In this Chicken Tikka Masala recipe, pieces of chicken thigh meat marinates in a spiced yogurt combination and cooked in a tomato, coconut milk and garam masala spiced sauce. Serve with rice and naan.
Why hello, gorgeous plate of food.
Chicken tikka masala is one of my favorite Indian dishes, next to Butter Chicken, of course. What can I say? I’m a total sucker for chicken in thick, vibrant sauces. Have you seen a more vibrant dish in your life?
Tikka Masala has always been something I eat while Pat’s up north hunting or when he’s on a summer golf trip. I was thinking he wouldn’t be down with all the spices and flavors going on, so I’d save it for the times when I could curl into the nook of our couch, pj’s on and remote in hand and chow down. I finally got around to making it so I could post it and boy was I wrong to wait. In fact, my WHOLE FAMILY loves it. Even Malloree. The girl loves the pungently spiced and rich tikka masala but wont go near rice. Riddle me that? Either way, my jaw = dropped.
I serve it next to a mound of coconut rice and either naan or pita bread, to sop up all that thick orange gravy. It’s heavenly.
Whether you’re feeding your family or flying solo, there’s no need to go out when you can satisfy your craving for tikka masala in the comfort of your home. In pajamas, wine in hand and Netflix on are totally optional. Forks are required.
To Make Tikka Masala You Will Need:
- boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- whole milk plain yogurt
- lemon juice
- grated fresh ginger
- ground cumin
- chili powder
- annatto powder (optional – for color)
- cinnamon
- kosher salt
- ground black pepper
- butter
- minced garlic
- garam masala
- coriander (ground)
- cumin (ground)
- paprika
- tomato puree (not tomato sauce)
- sugar
- kosher salt
- full fat coconut milk (heavy cream may be substituted)
There’s a few ways I make this. Summer months I will grill the marinated chicken on our outdoor grill. But during the chillier months, I cook it all in one pan. It was drizzling the day I made this so I opted for the one-pan chicken tikka masala bit.
Place 2 pounds chicken thighs (that have been cut into 1-inch pieces) into a large bowl with 1 cup of whole milk plain yogurt, juice of half a lemon, 1 heaping tablespoon ginger, 2 teaspoons of both ground cumin and chili powder, 1-1/2 teaspoons annatto (which will give it that glorious color, but optional), 1 teaspoon both cinnamon and kosher salt and 3/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Toss to combine and refrigerate for 1 to 3 hours.
After the chicken marinates, add two tablespoons of butter to a large 12-inch skillet and heat over medium/medium-high. Once hot, add 3 cloves minced garlic, 2 teaspoons each garam marsala and coriander, 1 teaspoon each cumin and paprika. Stir it all around and cook for 1 minute.
Next, add in the marinated chicken and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 10-12 minutes, then add in 1 (15 ounce) can tomato puree, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, salt to taste and pour in 3/4 cup of coconut milk.
Reduce the heat to low and cook until the sauce has thickened.
Serve next to coconut rice with pita (or naan) and brace yourself for the best food coma of your life. The sauce is SO FLAVORFUL! Sorry for the shoutty capitols but the flavor is out of this world. A wonderful homemade version of a classic.
Enjoy! And if you give this Tikka Masala recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN MARINADE:
- 2½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup whole milk plain yogurt, (NOT fat free)
- 1/2 large lemon, juiced
- 1 heaping tablespoon grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1½ teaspoons annatto powder, optional - for color
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
FOR THE TIKKA MASALA:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 15 ounce canned tomato puree, (not tomato sauce)
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more or less to taste
- 3/4 cup full fat coconut milk, heavy cream may be substituted
Equipment
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine the chicken, yogurt, lemon juice, ginger, 2 teaspoons cumin, chili powder, annatto (for color), cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 3/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss to combine, cover and refrigerate for 1 to 3 hours.
- Heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add butter, garlic, 2 of both teaspoons garam masala and coriander, 1 teaspoon of both cumin and paprika. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Add in the marinated chicken and cook for 10-12 minutes or until fully cooked. Next, add in the tomato sauce and sugar and season with kosher salt (it was a 1/2 teaspoon for me). Cook for 5 to 8 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in coconut milk. Cook until sauce has thickened a bit.
- Serve with rice, naan or pita bread and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
Recipe adapted from Food.com
Buy the Cookbook: Simply Scratch : 120 Wholesome Homemade Recipes Made Easy Now available on Amazon »
THANK YOU in advance for your support!
Wow, this was fantastic! We are from England and live in the US and have struggled to find the perfect Tikka Masala.
We have tried various curry houses and tried making our own from different recipes but never quite right.
Your receipt was just perfect – I did add some candy onions and a little turmeric and used only 1/2 cup of cream.
I just need to perfect my pilau rice!
Thanks again, we love your recipes.
Thanks! I’m so glad, David! And Thank YOU for stopping by and leaving such a stellar review. 🙂
Question for you. When you add the marinated chicken to the pan, do you drain off the marinade or add it to the pan with the chicken? Thanks for the clarification. I’m looking forward to trying this.
Hi Ashley! Great question! I used tongs to grab the marinated chicken pieces and add into the pan. No need to drain the marinade. 🙂
yummy & delicious tikka masala.
I don’t usually comment on food blogs but this is one of my favorite recipes. I have been making this for a while now and had to say something. My husband is Indian, and he says for an Irish girl, I make a “mean” Tikka. So, thank you! It’s so good, easy, and flavorful. I use heavy cream (or cooking cream in Canada) as I’m not a fan of coconut. Since trying this out, I have changed one thing only out of convenience. I use fat free Greek Yogurt, since I usually have it in my fridge. It’s fat-free but seems to have the same texture as full fat regular yogurt. It doesn’t taste any different to me and my husband seems to be happy with the outcome. I have not done a side-by-side comparison. Do you think the Greek and the heavy cream equal regular yogurt and coconut milk? Same sweet-to-tart ratio, maybe? Thank you for this recipe.