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Chicken Tikka Masala

Yogurt-marinated chicken in creamy tomato sauce

55min
921kcal
39.8gprotein
Chicken Tikka Masala — Indian recipe, finished and plated
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Ingredients

Servings 4
  • 700 g Chicken thighs
  • 200 g Yogurt
  • 30 g Ginger
  • 6 cloves Garlic
  • 1 Lime
  • 2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
  • 1 tsp Ground turmeric
  • 2 tsp Garam masala
  • 2 tsp Ground coriander
  • 1 tsp Ground cumin
  • 2 Onion
  • 1 tin San Marzano tomatoes (DOP)
  • 2 tbsp Tomato paste
  • 100 ml Heavy cream
  • 3 tbsp Neutral oil
  • 1½ tsp Salt
  • 240 g Basmati rice
  • 2 tsp Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) (optional)
  • 2 tbsp Cilantro (optional)

Method

  1. Rinse the basmati rice until the water runs clear, then cook it in twice its volume of water, covered, until tender and the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
  2. Grate the ginger and garlic into a paste.
  3. Whisk the yogurt with half the ginger-garlic paste, half the kashmiri chili, half the turmeric, half the garam masala, half the coriander, the lime juice, and a good pinch of salt to make the marinade. Cube the chicken into 3 cm pieces and turn it in the marinade so every piece is coated, then cover and rest at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate overnight for the best flavour.
  4. Slice the onions thin.
  5. Heat a film of oil over high. Sear the marinated chicken in batches until heavily charred, 3 min per side. Lift onto a plate.
  6. Heat a glug of oil over medium heat. Sweat the sliced onion until deep golden, about 12 minutes.
  7. Stir in remaining ginger-garlic paste. Cook 3 minutes until raw smell gone.
  8. Add tomato paste, remaining kashmiri chili, turmeric, coriander, the cumin, and a splash of water. Cook 2 minutes until it darkens.
  9. Crush in the tomatoes by hand. Simmer 12 minutes until thick and you see the oil starting to separate out at the edges.
  10. While the tomatoes simmer: roughly chop the cilantro for garnish. (optional)
  11. Slide the seared chicken (plus juices) into the sauce. Cook 5 minutes to finish through.
  12. Off heat, stir in cream. Crush the kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) between your palms over the pot. Stir in the rest of the garam masala.
  13. Tip into a bowl. Scatter cilantro on top. Serve with rice or naan.

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About Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken tikka masala pairs two ideas: chicken tikka — yogurt-marinated, spiced pieces traditionally charred in a tandoor — and a creamy, spiced tomato-onion masala the cooked chicken is folded into. Its exact origins are debated, often credited to the South Asian restaurant kitchens of Britain, but the technique is what defines it and this recipe honors it in two stages. The chicken is cubed and marinated in yogurt with a split of the spices — chili, turmeric, garam masala, coriander — plus ginger, garlic, and lime, resting at least thirty minutes (or overnight) before it's seared hard until heavily charred, standing in for the tandoor's blistering heat.

That deliberate char is the flavor secret: it puts smoky, caramelized edges on the chicken that a stewed piece could never develop, and those notes carry through the finished sauce. The masala itself is rich and rounded — San Marzano tomatoes and tomato paste for depth, cream for body, and a pinch of crushed kasuri methi at the end for the faintly bitter, herbal fragrance that marks the dish. It lands mild-to-medium in heat, more warmly spiced than fiery, and is meant to be eaten with basmati rice or naan to carry the sauce. Finished with cilantro, it's a satisfying dinner for four that tastes richer than its 55 minutes suggest.

Chicken Tikka Masala: frequently asked questions

What's the difference between chicken tikka masala and butter chicken?

Both are creamy, tomato-based curries with tandoor-roasted chicken, but butter chicken (murgh makhani) is an Indian dish from Delhi with a milder, richer sauce built on butter and cream, giving it a smoother, slightly sweeter flavor. Chicken tikka masala uses a spicier, tangier, more tomato-forward sauce and is popularly (though disputedly) attributed to South Asian cooks in Britain, often credited to Glasgow. In practice the two overlap heavily and recipes vary widely, but butter chicken leans buttery and mild while tikka masala leans spiced and tangy.

Where does chicken tikka masala come from?

Chicken tikka masala combines chicken tikka — yogurt-marinated, tandoor-cooked chicken chunks rooted in South Asian cooking — with a spiced, creamy tomato sauce. Its exact origin is disputed: the most popular story credits a South Asian (often said to be Bangladeshi) chef at a Glasgow, Scotland curry house who improvised a gravy for a customer who found the dry tikka too plain, though this account is unverified and the frequently repeated "tomato soup and cream" detail was reportedly invented for journalists. Most food historians agree it's a British creation that emerged in UK curry houses in the mid-20th century; it strongly resembles, and may be an anglicized adaptation of, Punjabi butter chicken, but that lineage is one theory rather than an established fact.

What's the difference between chicken tikka masala and chicken masala?

Chicken tikka masala is made from "tikka" — chunks of chicken marinated in yogurt and spices, then grilled or roasted (traditionally in a tandoor) before being simmered in a creamy, tomato-based, mildly spiced orange-red sauce; it's often attributed to South Asian cooks in Britain (a Glasgow origin is commonly claimed but disputed). "Chicken masala" is a broader, looser term for chicken cooked in a masala (a spice blend or gravy) and can refer to many regional Indian preparations, where the chicken is typically cooked directly in the sauce rather than pre-grilled and the dish is usually spicier and less creamy. In short, tikka masala specifically involves marinated, char-grilled chicken in a rich creamy sauce, while chicken masala is a general category with no single fixed recipe.

How many calories are in Chicken Tikka Masala?

A serving has about 921 calories — 39.8g protein, 72.2g carbs, 53.2g fat, 7.5g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.

Is it high in protein?

Each serving has about 39.8g of protein, roughly 17% of its calories.

Is Chicken Tikka Masala gluten-free?

Based on its ingredients, Chicken Tikka Masala has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.

Is Chicken Tikka Masala dairy-free?

Not as written — it uses Yogurt, Heavy cream. Swapping those for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.

Do I need every ingredient to make Chicken Tikka Masala?

The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), cilantro — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.

How many servings does Chicken Tikka Masala make?

This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.