masala is a curry that is popular in the United Kingdom, in fact it’s reported to be one of the most popular dishes there! I am a huge fan of curries of all sorts and chicken tikka masala is one that regularly gets made! The basic recipe starts out with chunks of chicken that is marinated and roasted/grilled and it is pretty similar to tandoori chicken. Next up is the sauce or gravy which is super tasty and it includes paprika, tomatoes and turmeric which gives the dish it’s stereotypical orange-ish or red-ish colour. One of the primary seasonings is garam masala which is a blend of warm spices and it is included in the marinade and in the sauce two times, once to meld in with the sauce and a second time near the end for the hit of aromatics. Butter and cream round the gravy out making it so creamy, delicious and good! Chicken tikka masala can be served by itself, or over rice, pasta, etc. or with naan, paratha, etc. for scooping!
Chicken Tikka Masala
Grilled marinated chicken in a tasty and creamy sauce!
ingredients
- 1 pound chicken (boneless and skinless), cut into bite sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced/grated
- 1 tablespoon ginger, minced/grated
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin, toasted and ground)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 serrano chili, diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced/grated
- 1 tablespoon ginger, minced/grated
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cumin, toasted and ground
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 cups tomato puree (1 15 ounce can)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (optional)
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- salt to taste
For the marinated chicken:
For the sauce:
directions
- Marinate the chicken in the mixture of the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, cayenne, paprika, cumin, and salt for 20 minutes to overnight.
- Shake off the excess marinade and grill, or pan sear, over medium-high heat, until lightly charred and cooked, about 2-4 minutes per side, before setting aside.
- Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat, add the onion and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the mixture of the serrano chili, garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, paprika, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
- Add the tomato puree and chicken, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the cream, fenugreek leaves, and garam masala and season with salt to taste before enjoying over rice, with naan, paratha, etc.
For the marinated chicken:
For the sauce:
Option: Omit the fenugreek leaves if you cannot find them.
Option: Add diced bell pepper for a veggie!
Option: Add 1-2 tablespoons cashew or almond butter to the sauce to make it even creamier!
Option: Garnish with sliced/slivered almonds or chopped cashews.
Hi Kevin ! for the sauce, you listed 1 tbsp garam masala and then 1tsp of garam masala – pls clarify? is it 1tbsp + 1tsp? Thanks !
! tablespoon is added in step 4 and 1 teaspoon is added in step 6. The first one flavours the sauce and the second one ensures the fresh aromatics near the end. Enjoy!
When do you add the chicken to the sauce?
The chicken is added to the sauce just before simmering in step 5. Enjoy!
Yummy & rustic
Looks delicious 😊
Lol UK is now stealing Indian currries too? It’s a popular Indian dish originating from India you dumbass.. it might be popular in UK but at least give credit to the place where it originated from….get ur facts right.. you add paprika only because u dumbasses can’t grow red pepper …come to America I will show you what real Tikka masala tastes like.. though it may not be as authentic like the Indians cook..
I’ve made this twice now, with minor modifications for missing ingredients, and it’s been delicious both times. I left out the chili and fenugreek but added bell pepper, and a little sugar to tame the acidity of my tomato sauce. Surprisingly quick and easy too! Thank you!
I have tried many chicken tikka masala recipes and this one is my new favorite! I’m standing here eating the sauce by the spoonful, ha ha! Thank you for sharing this recipe.