Updated April 30, 2020
Homemade Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken Tikka Masala is Josh’s favorite Indian dish, he orders it every time we go out for Indian food. Going out for dinner is harder with two little kids, date nights just don’t happen as often as we would like. So we decided it was time to learn how to make Chicken Tikka Masala at home and guess what? It is SO easy to make at home, like SO easy. We should have been making Chicken Tikka Masala at home from the get go. It is just as good as going to any Indian restaurant or getting Indian takeout. Josh loves this recipe so much he will even eat the leftovers for breakfast.
Chicken Tikka Masala Ingredients
Chicken Tikka Masala is an Indian chicken dish that has a creamy tomato curry sauce. It is similar to butter chicken, but has a more complex flavor because all of the spices. It has a more intense flavor, thanks to the following ingredients:
onion garlic ginger garam marsala chili powder turmeric cumin paprika cayenne pepper
What is garam marsala? Garam marsala is a blend of ground spices used in Indian cooking and it means warm spice. The spice mixture usually includes includes coriander, cumin, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg. You can find garam marsala in the spice aisle at almost every grocery store. It is a MUST for chicken tikka masala, it gives the dish so much flavor.
How to Make Chicken Tikka Masala
There is no need to be intimidated by this chicken tikka masala recipe, you only need ONE pan to make it! It really is SO easy!
Use boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe, they will be more juicy than boneless skinless chicken breasts. You can use chicken breasts if you really want to, but we recommend chicken thighs. Marinate the chicken in plain whole milk yogurt (not Greek yogurt) and spices for at least 30 minutes before cooking the chicken. It will make the chicken super tender and juicy. You can marinate the chicken overnight in the fridge. Store in a bowl covered with plastic wrap or in a Ziploc plastic bag. When the chicken is done marinating, cook the chicken in a large skillet or pot over high heat. Transfer the chicken to a plate. In the same skillet you cooked the chicken, melt the butter and cook the onion. Stir in the tomato paste, ginger, garlic, garam masala, chili powder, turmeric, cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Cook until the tomato paste and spices are well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes with their juices and chicken broth. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Pour in the heavy cream and lemon juice and stir. Return the chicken to the pan and cook until heated through, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the cilantro.
What to Serve with Chicken Tikka Masala
Serve the rich, flavorful chicken and sauce over fragrant basmati rice. Cook the rice while you are making the chicken and sauce. You can use an Instant Pot, rice cooker, or cook the rice on the stove. We also like to heat up naan bread to serve along with the sauce. It is the perfect bread for dipping into the creamy sauce. You can buy naan at most grocery stores. Heat it up in the oven, according to package instructions. The next time you are craving Indian food, make easy Chicken Tikka Masala at home! It is so easy and so delicious! And make sure you try our Vegetarian Tikka Masala too! It’s SO good!
Chicken Tikka Masala
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