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Chicken Tikka Masala with chicken in a spicy, creamy and rich tikka masala sauce. This easy and delicious homemade recipe tastes just like the best Indian restaurant.
Authentic Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken tikka masala is a delicious dish from India, just like Indian chicken curry It typically appears as bite-sized pieces of grilled or roasted tandoori chicken, immersed in a vibrant reddish-orange creamy sauce.
The sauce itself often has a smooth texture, with visible spices like cumin, coriander, and turmeric giving it a rich color and depth of flavor. It’s commonly served alongside fluffy white rice or warm, pillowy naan, making for a hearty and satisfying meal. It’s famous for its rich flavor and is loved by many around the world.
In Indian buffet restaurants across the United States, this dish is often a star attraction, other than other favorites such as Indian samosas. Its popularity stems from its ability to please a wide range of palates with its bold yet approachable flavors. Many diners are drawn to its familiar creamy texture and mild spice level, making it a comforting choice for both newcomers to Indian cuisine and seasoned enthusiasts alike.
In this recipe tutorial, you’ll learn easy Indian Chicken Tikka Masala recipe.
How To Make Chicken Tikka Masala
To make this recipe, first you will have to 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is only 297 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Chicken Tikka Masala
For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Other Indian Recipes You Might Like
Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients
- 1 lb (500g) tandoori chicken
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon ginger, finely minced
- 2 teaspoons garlic, finely minced
- 1/2 cup canned tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- salt to taste
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, or yogurt
- 2 sprigs cilantro, leaves only, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Cut the Tandoori chicken (click for recipe) into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
- Heat the butter in a pan over low heat. Add the ginger and garlic, and sauté for about 1 to 2 minutes, or until aromatic. Then, add the tomato paste and chili powder, stirring to mix well for about 30 seconds.
- Add the Tandoori chicken and garam masala to the pan, stir, and let simmer for 10 minutes. Cover the pan with its lid.
- Add the ketchup, sugar, salt, and water, and simmer for another 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the heavy whipping cream or yogurt, stirring to combine well with all the ingredients in the pan. Transfer the Chicken Tikka Masala to a serving platter and garnish with chopped cilantro leaves before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made again this evening…so delicious!! Thank you for this amazing recipe as well as so many more!!!
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!!
Hi Kim thanks for trying my chicken tikka masala recipe!
Made again this evening…so delicious!! Thank you for this amazing recipe as well as so many more!!!
Awesome, so glad you like and tried my many recipes. Thank you!
I am so going to try this recipe!!
Awesome, please do!
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
Awesome, thanks for trying my Chicken tikka masala, yes this tastes just like Indian restaurants. :)
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!
Hi Tiffany, thanks for the tip for tomato puree, I will have to try it.
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.
No, pure chili powder in a bottle. They are in the spice isle.
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?
Yes, chili powder. Anything that labeled chili powder can be used.
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??
Legs or breast is fine.
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
Use cooked tandoori chicken.
You said the recipe calls for yogurt but the recipe says heavy cream and no yogurt in the ingredients list???
Whipping cream or yogurt can be used.
I cant get recipe for tandori chicken it says it’s unavailable when I click on it?
Tandoori chicken recipe is here: https://rasamalaysia.com/tandoori-chicken-recipe/
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
Not sure what you get in Germany but it’s the thick versin, and no small pieces of tomatoes.
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
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.
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.
I had the same problem. I love very hot food and this pushed me to my limits. My first time using Indian chili powder is powerful!
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.
Thank you! The Indian chili powder I used was crazy hot and I like spicy food!