This Chicken Tikka Masala recipe features succulent pieces of chicken that are marinated in a yogurt sauce mingled with aromatic Indian spices, then skewered, grilled, and simmered in a luxuriously creamy curry sauce! It’s a literal FLAVOR EXPLOSION and is guaranteed to rival your favorite restaurant or takeout version!
What is the Origin of Chicken Tikka Masala?
The origin of Chicken Tikka Masala is somewhat vague but is believed to be a blend of Indian and British influence. While the dish “Chicken tikka” is of Indian origin, “chicken tikka masala” is thought to have been created by immigrants from former East Pakistan (now Bangledesh) in the 1960’s during a time when chefs of Indian restaurants throughout the UK were creating a series of “inauthentic” Indian dishes to cater to the Western palate.
The Scottish are particular adamant that its origins lie in their capital city of Glasgow where its creation is attributed to the Pakistani chef of the Shish Mahal restaurant. A few years later in 1971 the chef’s son recounted the story to the BBC:
On a typical dark, wet Glasgow night, a bus driver coming off shift came in and ordered a chicken curry. He sent it back to the waiter saying it’s dry. At the time, Dad had an ulcer and was enjoying a plate of tomato soup. So he said why not put some tomato soup into the curry with some spices. They sent it back to the table and the bus driver absolutely loved it. He and his friends came back again and again and we put it on the menu.
Attempts have been made at giving Glasgow EU protected geographical status for chicken tikka masala but have been unsuccessful thus far.
Whatever its origin, Chicken Tikka Masala has not only become Great Britain’s most popular Indian dish, it’s one of most popular foods period and has been elevated to the status of one of Great Britain’s official national dishes, an emblem of Britain’s heritage of absorbing multi-cultural influences.
It was during the years I lived in England that I was first introduced to the dish and it has remained one of my favorite Indian dishes ever since. After sampling many versions of this dish throughout Great Britain and elsewhere, I have developed what I believe is the one of the very best chicken tikka masala’s you’ll ever taste!
7 Keys to Making the BEST Chicken Tikka Masala
There are several factors that go into making the very best tasting chicken tikka masala.
- Use the freshest spices you can find. We also STRONGLY recommend that you make your own garam masala. It’s easy and absolutely nothing can compare to the flavor of spice blends made fresh from whole spices that are toasted and then ground. It makes all the difference in the flavor outcome of the dish.
Here is the link to our homemade Garam Masala recipe.
2. Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. This comes down to personal choice but brown meat has far more flavor and remains moist and succulent after it’s cooked.
3. Marinate the chicken overnight. It’s tempting to rush the process but for the best results let that chicken marinate the full amount of time to allow those flavors to penetrate the chicken.
4. Grill or roast the chicken. This will add a wonderful depth of flavor to your Chicken Tikka Masala. Pan frying the chicken cannot replicate the smoky, slightly charred flavor of grilled or roasted chicken. You can cook it on your grill but I find it easiest just to broil it in the oven. Slide the marinated chicken onto skewers, lay them on a roasting rack or lined baking sheet, and broil them until they’re lightly charred.
5. Caramelize the onions. This will accentuate both the flavor and the sweetness of the onions, adding a wonderful contrast to the spices in the dish.
6. Use the right ratio of tomato puree to cream. You don’t want too strong of a tomato flavor nor do you want it too diluted. What we’re after is the perfect balance of flavors and we’ve achieved that in this carefully kitchen-tested Chicken Tikka Masala recipe.
7. Wait Until the Next Day (if you can manage it). The aroma of this dish simmering on the stovetop will drive you to the brink of madness and you’ll want to dive straight into the saucepan with a fork. To be sure, it will taste fabulous straight off the stovetop. BUT if you can muster the self-control, this dish tastes even more amazing the next day after the flavors have had more time to develop!
Is Chicken Tikka Masala Good Reheated?
Yes! Not only is it good reheated, it tastes even BETTER the next day after the flavors have had time to develop.
Can you Freeze Chicken Tikka Masala?
Yes you can. But don’t add the cream until later because milk and cream tend to become grainy and separate when they’re defrosted and reheated. To remedy this make the dish as instructed but do not add the cream. Instead, thaw and gently reheat the chicken tikka masala, stir in the cream and simmer for a few minutes to heat through.
Let’s get started!
In a large mixing bowl, make the marinade by combining the yogurt, lemon juice, oil, spices, garlic and ginger. Add the chicken pieces and stir to thoroughly coat. Cover and refrigerate for several hours, preferably overnight.
Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers and arrange them on a lined roasting rack or a lined baking sheet.
Preheat the oven to 500 F. Roast the chicken on the top rack under the broiler for 10-12 minutes, turning once, or until the chicken is lightly charred on the edges.
*Reserve the juices that dripped to the bottom of the rack and add them to the sauce along when you add the grilled chicken.
While the chicken is roasting, heat the ghee in a large saucepan and cook the onions over medium-high heat until they’re caramelized. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another two minutes.
Add all of the spices and cook for another minute or two. Add the tomato paste.
Add the tomato puree, water, salt and sugar.
Bring the sauce to a simmer, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Stir in the cream.
Remove the grilled/roasted chicken pieces from the skewers and add them to the sauce along with the reserved drippings from the roasting pan.
Bring the sauce back to a simmer, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped cilantro. Add salt to taste.
Garnish the Chicken Tikka Masala with some more chopped cilantro and serve with hot basmati or jasmine rice and fresh naan bread.
Enjoy!
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For more delicious Indian recipes be sure to try our:
- Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)
- Tandoori Chicken
- Masoor Dal
- Indian Broccoli with Paneer
- Egg Curry (Baida Curry)
- Saag Gosht
- Chicken Biryani
- Panch Phoron Roasted Potatoes
- Tandoori Breaded Fried Mushrooms with Yogurt Sauce
- Chicken Xacuti
Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (900 grams) boneless skinless chicken pieces , cut into bite-sized pieces (thigh meat has more flavor and is more moist than breast meat)
- For the Marinade:
- 3/4 cup plain yogurt (whole milk recommended)
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon neutral flavored oil
- 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon finely minced ginger
- 2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- homemade garam masala (STRONGLY recommended) click link for recipe
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground green cardamom
- 1 teaspoon salt
- For the Sauce:
- 4 tablespoons ghee , or oil
- 1 very large yellow onion , finely chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
- 1 1/2 tablespoons finely minced ginger
- 2 teaspoons garam masala , click link for homemade garam masala recipe (STRONGLY recommended)
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder , optional for heat (or cayenne pepper)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground green cardamom
- 1 whole brown cardamom , optional but recommended
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 1/2 cups (750 grams) plain tomato puree/sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Make the Marinade: In a large mixing bowl, make the marinade by combining the yogurt, lemon juice, oil, spices, garlic and ginger. Add the chicken pieces and stir to thoroughly coat. Cover and refrigerate for several hours, preferably overnight.
- Grill the Chicken: Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers and arrange them on a lined roasting rack or a lined baking sheet.Preheat the oven to 500 F. Roast the chicken on the top rack under the broiler for 10-12 minutes, turning once, or until the chicken is lightly charred on the edges.*Reserve the juices that dripped to the bottom of the rack and add them to the sauce along when you add the grilled chicken.
- Make the Sauce: While the chicken is roasting, heat the ghee in a large saucepan and cook the onions over medium-high heat until they're caramelized. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another two minutes.Add all of the spices and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the tomato paste. Add the tomato puree, water, salt and sugar. Bring the sauce to a simmer, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Stir in the cream.
- Remove the grilled/roasted chicken pieces from the skewers and add them to the sauce along with the reserved drippings from the roasting pan.Bring the sauce back to a simmer, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped cilantro. Add salt to taste.
- Garnish the Chicken Tikka Masala with some more chopped cilantro and serve with hot basmati or jasmine rice and fresh naan bread.
Eva says
Hi,
This sounds delicious and I’d like to make the recipe. I just wanted to know, how much “heat” does this meal punch. I am not too tolerant of spicy food so wanted to know what adjustments, if any, I could make if spicy. Thank you.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Eva! If you omit the Kashmiri chili powder it isn’t spicy-hot at all. Happy cooking! :)
Jeet says
you can alternatively use Degi Mirch (you get in a box, it is used more for color than the spice level). Cayene has its own distinct taste, think it hinders the taste of chicken tikka masala.
Nancy says
Looks and sounds outstanding!! I’m going to transform this into a vegan version! Thanks so much!
Lauren says
This was a hit! You are an amazing recipe creator! I have yet to be let down. I actually used leftover Hungarian paprika (both the sweet and spicy ones for a little heat in lieu of cayenne) from your ‘Chicken Paprikás’ recipe. My DH is of English-Hungarian background, so curry and Hungarian foods are always a request, and your recipes make me look like a rockstar to him!
He told me this morning he was dreaming of the curry and he’s coming home for lunch to have it >.<
Thanks again for sharing this amazing tikka masala. It definitely rivalled our favourite Indian restaurant!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Lauren, your glowing review and compliments were a great start to my morning, thank you so much! :)
Christina says
If I choose to grill the chicken over coals, am I cookin it through? Thank you.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s correct, Christina. Happy cooking!
Book of Food says
Fantastic sauce, thank you. Tasted great and very flavourful.
Gary says
Hey Kimberly…I’m a little late on the response to this recipe. Susan and I made this yesterday and HOLY HANNA!!!! Did this taste GREAT! You are dead on about the Great flavors that hit the taste buds. We also did Jasmine rice and Fresh steamed Broccoli( with a squeeze of fresh LIME juice on the Broccoli) Wow…what a taste treat. Thanks for a GREAT Recipe.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wooohooo, I’m absolutely thrilled you both enjoyed it, Gary!! As always, thank you so much for the feedback!
Brenda says
This recipe is beautiful! So yummy! First time I have ever tasted Chicken Tikka Masala and I’m so happy I chose your recipe :) A new favourite for sure, this will definitely be added to our regular rotation. Thanks so much Kimberly!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Brenda, I’m so happy you enjoyed it, thank you! :)