Golden pieces of yogurt-marinated chicken get coated in a tomato sauce seasoned with ginger, garlic, and garam masala. Fresh cream softens the tang of the tomatoes, while chopped cilantro adds a fresh finish. This chicken tikka masala serves three to four and goes well with rice, naan, or roti. Start by giving the chicken 30 minutes in the marinade while you get the sauce ingredients ready.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe Chicken Tikka Masala

The chicken and sauce get their flavor in stages. Yogurt, lemon juice, and spices coat the chicken before it hits the grill or skillet. Golden onions and puréed tomatoes then give the sauce its base, with ground coriander and garam masala adding warmth. The cream rounds out the sauce just before the chicken goes in. The finished sauce is thick enough to cling to the chicken and easy to scoop up with a piece of naan.

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need

• Mixing bowl
• Knife and cutting board
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Grill or skillet
• Blender for puréeing the tomatoes
• Spoon or spatula
• Instant-read food thermometer

Ingredients

For the marinade

• 500 g boneless chicken, cut into cubes
• 1 cup thick yogurt
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

For the sauce

• 2 tablespoons oil or butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, puréed
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• ½ cup fresh cream
• 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup (optional)
• Salt, to taste

How to Make Chicken Tikka Masala

Step 1. Mix the chicken cubes with the yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, salt, and lemon juice. Stir until the yogurt and spices coat every piece. Let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Use that time to chop the onion and purée the tomatoes so both are ready when you start the sauce.

Step 2. Grill or pan-sear the marinated chicken until browned and the largest pieces reach 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Set the cooked chicken aside while you make the sauce. The original directions call for setting the chicken aside partially cooked. This version cooks it through before that pause, following USDA guidance for poultry.

Step 3. Heat the oil or butter in a skillet and add the finely chopped onion. Cook, stirring, until the onion is golden. Finely chopped pieces soften and blend into the tomato sauce as it cooks. Once the onion has taken on color, stir in the ginger-garlic paste.

Step 4. Add the puréed tomatoes, red chili powder, and ground coriander. Stir them into the onion mixture and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. The tomato base should begin to thicken as it cooks. This gives the sauce some body before the cream goes in.

Step 5. Stir in the garam masala and fresh cream, along with the tomato ketchup if you’re using it. Mix until the cream is evenly blended into the tomato base and the sauce turns a uniform orange-red. The ketchup adds a little sweetness and tang.

Step 6. Add the cooked chicken to the skillet and turn the pieces in the sauce to coat them. Let everything simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes. Taste the sauce toward the end and adjust the salt as needed. The chicken was already seasoned in the marinade, so taste a bite with both chicken and sauce before adding more.

Step 7. Scatter chopped fresh cilantro over the chicken tikka masala and serve it hot with rice, naan, or roti. Spoon some of the sauce over each serving along with the chicken.

Serving Suggestions

Serve chicken tikka masala in shallow bowls over rice, with enough sauce to run between the grains. For a family-style dinner, bring the chicken and sauce to the table in one serving dish and set out naan or roti so everyone can scoop up the sauce. A little fresh cilantro over each portion adds a fresh note to the creamy tomatoes. The recipe serves three to four, so divide the chicken first, then spoon the remaining sauce over the portions.

Pro Tips for Best Results

• Measure the spices in two groups. The marinade and sauce both use ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, and garam masala. Measuring them separately makes it easier to follow the order.
• Cut the chicken into even pieces. Similar-sized cubes brown at about the same rate. Check one of the largest pieces with a thermometer before setting the chicken aside.
• Taste for salt after the chicken simmers in the sauce. That gives you a better sense of how the seasoned chicken and the creamy sauce taste together.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Shortening the marinade. Give the chicken the full 30 minutes in the yogurt and spices. Get the onion and tomatoes ready during that time.
2. Leaving the onion pale. Cook it until golden before adding the ginger-garlic paste. The golden onion gives the tomato base a sweeter, more developed flavor.
3. Rushing the tomatoes. Cook the purée with the chili powder and coriander for 8 to 10 minutes so the sauce has time to thicken before you add the cream.
4. Mixing the cream unevenly. Stir until the sauce is a consistent color. Visible streaks tell you it needs a little more stirring.
5. Boiling the sauce during the final simmer. Keep the heat gentle once the chicken goes in. Look for small bubbles as the chicken and sauce simmer together.
6. Adjusting the salt too early. Taste after the chicken has simmered in the sauce. The marinade already contains salt, and the optional ketchup can also affect the seasoning.

Variations & Substitutions

Use oil or butter to cook the onion. Butter gives the sauce a richer flavor. The tomato ketchup is optional and adds a sweet-tangy note when included. You can grill the chicken for a smokier flavor or pan-sear it on the stovetop.

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate. Store leftover chicken tikka masala in a shallow, airtight container. Refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F. Keep at 40°F or below and use within 3 to 4 days.

Freeze. Divide the chicken and sauce into airtight freezer containers. For best quality, use within 3 to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheat. Warm the chicken and sauce in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the chicken reaches 165°F. If the sauce has thickened in the fridge, stir in a splash of water to loosen it.

Nutrition Information

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

The recipe includes a 30-minute refrigerated marinade. You can use that time to chop the onion, purée the tomatoes, and measure the sauce ingredients. The directions give no longer make-ahead schedule for the marinated chicken or the finished dish.

How long does it last in the fridge?

The recipe provides no refrigerator storage duration for the finished chicken tikka masala.

Can I freeze this recipe?

The recipe provides no freezing or thawing instructions for the finished dish.

What can I substitute for one ingredient?

You can use butter in place of oil to cook the onion. Both are listed in the recipe and go into the skillet at the same point. The tablespoon of tomato ketchup is optional, so you can skip it if you prefer the flavor of the tomato purée and spices on their own.

Why didn’t my recipe turn out as expected?

If the sauce seemed thin, give the tomato purée its full 8 to 10 minutes of cooking before adding the cream. If the flavor seemed flat, check that the onion turned golden before you added the ginger-garlic paste, then taste the finished sauce for salt. If some chicken pieces browned faster than others, cut the cubes more evenly next time.

Final Thoughts

The two parts of this chicken tikka masala come together in the final simmer. The chicken brings the tang of yogurt and lemon along with the spices from the marinade. The sauce starts with golden onion and tomato purée, then takes on a softer texture and flavor when the cream goes in. Give the tomato base time to cook down before adding the cream so the finished sauce coats each piece of chicken. A handful of chopped cilantro keeps the finish fresh, and rice, naan, or roti gives you a way to catch the sauce left on the plate.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Yogurt-marinated chicken is browned, then simmered in a creamy tomato sauce with ginger, garlic, and garam masala. Finish with fresh cilantro and serve with rice, naan, or roti.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Marinating Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Servings 3 servings

Calories 390 kcal

Equipment

• Mixing Bowl
• Knife and Cutting Board
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Grill or Skillet
• Blender
• Spoon or Spatula
• Instant-Read Food Thermometer

Ingredients

  

Marinade

• 500 g boneless chicken cut into even cubes
• 1 cup thick yogurt
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Sauce

• 2 tbsp oil or butter
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes puréed
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 cup fresh cream
• 1 tbsp tomato ketchup optional
• salt to taste

Garnish and Serving

• fresh cilantro chopped, for garnish
• rice, naan, or roti for serving

Instructions

 

• Mix the chicken with the yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, salt, and lemon juice until evenly coated. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. While the chicken marinates, chop the onion and purée the tomatoes.
• Grill or pan-sear the chicken until browned and the thickest pieces reach 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Set the fully cooked chicken aside while you make the sauce.
• Heat the oil or butter in a skillet. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste.
• Add the puréed tomatoes, red chili powder, and ground coriander. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the tomato base starts to thicken.
• Stir in the garam masala, fresh cream, and optional ketchup until the sauce is evenly blended.
• Add the cooked chicken and turn the pieces to coat them. Simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, then taste and adjust the salt as needed.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with rice, naan, or roti.

Notes

Measure the marinade and sauce seasonings separately. Keep the final simmer gentle rather than boiling the sauce.

Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow, airtight container within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F. Store at 40°F or below and use within 3 to 4 days. For best quality, use frozen leftovers within 3 to 4 months and thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat to 165°F, adding a splash of water if the sauce needs loosening.

Keyword Chicken Tikka Masala, creamy tomato sauce, Yogurt-Marinated Chicken