This chicken tikka masala recipe guarantees juicy, tender, yogurt-marinated chicken simmered in a creamy, spiced tomato sauce that’s just so good. Spoon it over rice or scoop it up with naan. Either way, you’re in for a treat.
If you’re a fan of Indian curries or any kind of curry, this is your friendly nudge to add everything for this chicken tikka masala recipe to your shopping list right now. We love this one so much that we developed it to make enough for leftovers. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.
Don’t let the ingredient list scare you! A lot of the same things go into both the marinade and the sauce, so it’s not as much as it looks. Plus, hands-on time is less than you’d expect. You can marinate the chicken the night before or just 20 minutes before you start cooking, whatever works for you! However you do it, you’ll end up with something delicious. For more like this, see our family’s favorite chicken curry!
Key Ingredients
- Chicken: I usually go with boneless, skinless thighs since they turn out so tender. If you only have chicken breast, that works too, but keep in mind that chicken thighs are much more forgiving when it comes to overcooking. If you use chicken breasts, slightly undercook them in the oven before finishing them in the sauce.
- Yogurt: Use plain yogurt for the marinade. I prefer a thick, full-fat yogurt like Icelandic or Greek. It helps tenderize the chicken and adds great flavor.
- Ginger, Garlic, and Onion: Both the marinade and the sauce use ginger and garlic, and you’ll need a generous amount of each. It really is worth it for the flavor. The onion goes in the sauce. Yellow or sweet onions work best.
- Spices: You’ll use many of the same spices in both the marinade and the sauce. Gather garam masala, curry powder (any basic kind is fine, just make sure it’s not extra spicy), cumin, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, and salt. This curry is mild as written, but you can add cayenne or hot chili powder for more heat. We’ve shared tips for this below the recipe.
- Lemon: Use the juice of one lemon (3 to 4 tablespoons) for the marinade.
- Ghee: This is used to cook the onions. Ghee is clarified butter. I usually buy it, but you can make your own. If you don’t have ghee, use a mild-flavored oil instead.
- Tomato Paste and Crushed Tomatoes: Tomato paste and canned tomatoes are the tomato components of our creamy tomato sauce. You’ll need a 15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, but if your store only has larger cans, just use part of one. You can also blend a smaller can of whole or diced tomatoes.
- Broth and Cream: Use your favorite chicken broth, store-bought or homemade. Then, use heavy cream. Milk won’t work here because it can separate as the sauce cooks. Cream is definitely worth it.
- Cilantro: Optional, but lovely for serving.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Chicken Tikka Masala
Tip 1: Marinate the chicken. For the most flavorful, tender chicken, marinate chicken thighs in a mix of yogurt, ginger, garlic, and spices. Even just 20 minutes in our tikka masala marinade works wonders, but if you have extra time, let it hang out in the fridge for up to 8 hours. The longer, the better!
Tip 2: Make the curry sauce. Our tikka masala sauce comes together really easily. You’ll start with ghee (or oil) and cook the onions until sweet and soft, then add lots of flavor with fresh ginger, garlic, and many of the same spices you used for the chicken marinade. Once the spices are toasty, you can stir in tomato paste, which really benefits from a few minutes of stirring around in the pot.
Now pour in the crushed tomatoes, broth, and cream. Let it all come to a gentle simmer and bubble away until the sauce thickens up and smells amazing.
Tip 3: Bake the chicken in a hot oven. As the sauce simmers away, it’s time to bake the chicken. Traditionally, the chicken gets grilled or cooked in a tandoor for that smoky flavor, but at home, roasting in a super-hot oven does the trick. Let it cook until you see some golden brown spots. Broiling works too, but I’ve set off my fire alarm more than once, so roasting is my favorite method for this one.
Tip 4: Simmer the baked chicken in the sauce. Once your sauce is thickened and the chicken is cooked, bring them together. As you do, make sure that you pour in all the tasty juices from the baking sheet. Let everything simmer together for a few minutes so the flavors can really mingle, then you’re ready to serve.
Tip 5: Serving it. Spoon everything over fluffy rice (long-grain Basmati is my favorite for this!) and don’t forget some naan or flatbread for scooping up every last bit of sauce.
More Curry Recipes
Chicken Tikka Masala
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This recipe makes a lot of curry, but that’s intentional. Every time we make it, we always wish we had more for a second night, so we developed this recipe to fix that. With rice and naan, this recipe should serve 8 people, maybe 6 if they are really hungry.
Chicken thighs are best for this one, as they turn out much more tender in the end. That said, you can use chicken breast; just watch the baking time and consider underbaking slightly before simmering it in the sauce at the end.
8 Servings
You Will Need
For the marinade
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into ½ inch cubes (1.4 kg)
1 ½ cups whole-milk plain yogurt, 12 ounces (340 g)
2-inch piece of ginger, finely grated on a microplane, 1 ½ tablespoons
3 garlic cloves, finely grated on a microplane, 1 tablespoon
1 ½ tablespoons garam masala
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 lemon, juiced
For the sauce
3 tablespoons ghee or clarified butter (or a neutral oil like avocado)
1 medium onion, diced small
2-inch piece of ginger, finely grated on a microplane, 1 ½ tablespoons
5 cloves garlic, finely grated on a microplane, 1 ½ tablespoons
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon curry powder
6 tablespoons tomato paste (85 g)
1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, see tips
1 ¾ cups chicken broth (415 g)
1 ¾ cups heavy cream (420 g)
Salt, to taste
¼ cup packed cilantro leaves, for serving
Cooked basmati rice, for serving
Directions
1Marinate the chicken: In a big bowl, stir together the yogurt, ginger, garlic, garam masala, curry powder, cumin, sweet paprika, salt, and lemon juice. Add your chicken pieces and give everything a good mix so the chicken is well coated. Let it marinate for at least 20 minutes, or refrigerate, covered, for up to 8 hours.
2Prep: Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. If you do not have a rimmed baking sheet, use 2 baking dishes instead (since the chicken releases a lot of liquid as it bakes).
3Make the sauce: In a wide, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the ghee and add the onions. Cook them until they’re soft and smell sweet. Stir in the ginger, garlic, garam masala, smoked paprika, cumin, and curry powder. Keep stirring for one more minute to wake up all the spices.
4Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and cream. Whisking helps the tomato paste incorporate and smooths out any lumps. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to a gentle bubble (too vigorous and the sauce may separate). Let it cook until the sauce has thickened and reduced by a third, about 30 minutes. As it simmers, taste and check for seasoning, adding salt if you think it needs it. As it reduces, the tomato and spice flavors come through even more (the chicken and juices from cooking it bump up the spice flavor later on, too).
5Bake the chicken: While your sauce is simmering, spread the marinated chicken out in a single layer on your prepared baking sheet (or in the baking dishes). Scrape any leftover marinade from the bowl and spread it over the top of the chicken. Bake until the chicken starts to brown around the edges, about 20 minutes.
6To finish: When the chicken is done, let it rest while your sauce finishes up. Then add the chicken and all the juices from the baking sheet into the sauce. Let everything simmer together for 5 minutes. Serve over fluffy basmati rice and scatter plenty of fresh cilantro on top.
Adam and Joanne’s Tips
- Storing: Keep in airtight containers, in the fridge, for up to 4 days. Reheat slowly on the stove.
- Tomatoes: If you can’t find crushed tomatoes, use a 15-ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes or diced tomatoes and pulse them in a blender. We use our immersion (stick) blender and carefully blend them right in the can.
- The nutrition facts provided are estimates and do not include rice.
Nutrition Per Serving
Serving Size
1/8 of the recipe
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Calories
417
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Total Fat
22.9g
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Saturated Fat
11.6g
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Cholesterol
208mg
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Sodium
798.8mg
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Carbohydrate
12.2g
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Dietary Fiber
2g
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Total Sugars
7.2g
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Protein
37.8g
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