Chicken Tikka Masala

tikka masala with rice and naan bread in a white bowl.

5 from 35 votes

One of my favorite Indian Dishes is Chicken Tikka Masala. Tender chunks of chicken marinated in spiced yogurt, then pan-fried and coated with an incredibly flavorful spiced creamy tomato sauce.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Marinate1

Total Time1 40

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Indian

Servings:

Calories: 595kcal

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade

1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized chunks
½ cup Greek yogurt Plain
1 ½ teaspoon garlic finely minced
1 ½ teaspoon ginger finely grated
1 teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ tsap ground cumin
½ teaspoon red chili powder
½ teaspoon salt

Sauce

2 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoon butter
¾ cup onion finely diced
2 teaspoon garlic finely minced
1 ½ teaspoon ginger finely grated
¾ teaspoon garam masala
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground coriander
8 oz tomato puree
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon red chili powder -more or less depending on how much heat you like.
½ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon brown sugar
¼ cup water as needed
2 teaspoon fresh cilantro finely chopped for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the marinade except the chicken pieces. Whisk the mixture until well blended.
Cut the boneless skinless chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces.
Add the chicken to the marinade, mixing well.
Refrigerate the mixture and let the chicken marinate for one hour.
*Marinate the chicken overnight (up to 12 hours) for the best flavors.
Drain the chicken pieces in a strainer to remove the excess marinade.
Add the cooking oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat.
When the pan is hot, add the chicken pieces. Cook in two batches if necessary, you don't want to crowd the pan.
Coon the chicken pieces until nicely browned (2 minutes on each side).
Remove the chicken from the skillet and place them on a serving dish or baking sheet, loosely covered with foil to keep warm until needed.
Add the butter to the same skillet and let it melt over medium-high heat.
When the butter has melted, add the onions to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, until soft and fragrant.
*Make sure to use a large spoon to scrape up the browned bits that stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Add the chopped garlic and ginger to the pan and continue cooking for 1 minute, stirring the mixture as it cooks.
Add the garam masala, cumin, turmeric, and coriander to the pan and continue to cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
*Stir the mixture during the cooking, so the spices don't burn and get bitter.
Add the tomato puree, chili powder, paprika, and salt to the pan, stirring until well combined.
Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes, stirring as needed.
As the sauce thickens it will develop a deep reddish-brown color.
Add the heavy cream and brown sugar to the sauce. Stirring until well blended.
Add the cooked chicken and any juices that may have been released from the chicken into the pan and with the sauce. Stir to combine.
Let the Tikka Masala continue to simmer for 8-10 minutes. The sauce will be thick and bubbling.
*If the sauce is too thick, add water to thin the sauce to the desired consistency.
Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with Basmati rice and Naan bread.

Notes

*To make a non-dairy version of this dish, use coconut cream yogurt to marinate the chicken and cashew cream instead of heavy cream for the sauce.

Nutrition