Authentic Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe

Name: Authentic Chicken Tikka Masala
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 210 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 0.25 cup plain yogurt; 2 teaspoons garam masala; 2 teaspoons paprika; 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 0.5 teaspoon salt; 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 0.5 teaspoon ground coriander; 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast - cut into 1-inch strips; 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; 1 large onion, chopped; 2 green chile peppers, minced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger; 2 medium Roma tomatoes, diced; 0.5 cup tomato paste; 0.25 cup water; 1 teaspoon garam masala; 0.5 teaspoon ground coriander; 0.5 teaspoon ground turmeric; 0.5 teaspoon salt, or to taste; 0.5 cup heavy whipping cream; 0.5 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Cook Time: 55 minutes

This flavorful chicken dish features tender pieces of marinated chicken baked to perfection, then simmered in a rich, aromatic sauce with a touch of heat. It's a delightful blend of spices and cream, making it a perfect meal for any occasion.

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

cup plain yogurt
2 teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspoons paprika
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
teaspoon salt
teaspoon cayenne pepper
teaspoon ground coriander
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch strips

For the Sauce:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 large onion, chopped
2 green chile peppers, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 medium Roma tomatoes, diced
cup tomato paste
cup water
1 teaspoon garam masala
teaspoon ground turmeric
teaspoon salt (or to taste)
cup heavy whipping cream
bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

Marinate the Chicken: In a large bowl, mix together yogurt, garam masala, paprika, black pepper, salt, cayenne pepper, and coriander. Add the chicken strips and toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to marinate.
Prepare for Baking: Preheat the oven to 450F (230C). Grease a rimmed baking sheet. Remove the chicken from the marinade and spread it out on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring the pieces are not touching.
Bake the Chicken: Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the chicken is browned and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach at least 165F (74C) when checked with an instant-read thermometer. Once done, remove from the oven and set aside.
Make the Sauce: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the seeds are lightly toasted and fragrant.
Saut the Aromatics: Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens. Add the minced green chilies, garlic, and grated ginger. Continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes until the onion is browned and caramelized.
Cook the Tomatoes: Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and water. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and the mixture thickens.
Season the Sauce: Add garam masala, ground coriander, turmeric, and salt to the sauce. Stir well to combine.
Finish the Dish: Add the baked chicken pieces to the sauce, followed by the heavy cream. Stir everything together, ensuring the chicken is well coated. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Garnish: Remove from heat and stir in the chopped fresh cilantro. Serve hot with your favorite side dish!

Nutrition Facts

Nutrient	Per Serving (1/4 recipe)
Calories	403
Total Fat	25g
Saturated Fat	10g
Cholesterol	100mg
Sodium	927mg
Total Carbohydrates	21g
Dietary Fiber	5g
Total Sugars	10g
Protein	27g
Vitamin C	79mg
Calcium	122mg
Iron	3mg
Potassium	959mg

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Nutrient information is based on available data and may vary.

History and Origin of Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala is a beloved dish in Indian cuisine, yet its origins are a subject of debate. Though the dish is now deeply associated with Indian food culture, many believe it was actually created in the United Kingdom by Indian chefs in the 1960s. The story goes that a chef in Glasgow, Scotland, invented the dish when a customer requested something milder. The chef allegedly improvised by adding a creamy tomato sauce to the traditional chicken tikka (spiced grilled chicken). This innovation became so popular that it spread across the UK and eventually the world. Today, Chicken Tikka Masala is considered one of the UK's national dishes, beloved for its rich and aromatic flavors.

Regional Variations of Chicken Tikka Masala

Though Chicken Tikka Masala is often linked with the Indian subcontinent, it has a range of regional variations. In India, the dish is made with varying degrees of spice, using fresh ingredients like garam masala, tomatoes, and cream. In Pakistan, it is often more intensely spiced, with additional heat from green chilies and various types of masala blends. The UK version tends to be milder and sweeter, catering to the local palate, with cream and tomato paste forming the base of the sauce. Regardless of regional variations, the core of the dish remains the same: succulent chicken pieces coated in a flavorful, spiced sauce.

Differences Between Chicken Tikka Masala and Similar Dishes

Chicken Tikka Masala is often compared to other popular Indian dishes such as Butter Chicken and Chicken Korma. While these dishes share a similar creamy texture, there are distinct differences. Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani) is generally milder, with a smoother, buttery sauce and a slightly sweeter profile. Chicken Korma, on the other hand, is more aromatic, often featuring ground nuts and yogurt as part of the sauce. What sets Chicken Tikka Masala apart is the bold use of spices like coriander, cumin, and cayenne, combined with a tangy tomato base. The marinated grilled chicken in Chicken Tikka Masala adds a smoky flavor that differentiates it from its counterparts.

Where Chicken Tikka Masala Is Typically Served

Chicken Tikka Masala is commonly served in Indian restaurants worldwide, particularly in the United Kingdom, where it enjoys iconic status. It is a staple at Indian curry houses, often accompanied by naan bread or basmati rice. In India and Pakistan, it is more commonly enjoyed at home or during festive occasions, where the recipe might vary depending on regional preferences. The dish has made its way into the mainstream in countries like the US and Canada, where it is often featured on Indian restaurant menus. The universal appeal of its creamy, flavorful sauce makes it a popular choice for those new to Indian cuisine.

Interesting Facts About Chicken Tikka Masala

Some claim that Chicken Tikka Masala was first created by an Indian chef in the UK, while others argue that it has been a part of Indian cuisine for centuries.
It is one of the most popular dishes in the UK, often referred to as "Britains national dish" due to its widespread popularity.
The dish is sometimes called a "curry for the masses," appealing to a wide range of tastes due to its milder, more balanced flavor compared to other Indian curries.
Despite being a relatively recent invention, Chicken Tikka Masala has become a symbol of the British Indian culinary tradition, blending the flavors of India with the tastes of the West.
In 2009, the UK government even considered making Chicken Tikka Masala an official part of British food culture, highlighting its importance in British cuisine.

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FAQ about Authentic Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe

Leftover Chicken Tikka Masala can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. If you want to store it longer, you can freeze it for up to 2-3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and heat gently on the stove or microwave.

Yes, chicken thighs can be used instead of chicken breasts. Chicken thighs tend to stay juicier and more flavorful, so they are a great option for this recipe. Just make sure to cook them thoroughly.

If you need a dairy-free alternative, you can use coconut milk or a combination of coconut cream and almond milk. Greek yogurt can also be used to make the sauce creamy, though it may slightly alter the flavor.

Yes, you can prepare the Chicken Tikka Masala in advance. The marinated chicken can be stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking. The dish itself can also be cooked ahead of time, and reheated when ready to serve. Just be sure to keep the sauce separate from the chicken if storing leftovers to maintain the texture.

Absolutely! You can adjust the spice level by adding more or less cayenne pepper, or using a milder chili variety. If you prefer a milder dish, you can also omit the green chilies or reduce the amount of garam masala.

Yes, you can freeze Chicken Tikka Masala. Let the dish cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. When reheating, make sure to thaw it overnight in the fridge and heat it gently on the stove.

Basmati rice is the most common choice to serve with Chicken Tikka Masala. Its long grains and fragrant aroma complement the rich flavors of the curry. You can also serve it with naan bread for a complete meal.

Yes, you can use a slow cooker to make Chicken Tikka Masala. After marinating the chicken, cook it in the slow cooker on low for 4-6 hours. You can add the cream at the end, just before serving, to ensure the sauce remains creamy.

If you don't have tomato paste, you can substitute it with an equal amount of tomato sauce or puree. Just be aware that tomato paste provides a more concentrated flavor, so you might need to cook the sauce a bit longer to achieve the desired consistency.

To make the sauce thicker, you can simmer it longer to reduce the liquid. Alternatively, you can add a bit more cream or use ground cashews or almonds as a thickening agent.

Comments

riesendw

10/06/2025 01:52:54 PM

I found this recipe this past Tuesday evening and because of my busy schedule, I knew I was going to have to wait until this weekend to make it. My mouth has been watering all week just thinking about it. Well let me just say that it was WELL worth the wait.... served over Jasmine rice and I absolutely LOVED it! I made a double batch to have plenty to eat thru the weekend and maybe for lunch at work next week. I made a couple of changes from the written instructions, and it came out just fine. 1) I wasn't too sure about the idea of baking yogurt-covered chicken, plus I don't trust the oven in my apartment, so I decided I'd cook them by simmering them with the rest of the ingredients. I cut the chicken into small cubes (about sugar cube size), rather than strips to help them cook more quickly. I marinated them as directed, then added them (including all of the yogurt marinade) where directed to in the instructions. Simmered everything for about 15-20 minutes to make sure everything was cooked. The chicken stayed extremely tender since I didn't give it a chance to dry out in the oven. 2) I realized as I was opening the tomato paste that I bought the one with italian spices in it...sigh... So I scrapped the paste and went with a can of tomato sauce instead, and just left out the water the recipe calls for. 3) Added an extra 1/4 cup of cream to make the sauce go a little further.

Chris

10/25/2023 06:46:41 PM

This recipe is fantastic. I made it twice, once for my family and once for a crockpot challenge at work. I had to revise the recipe slightly for my severely lactose intolerant husband and it turned out great. Marinated it in LF Yogurt and used LF milk as a substitute for the cream. I kind of liked that a little better as the flavor of the sauce really came through. I used the cream for the crockpot challenge and it was a hit with the coworkers. So much so I won the challenge! If possible I would highly recommend marinating the chicken for a day or overnight. That really brings out a depth of flavor. Along with the sauce this was delicious!! For the crock pot I used chicken thighs so the chicken wouldn't be as dry. I followed the directions and ingredients pretty much as written. Cooking times varied a little. This recipe is so good and flavorful. I thought it was easy to make as well.

nightfall

02/17/2017 08:40:26 PM

Very good. I've made this recipe a few times now, and I have now made a few changes based on Epicurious's Quick Chicken Masala recipe. You can dust the chicken pieces with garam masala and cook in coconut oil in your saucepan. Remove the chicken when the pieces are browned (or if you are super lazy, just push to the cooler edges of the pan), then add the spices and proceed with the remainder of the recipe. Add the chicken and collected juices back to the pan and let simmer for 10 minutes or so. I added small package of frozen petite peas about 2 minutes before everything was done. I didn't add the heavy cream and I only had Greek yogurt, so I made sure the whey was stirred thoroughly into the yogurt and added a bit more than 1/4 cup. I added one hot chile to the spices at the beginning because my daughter loves spicy food. It was awesome!

everojas

09/16/2018 07:45:10 AM

Decent recipe. Definitely too sweet with the tomato paste. I'd recommend cutting it in half or switching to tomato sauce like another reviewer. I might try the tomato sauce next time. To counteract the sweetness, I added some rice wine vinegar (my other vinegars had sweet counterparts) and added about another 1/4 cup of cream. I also added some extra turmeric at the end because I'm used to it being a bit more on the orangish side. I seasoned my basmati rice well with sofrito, so I only put in two green chile peppers (made for 5 servings). Not generally a spicy person, but I can handle a bit of spice. This hit the spot for me. If you like things really spicy, you'll have to add more pepper, cayenne, ginger and chiles. I didn't have the cayenne powder, so I replaced it with chili powder.

Jessy

05/02/2019 09:15:39 PM

I am from India. I would like to add 3 tips here. 1. Add a handful of unsalted cashews while cooking the onion, ginger, garlic, green chillies and tomatoes. Cashew is a very good alternative to "cream". 2.I would blend all of them in a hand blender /grinder and then mix the chicken to the blended mixture. (You may want to run the mixture through the sieve to remove any tomato, onion or ginger skin for a silky-smooth mixture.) 3.Instead of cilantro, I would sprinkle the powder/dust of 1/2 or 1 tsp of dried fenugreek leaves (all indian stores carry it) as a final step for the authentic aroma. Hope this helps!!

Jessica O'Brien

09/30/2017 12:43:00 AM

Followed all the steps of the recipe and it's delicious! My gosh!!!!! What a flavor! Next time I will use cumin powder and I will blend the onions. Also I will blend the roman tomatoes for a creamy smooth sauce, as it's shown on the video.

Rob DeRosa

08/20/2017 04:25:10 PM

I made this last night and it was terrific. I cooked the chicken at 425 for 12 minutes and they came out perfect. I did not use cayenne. Also, I did not put the cooked chicken back in the sauce for the last 10 minutes for fear of drying out the meat. This really came out great. The layers of spices and flavors were fantastic. You have to try this!!!

Alina Kravchenko MISSalina

08/31/2018 08:46:54 PM

i made a lot of substitutions which is why I'm giving this recipe 4 stars as i didnt get to taste this recipe for what it is. i used to work in an Afghani restaurant so i made it more to that taste than Indian style which i find overly curried and spicy. i really was craving this dish so i had to make dew with what i had at hand. i marinated the chicken in yogurt with smoked paprika, cumin, salt, pepper and garlic powder for 2 hours. then i baked it in my conventional oven for about 20min. i sauteed

Moldol

10/16/2018 05:11:53 PM

So good! Substitutions based on supplies and young kiddos - I cut out the cayenne, marinated in coconut cream, used a can of Rotel for the tomatoes and chilies, and added 2/3 cup of heavy cream and a splash of half and half because I wanted more sauce

Rebecca Keller

12/05/2016 01:38:19 PM

This is Fantastic! I made this for a party so I 10X the recipe. It was intense but soooo worth it. the complexity of flavors is outstanding. I marinated the chicken overnight instead of 2 hours. I added more heavy cream and will still add more to leftovers to thin sauce a bit. Served with Basmati rice with a few cumin seed thrown in and garlic naan from the grocery. Superb! This recipe is easy if you follow it exactly. Shopping, Chopping, and prep are most of the work. Loved it. It is slow burn spicy. mmmmmm!

Miss Dusty

06/15/2020 07:08:41 PM

Absolutely delicious!!! Very easy to follow, and watching the video helped even more. I paired it with Basmati Rice and home-made Naan (recipe also from this site), and the meal was perfect! My husband (somewhat jokingly) accused me of ordering delivery from a local Indian food and then just hiding the evidence! I did have to make a couple of changes simply because of what was available in my pantry and my lack of desire to run to the store... I used suggestions from other reviews: I had no heavy cream, so I replaced it with coconut milk. No green chile peppers, but I did have 1 serrano pepper left, so I used that instead - after scraping out all the seeds and insides, so it wouldn't be killer on the spice. No tomato paste, so I used a can of tomato sauce (the no salt kind) and omitted the water. Oh - and I didn't have any ground coriander (oops!), but had the seeds, so I used my coffee grinder to grind them up. It worked!

Kimberly E

06/03/2025 11:09:26 PM

Worst recipe EVER! This tasted nothing like the Indian dish I love. It tasted more like an Italian dish. Was a lot of work and I was super disappointed. Save yourself the time and skip this one. I do think the tomato paste is what ruined it. Way too much like a tomato sauce rather thanTika masala. I will continue to search for the perfect recipe.

MirthCane5320

04/28/2025 12:03:04 AM

This is the only chicken tikka masala recipe I use and I make it when we have friends over all the time. We like a lot of sauce so I replaced the 1/4 cup of water with 1/2 cup of chicken broth. I also toned down the heat by adjusting the cayenne or omitting it completely. Another great thing is that it uses ground spices rather than whole spices, which are not always available. So this recipe is amazing. I wonder if they serve chicken korma in their restaurant and would love to see that here as well.

Matthew Lopez

04/12/2025 04:14:39 PM

Seriously, best recipe I’ve tried in ages.

WiseWhey3409

02/09/2025 09:26:54 PM

This recipe seemed daunting at first because it has a lot of ingredients, but most are commonly in a kitchen pantry, so it was easy breezy! The flavors were excellent, not too spicy, but hot enough to taste... the chicken band out tender and juicy and the sauce was fantastic! I made it as directed and I'm in love with the product!

Anna Wilson

09/18/2024 10:44:46 PM

This is next level 😋

Audry Camille Engel-Beckett

04/17/2023 02:53:31 PM

I've made this dish several times and it never disappoints. I even took it to a Dwali event my work hosted and a few coworkers said it reminded them of home.

GrittyVeal9308

02/02/2023 12:55:01 AM

It was delicious, so spicy, and full of flavor. I didn't have garam masala or coriander, so I used a combo of all spice (1/4 teaspoon) and 1 tsp of cumin. It tasted pretty authentic to me. Just like home cooks of India, I used the spices I had available to me. One of my teenagers had a second helping the other asked me to pack the left overs for his lunch tomorrow. I feel like I hit a home run with that kind of approval.

cheryl52

03/22/2022 05:33:20 PM

EXCELLENT!

bjoinow

02/23/2022 12:24:58 AM

Fantastic! I used full cream coconut instead of dairy. Loved it! Am getting ready to freeze dry it for the mother of my granddaughter that is about to be born.

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