Authentic Chicken Tikka Masala
Everyone loves Indian buffet and I am no exception. One of my favorite dishes at Indian restaurant is the orange hued, creamy, rich, and delicious chicken tikka masala.
I love it with naan, basmati rice or chicken biryani. In this recipe tutorial, you’ll learn Indian Chicken Tikka Masala recipe.
How To Make Chicken Tikka Masala
To make chicken tikka masala, first you make Tandoori chicken, grilled over fire or baked in oven. For home cooks, baking is the easiest option.
Secondly, you make the delicious tikka masala sauce and cook the chicken until a rich creamy consistency.
Tikka Masala Sauce
Tikka Masala Sauce consists of the following key ingredients:
- Tomato Paste
- Garam Masala or Indian Spice Mix. You can get it from Indian/Asian stores or online
- Ketchup
- Whipping Cream
This Chicken Masala Recipe involves a two-step process but I will assure you that end result is worth your effort. Once you try my Chicken Tikka Masala recipe, you will never go back to Indian buffets again.
It tastes just just like your favorite Indian restaurant if not better.
Pairs well with:
Popular Indian Recipes:
Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe
Chicken Tikka Masala - rich and creamy chicken tikka masala recipe with spicy tomato sauce. Easy and much better than Indian restaurants.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. tandoori chicken
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
- 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
- 1/2 cup canned tomato paste (120 ml )
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- salt to taste
- 1/2 cup water (120 ml)
- 4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream/yogurt
- 2 sprigs cilantrom leaves only, roughly chopped
Directions
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1Cut the Tandoori Chicken (click for recipe) into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
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2Heat the butter in a pan over low heat. Add the ginger, garlic, and saute for about 1-2 minutes or until aromatic. Add the tomato paste and chili powder, stir to mix well, about 30 seconds.
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3Add the Tandoori Chicken and Garam Masala into the pan, stir and let simmer for 10 minutes. Cover the pan with its lid.
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4Add the ketchup, sugar, salt, water, and simmer for another 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the heavy whipping cream or yogurt, stir to combine well with all the ingredients in the pan. Transfer the Chicken Tikka Masala to a serving platter and garnish with the chopped cilantro leaves before serving.
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Kim
What a fantastic recipe!! I made the tandoori chicken with chicken breasts. Only marinated 2 hrs next time I would love to do 4. I cut the chicken breasts into 3rds or 4ths depending on the size. Only cooked them 20 mins then put them in on broil just before adding to the Tikka Masala sauce. I didn’t have chili powder so added a half teaspoon of cayenne. I also added one more half cup of water for the sauce. If anything…there wasn’t enough sauce. Overall…an absolutely delicious recipe that I will make time and time again!! Thank you!!
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Kim thanks for trying my chicken tikka masala recipe!
Lynn
I am so going to try this recipe!!
Rasa Malaysia
Awesome, please do!
Stephan
Dear Bee,
thank you very much for publishing this recipe!
This is the third time I have prepared chicken Tikka Masala according to your recipe.
It was again a success as your recipe is easy to follow.
It was like eating in an Indian restaurant!
My friends asked me not to use Pataks paste anymore and I was looking for a good recipe without using industrial stuff.
The results are even better.
As tomato paste I used tinned chopped tomatoes.
Best regards from Germany,
Stephan
Rasa Malaysia
Awesome, thanks for trying my Chicken tikka masala, yes this tastes just like Indian restaurants. :)
Tiffany
This recipie is delicious! The first time I made it, I used tomato paste like the recipie said, but there was nothing to simmer because it was so thick. The end result was quite rich, but very tasty! I read the comments from Ashwini, and I wonder if the recipie meant to call for tomato purée instead. The second time I made it, I used a 1/2 cup of tomato purée. There was a little more simmer sauce, and it turned out even better. Thank you for such a delicious recipie!
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Tiffany, thanks for the tip for tomato puree, I will have to try it.
Edwin
You mention chili powder in the recipe. Can you please be more specific. In the US chili powder is a common combination of spices including paprika, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and onion powder and is used to make “chili” an American meat dish.
Rasa Malaysia
No, pure chili powder in a bottle. They are in the spice isle.
Kevin D Krause
I’m really sorry, but I’m still confused about the CHILI POWDER you use. When you say CHILI POWDER do you mean the pure ground chili pepper that is turned into powder? NOT the mix of spices, right?
Rasa Malaysia
Yes, chili powder. Anything that labeled chili powder can be used.
Josh
Is it necessary to cook tandoori chicken beforehand, or would simply cubing chicken breast work the same? It appears your tandoori recipe is for legs anyway??
Rasa Malaysia
Legs or breast is fine.
Bronny
Is the chicken tandoori cooked beforehand or is meaning to use the marinated uncooked tandoori chicken? I am a bit confused on that one. Thanks
Rasa Malaysia
Use cooked tandoori chicken.
mike albans
You said the recipe calls for yogurt but the recipe says heavy cream and no yogurt in the ingredients list???
Rasa Malaysia
Whipping cream or yogurt can be used.
Mario Jendraschek
Hello Bee, always love your recipes and already cooked many of them. Thank you!
For the Tikka Masala: what do you mean with tomato paste… the concentrated tomato paste out of a tube or smashed canned tomatoes (that still have small pieces of skin ans flesh in it)?
Best regards from Germany
Mario
Rasa Malaysia
Not sure what you get in Germany but it’s the thick versin, and no small pieces of tomatoes.
Ashwini
Hello.. I think you can use ” passierte Tomaten” from German groccery shops. If you want more tomato aroma then add abit of “Tomatenmark” from tube. :)
Best regards from Germany
Ashwini
JEFFREY JENKINS
Is the 2 tablespoons of chili powder correct. I used that much and the dish was almost unbearably hot. I bought the chili powder in the Indian grocery.
Rasa Malaysia
Yeah, are you sure you didn’t get cayenne pepper? Normal chili powder from American stores are not that hot. Feel free to cut down.
Simon
If you go to Indian/asian grocery store. Look for Deghi Mirch or Kashmiri chili powder. It’s a milder variety commonly used in North Indian/Punjabi cooking.