This chicken tikka masala is easy to make at home with tender pieces of marinated chicken simmered in a rich and creamy sauce with the perfect amount of spices.
Looking for more restaurant quality chicken recipes? Try butter chicken, PF Chang’s orange chicken or sweet and sour chicken.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Flavorful: Chicken tikka masala is one of my favorite Indian restaurant dishes! It’s very similar to Instant Pot butter chicken, so if you have made that, you will love this!
- Family friendly: Although this chicken masala is not an authentic Indian dish, it has so many incredible flavors that come together in only one hour in one skillet.
How to Make Chicken Tikka Masala
Whisk together ingredients for the chicken marinade, add chicken, stir to coat and marinate in the fridge for 10 minutes. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the meat for 3 minutes per side in a single layer, working in batches if necessary.
In the same skillet, melt the butter. Then, add the onions, to cook for 3 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and ginger, followed by the garam masala, cumin, turmeric, and coriander. Sauté for 20 seconds until fragrant.
Pour in the tomato puree, chili powder, and salt. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and brown sugar. This will help cut through the tomato acid as well as add richness and lighten up the color as well.
Transfer back the chicken to the skillet, along with its juices, and submerge the meat into the delicious sauce. Cook for another 8-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is bubbling. Garnish and serve over rice!
Tips and Variations
- Swap chicken breast for juicier chicken thighs. Use either skinless boneless or bone-in. If using bone, it’ll take a little longer to cook the meat for the tiki masala.
- For a dairy-free version: Swap the cream or heavy cream with coconut cream.
- Add some heat. If you like your Indian curries a bit spicier, add a bit of hot spice with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper or by using hot chili powder instead of regular.
- Marinate time. You want a minimum of 10 minutes but no more than 12 hours. Otherwise, the acid in the yogurt will start changing the texture of the meat.
- Work in batches. To evenly brown all sides of the chicken, you will need to make sure there is enough room between each piece. There won’t be room for all of it at once.
Here are more one-pan chicken recipes to try: one pot caprese pasta, one pot chicken and rice, and easy chicken marsala.
More Chicken Recipes
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Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Marinade
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 1 ½ Tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoon finely grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast , cut into bite-sized pieces
Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large onion , finely diced
- 1 ½ Tablespoons finely grated garlic
- 1 Tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 (14-ounce) can tomato puree
- 1 teaspoon chili powder , or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 ¼ cups heavy cream , or half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ¼ cup water , if needed
- 4 Tablespoons chopped cilantro , for garnish
For serving: cooked rice and/or flat bread
Instructions
Marinade
- In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, and salt until well combined. Add the chicken and stir until well coated. Cover and marinate in the fridge at least 10 minutes or up to 24 hours.
Sauce
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add pieces in batches, if needed, being careful not to overcrowd the skillet. Sauté 3 minutes, or until browned. Flip and sauté the other side 3 minutes more, or until browned. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining chicken.
- Add the butter to the skillet. When melted, add the onions, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan, and cook 3 minutes, or until softened. Stir in garlic and ginger 1 minute. Stir in garam masala, cumin, turmeric, and coriander. Sauté 20 seconds, or until fragrant.
- Add the tomato puree, chili powder, and salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and becomes a dark brown red color. Stir in the cream and brown sugar.
- Add the chicken and its juices to the sauce. Cook 8 to 10 minutes more, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and bubbling. Stir in the water to thin the sauce, if needed.
- Sprinkle with cilantro to serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
The chicken tikka masala ingredients and butter chicken ingredients are very similar. You will probably find an increased number of spices used in masala whereas the butter chicken is lighter, creamier, and a bit milder in flavor.
It’s heavily spiced in terms of complex flavors used in the combination of earthy spices, but it’s not spicy in terms of a kick. Although, if you add any cayenne pepper or increase the amount of chili powder, it can be!
This dish is usually served with white rice, either basmati rice or jasmine rice.
You can also serve it on its own with some homemade naan bread, or use this pita bread recipe to scoop up that yummy tikka masala sauce.
Some veggies like sheet pan veggies, roasted asparagus or roasted broccoli and cauliflower are all you need to complete this healthy, flavorful, and spectacular meal.
Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months and then thaw it in the fridge when you’re ready to enjoy it again.
To reheat chicken tikka masala, pop it in the microwave to heat or use the stove on medium-low heat until everything is warmed through.
Categorized as: Chicken, Dinner, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Stovetop
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Our family loves Tikka Masala and this recipe did not disappoint! Thank you so much for sharing.
This Chicken Tikka Masala is so flavorful and delicious! My family couldn’t get enough of it, thank you for the recipe!
I have never had homemade tikka masala before so I was a little bit skeptical of trying this. I LOVE IT THOUGH!!!! So yummy and I love that it was made from home!