A made-from-scratch Chicken Tikka Masala recipe with the signature yoghurt marinated chargrilled chicken smothered in an incredible spice infused curry sauce. It’s astonishingly straightforward – and no hunting down hard to find ingredients!
Chicken Tikka Masala is an Indian favourite along with Butter Chicken and Biryani. Serve with Basmati Rice, else add a side of chewy and fluffy Naan or basic Homemade Flatbreads to mop up the sauce!
Chicken Tikka Masala
There are various tales about the origins of Chicken Tikka Masala, and most are along the lines of the following: That a British aristocrat was served Chicken Tikka (chicken on skewers chargrilled in a tandoor) and sent it back to the kitchen, complaining it was dry. In response to which the enterprising chef added a curry sauce and sent it back out again where it was well received.
And thus, one of the most popular curries in the world was born. 🙂 And even though it’s not a traditional Indian dish, the roots of it certainly are!
Proper Chicken Tikka Masala served at good Indian restaurants is made with yoghurt marinated chicken which is then chargrilled so it has that gorgeous smokey flavour.
Regretfully, I don’t have a tandoor sitting in the middle of my kitchen. So this recipe aims to replicate the flavour using my good old stove.
How to make Chicken Tikka Masala
We start off with a Chicken Tikka yoghurt marinade for chicken thighs. Thighs, my friends. Not breast! We need juicy meat for this recipe because we’re going to blast it with some serious heat to replicate the char grilled flavour of Chicken Tikka!
Leave it to marinade for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. Then heat your pan until it’s smoking hot – and I mean smokin’ hot!! – then cook those chicken pieces so the yoghurt coating gets chargrilled.
After that, we make the sauce, then toss the chicken back in to bring all the flavours together. And this is the vision that you will be bestowed with – your very own homemade Chicken Tikka Masala, made from scratch. With the signature deep orangey red sauce, wafting with aromatic curry flavour, smothering chicken with a beautiful chargrilled flavour.
Tikka Masala is deceptively easy!
This isn’t your everyday mid week meal. The ingredients list in the recipe looks alarmingly long, but it’s deceptive because there are duplicate ingredients. And we’re making a serious curry here! We can’t skimp on flavour!
And though the list might be long, here’s the best news – no hunting down unusual ingredients. You can get every single ingredient from the major supermarkets here in Australia (Woolies, Coles, Harris Farms, most Aldi’s and large IGA’s).
RECIPE REFERENCES
This recipe is the result of a mountain of reading, researching, tasting and cooking we did in pursuit of the ultimate Tikka Masala recipe for the home cook.
We visited some of our favourite Indian restaurants in Sydney just to taste the chicken tikka masala, and recounted our memories of curries we experienced in the UK and India.
We looked at existing recipes by authors both well known (Madhur Jaffrey and Heston Blumenthal) and unknown, including many Indian food bloggers. We even watched Youtube videos in Hindi and went to the library and dug up faded old Indian cookbooks!
We pulled out the best bits from every source of inspiration as well as adding our own ideas to come up with this recipe!
Difference between Chicken Tikka Masala and Butter Chicken
In case you are wondering about the difference between Chicken Tikka Masala and Butter Chicken, the main thing is the char grilled flavour of the chicken which Butter Chicken does not have. Also, the sauce of Tikka Masala is more intense and complex. 🙂
For curry lovers everywhere, it’s truly worth making your own curry from scratch at least once in your life. Like Thai Red Curry, a store bought curry paste (even a really great one) simply doesn’t compare. If I were to make this using a jar of paste, I would pimp it up quite a bit with fresh garlic, ginger and spices, and it would be not much less effort than making it from scratch!
I really hope you love this. This is a recipe that my brother and I developed together, tag teaming with the recipe until we “got it right” (meaning, as close as possible to good Indian restaurants). Hope you enjoy! – Nagi x
MORE GREAT CURRIES OF THE WORLD!
-
Butter Chicken – one of the most popular curries in the world
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Rogan Josh – fall apart lamb in a rich creamy tomato sauce
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Biryani (it’s amazing!)
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Dal (Indian lentil curry)
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Goan Fish Curry (Indian) – an amazing seafood curry from the tropical beaches of Goa
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Browse the Curry Collection
ON THE SIDE
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Samosas – The perfect appetiser / starter. Or snacks and lunch tomorrow!
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Pakoras – Spiced Indian vegetable fritters
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Refreshing Cucumber with Lemon Yogurt Dressing
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Give this Everyday Cabbage Salad an Indian spin by sauteing garlic and cumin seeds in oil before mixing up with other Dressing ingredients
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Real Naan! Chewy, stretchy, fluffy – the ultimate homemade naan recipe right here
-
No Yeast Easy Soft Flatbread. Perfect to use as naan, but simpler and without yeast so you can get it on the table fast!
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients
Chicken Tikka Marinade:
- 600g/ 1.2lb chicken thigh (boneless, skinless), cut into 3cm / 2.2" cubes (Note 1)
- 1/2 cup plain yoghurt, full fat best (Greek is fine)
- 6 cloves garlic , minced (~1.5 tbsp)
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger , grated
- 1 tsp garam masala (Note 2)
- 1 tsp each salt, cumin, ground coriander, paprika (sweet, normal or smokey)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- Pinch black pepper
- 2 tsp lemon juice
Cooking Chicken:
- 1 - 2 tbsp oil (Note 3)
Curry Sauce Spices:
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp garam masala (Note 2)
- 2 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/8 tsp cardamom powder
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Curry Sauce:
- 3 tbsp (65ml) vegetable oil (Note 3)
- 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter OR ghee
- 1 onion, finely chopped (brown, white or yellow)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger , grated
- 6 cloves garlic , crushed or grated
- 1 tbsp paprika (not smoked)
- 1 2/3 cups (400ml) tomato passata (tomato puree)
- 1 2/3 cups (400ml) water
- 100 ml (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp) cream (thickened or pure is fine)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 50g / 3 tbsp unsalted butter OR ghee
Serving
Instructions
Chicken Tikka:
- Combine all ingredients except chicken in a bowl and mix. Add chicken and turn well to coat.
- Cover with cling wrap and leave in fridge to marinate overnight (3 hours minimum).
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a non stick pan over high heat until smoking. Add half the chicken and spread out. Leave for 2 minutes or until charred. Turn each piece and cook the other side until charred - don't worry if not cooked inside. (Note 4, also Video helpful here) Remove into bowl.
- Scrape out charred bits left in pan and discard. Add more oil if required and cook remaining chicken.
Sauce:
- Wipe skillet with paper towels (or do this part in a pot as you need a lid). Turn heat down to medium high.
- Add oil and butter. When butter is melted, add onions, ginger and salt.
- Cook, stirring constantly to ensure it doesn't burn, until the ginger is starting to turn golden and the onions smell sweet, about 5 - 7 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and paprika, and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the Curry Sauce Spices, and cook a further 2 minutes, stirring.
- Add tomato passata and water, and mix. Bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low.
- Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Pour curry into a bowl, then use a stick blender to puree until smooth (Note 5).
- Return sauce to skillet. Add cream, sugar and butter. Stir to melt the butter.
- Add chicken, stir. Simmer for a few minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Optional: Sprinkle with a pinch of extra garam masala at the end.
- Serve over basmati rice, sprinkled with coriander/cilantro if desired. Try this No Yeast Flatbread as a quick naan!
Recipe Notes:
* Indian cooking uses a lot of oil. Don't be tempted to skimp on the butter and oil for this recipe, it really affects the resulting richness of the dish at the end. We were quite surprised at the difference it made. AT MOST you can reduce the cooking oil by 1 tbsp and omit the butter at the end (but taste it first!). And even using the full amount of butter + oil, it only works out at about 1.7 tbsp per serving which isn't as obscene as one might expect. 🙂
* You can use ghee instead of the oil/butter used to sauté the onion. I find oil + butter produces a similar end result. I do use ghee sometimes - if I have it on hand (which I usually don't).
* The dish is deliberately saucy because it's SO GOOD!
* The salt level looks high but curries need it. Generally, intense flavours = more salt required. 5. Storage / make ahead - Chicken can be marinated for up to 48 hours in the fridge, or pop it straight into the freezer then it will marinate while defrosting overnight in the fridge. Cooked curry will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freezer for 3 months (defrost then reheat in microwave or on stove with splash of extra water). However, unlike stews, curries are at their prime freshly made, when the spices are at their most aromatic. A good trick to freshen up curries is to add a pinch of garam masala when reheating. 6. Recipe references: See in post. 7. Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings (excludes rice, naan etc).
Nutrition Information:
More Curry For Curry Lovers
Thai Red Curry | Chickpea Potato Curry (Chana Aloo) | Beef Rendang | Vegetable Curry | Cauliflower Chickpea Curry | Queema (Indian Curried Beef Mince) | Chicken Satay Curry
LIFE OF DOZER
Miserable, sulky post-swim hose down. No feeling sorry for him! He just spent the last hour swimming and rolling in sand!!!
Darren Quadros says
Thank you Nagi for this recipe a big hit with my children who hardly eat Indian cooking even thou we come from India
Lynette says
I made this recipe and the Butter Chicken and found my sauces a little to runny, any tips on how to thicken them up. Thank you
Nagi says
Hi Lynette, sounds like it just needs to reduce a little more, try simmering over a gentle head for an added 5-10 minutes – N x
Mike says
Thanks Nagi
That was the best chicken tikka we have tasted for a long time if not ever. I did however as little tweak add one teaspoon of dried fenugreek leaves to curry at the end and also half of the pan juices from the chicken, it was divine, blueberry pancake for afters 😋
Fiona Jones says
This was a bit of work but the results were thoroughly delicious!
Rakel says
Made this last night, well marinated it in the morning and then cooked it in the afternoon and threw it all in the slow cooker to keep warm until my partner came home from work, it was lovely but I added some black pepper and red chilli flakes on mine because I have a problem, served with rice and naan bread, best thing about it, there is enough left over for our dinner tonight so I don´t have to cook, wahoo 🙂 x
Steph says
I made this at the weekend and it was gorgeous! I used chicken breast (I know you said not to!) as it’s all I could get hold of and it still worked wonderfully! Tasted just as good as a restaurant IMO. Can’t wait to try out more of your curry recipes 🙂
Beth says
I made this for dinner this week. It tasted like I ordered from an Indian restaurant. So far this is my favorite from recipetineats, but every recipe I’ve tried has been quite tasty!
Nelusha says
Desperately looking for your Naan recipe. Please send me
Nagi says
I’m desperately working on it 😂
Nelusha says
Personally I really like the stretchy naans Nagi
Nagi says
Me too Nelusha – we are trying to perfect it!! N x
Nelusha says
Wonderful, can’t wait for that recipe xx
Nelusha says
😁🙏
Tiago says
Saw it, made it, love it!
My boyfriend likes spicy food, and he really likes to eat. So I thought about trying it out. It turned out marvelous! Thank you!
Lindita says
This recipe looks fantastic. Thank you very much for sharing.I have a question though.Can I use chicken thighs with bone?
Nagi says
Hi Lindita, you’re cutting the chicken into cubes so you can always use bone in thighs and cut them off the bone! N x
Melanie says
Hi Nagi – I love this recipe and have made it many times. I add jap pumpkin to the sauce and then remove it before blitzing.
Today we’re going out and I was hoping you might have advice on finishing it off in the slow cooker? If I put the blitzed sauce and chicken in it on low for a few hours do you think that would work? Many thanks
Kayhla Middleton says
I followed the recipe exactly as instructed and that was the best curry I’ve ever made!!! Absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing, I love all of your recipes.
Connor says
This Tikki Masala was almost a dead ringer for my favorite restaurant’s recipe!!! The only thing I’m missing is more spice (we like our curries spicy around here). Any ideas?
Nagi says
Hi Connor, if you like it spicy just up the cayenne pepper to taste 🙂 I’m so glad you love it! N x
Julie says
Oh my gosh, the flavors in this dish are phenomenal! We ordered tikka masala last weekend from a local Indian restaurant and this was way better! A bit of work but amazingly good and a good amount of sauce, as Nagi states, to soak up w garlic/cilantro naan. And, frankly, isn’t that what it’s all about? Delicious recipe!!
Jeff Platts says
Made it tonight and I reckon it was great. Perfect heat and beautiful flavour.
Think its going to be so much better in a few days.
I used fenugreek leaves to dress and removed fire alarm cooking the chicken.
Your recipes are always spot on and my go to site.
Thanks for sharing your passion.
Dominique says
I messed up the marinade for the chicken by accidentally putting 1 tsp of Cardamon instead or 1 tsp or Coriander. Yet even with my mistake and mediocre cooking skills this dish was amazing. Even my mom, who never eats Indian food loved it!
Zoe says
Can’t this be made in the slow cooker?
Cathreen Phillips says
Made it with Chicken Breast as that was what I had. Did not get too much of a char so as not to dry it out. Husband gave it thumbs up so it’s a winner . Will make again for sure.
Rianna Roth says
My husband is a chef and hard to please. I’ve made various recipes of yours, and he’s always bragged about how “good at cooking I’m getting haha!
Made this curry tonight and he complained that I didn’t make a double batch for leftovers 😄
Thanks Nagi x
Nagi says
Nailed it Rianna!!! N x
Sandra says
Made this tonight, and already had it for dinner. Dish is fantastic, I will be making this frequently I’m sure.
HJ says
absolutely wonderful! Your recipes are amazing!