Easy Chicken Tikka Masala
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our privacy policy for details.
10000x better (and faster) than take-out! And the chicken is perfectly tender with the creamiest, most flavor-packed sauce ever!
WHAT IS CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA?
Tikka masala is a very popular Indian dish (that may have actually originated from Great Britain) that consists of boneless chicken in a spiced curry sauce of tomatoes, cream, and traditional Indian spices such as garam masala and turmeric.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA
- Cook the rice. Let’s get the rice going first so it can cook while we prep everything else. Now we love this over basmati rice but Jasmine rice can be substituted.
- Brown the chicken. Cook the chicken until nice and golden brown – we want a good sear to lock in all the flavors and juices inside the meat.
- Add your spices. Stir in all your spices and aromatics until fragrant – tomato paste, garlic, ginger, garam masala, chili powder and turmeric.
- Make the sauce. Simmer simmer simmer to let all the flavors blend together, about 10 minutes.
- Serve. Stir in heavy cream and sprinkle with cilantro, serving over rice and naan.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR SUCCESS
- Chicken breasts can be substituted, but chicken thighs are highly recommended here.
- Make sure you have plenty of naan for serving, dipping, sopping.
- For a dairy-free version, coconut milk can be substituted for the heavy cream.
Easy Chicken Tikka Masala: Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, chicken breasts can absolutely be used here but chicken thighs have more dark meat and a higher fat content which will yield juicier, more flavorful chicken.
Heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream) has one of the highest fat contents with about 36-40% fat. Half and half or whole milk are suitable substitutes, but will yield a lighter result.
Yes! You can freeze the leftovers without the heavy cream in individual freezer bags, thaw overnight, and reheat on the stovetop, adding heavy cream when serving.
Easy Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ medium sweet onion, diced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 cup chicken stock
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- In a large saucepan of 2 cups water, cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.
- Season chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken and onion to the stockpot and cook until golden, about 4-5 minutes.
- Stir in tomato paste, garlic, ginger, garam masala, chili powder and turmeric until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in tomato sauce and chicken stock; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in heavy cream until heated through, about 1 minute.
- Serve immediately with rice, garnished with cilantro, if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
SOUNDS DELICIOUS; HOWEVER, DON’T USUALLY HAVE HEAVY CREAM AND HATE TO BUY FOR 1/2 CUP. WHAT CAN I USE AS A SUBSTITUTE?
You can substitute half and half or milk, but the consistency may change quite a bit. But as always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
question: what is the difference between garam masala and masala. can masala be used in the recipe as a substitute. the latter is available at traader joe’s. whole foods is not caonvenient to me.
I do not recommend using the masala at Trader Joe’s for this recipe. This is a “simmer sauce” and can drastically change the recipe. Garam masala is a dry spice blend and is a key component in this recipe.
This looks perfect To cook for my Aunty who loves Indian food! My 5 year old asked her to be his Valentine, so we’re going to cook her a special meal ❤️
I’ve cooked so many of your delicious meals and they have always been a hit with friends and family! Can’t wait to make this!
That’s so sweet!
How about instruction for an instapot? Thank you
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. But if you get a chance to try it, please let me know how it turns out! 🙂
This looks amazing! I haven’t got heavy cream, though. Can I use coconut milk instead?
Yes, absolutely!
This looks delicious! Any tips on where to find garam masala? None of my local grocery stores (Ralphs or Trader Joe’s) or Target carry it. I’m excited to try this recipe. Thanks!
I was able to find it at Whole Foods. 🙂
Easy to make your own to taste and store in small glass jar.
I bought garam masala from Penzey’s Spices at http://www.penzeys.com … they carry just about everything and they frequently offer sales and freebies, too!
I found garam masala at Kroger in the Indian foods section 🙂
I found mine in Bel Air. Look at the organic and gourmet spices.
I have always found it at my local targets.
HEB has it! Instead of buying their $8 organic bottle of it, go to the healthy living section where you can get as much as you want from a jar. I got 1/10 of a bag for 40 cents!
Our local chain store Kroger carries it and we really don’t have a lot of folks from that area of the world here
This is not a review. This is a question.
If I don’t want to use fresh ginger, how much ground ginger would I need.
The ratio for fresh to dry spices is typically 3:1.
This looks SO YUMMY!! Would this keep well in the fridge if I made it ahead as lunches for the week?
What a great idea! But as I am not an expert on food safety, I cannot really say with certainty. Methods for optimal food storage and shelf life should be based on good judgment and what you are personally comfortable with. Hope that helps, Holly!