Best Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe (Rich & Creamy Sauce)
INGREDIENTS
Marinating Chicken:
- 1 pound boneless skinless fresh chicken breasts
- 7 ounces plain 2% fat greek yogurt (I use the Fage brand; do not use regular yogurt)
- 1 tablespoon
garam masala - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon
ground ginger
Sauce:
- 15 ounces
canned unsalted plain tomato sauce (not pasta sauce) - 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 teaspoons
garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon
paprika - 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1/4 teaspoon
ground cayenne (this yields medium spiciness, and can be substituted with 1 diced jalapeño with seeds removed)
Serving:
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Trim off excess fat, if any. Cut them into bite-sized chunks, about 1/2 to 1 inch in size.
- In a large bowl, stir together all marinade ingredients except the chicken, until well-mixed. Add chicken chunks and mix until well-coated with the marinade; the marinade should be thick, not thin or watery. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Heat a large nonstick pan over high heat (I use a 10-inch wide and 3-inch tall nonstick pan) until very hot, no oil needed. Add only half of the yogurt-covered chicken chunks, spreading them out in the pan. Cook for a few minutes until they are golden brown and a bit charred, frequently stirring and flipping the chicken to sear different sides (tongs are useful for this).
- Once the chicken chunks are seared, transfer them to a large plate. Repeat the searing process with the remaining half of the chicken chunks. Doing this in 2 batches prevents the pan from cooling too much, resulting in a better sear.
- Reduce to medium heat. Add all sauce ingredients to the now-empty pan, stirring for a minute until mixed. Add seared chicken chunks without pan drippings and submerge them into the sauce; no need to stir. Bring to a simmer.
- Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and decreasing the heat as needed to maintain a light simmer. After simmering, the chicken should be cooked through and the sauce slightly thickened and orange.
- Turn off the heat. Serve into bowls, and garnish with chopped cilantro.
NUTRITION
| Makes 4 Servings |
| Amount Per Serving: |
| Calories 510 | |
| Total Fat 35g | 54% |
| Saturated Fat 21g | 107% |
| Cholesterol 172mg | 57% |
| Sodium 410mg | 17% |
| Net Carb 10g | |
| Total Carb 14.5g | 5% |
| Dietary Fiber 4.5g | 17% |
| Sugars 7.5g | |
| Protein 34g |
This Indian recipe can also be made in a Crockpot (see Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala) or Instant Pot (see Pressure Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala), or converted to vegetarian (see Cauliflower Curry). It’s also very similar in flavor to Butter Chicken, which has a less spiced and more buttery curry sauce.
Why This Recipe Works
I’ve been experimenting with chicken tikka masala recipes for years, and this recipe is my favorite. It’s the ideal combination of not-too-complicated (the recipe is pared down to the essentials), super tasty (you can’t tell the difference between this recipe and restaurant ones), and low in carbs (great for anyone on a keto diet).
Making your own Indian food at home without store-bought sauces may seem daunting, but in practice it’s a lot easier than it sounds. After marinating the chicken chunks in a thick yogurt mixture (which accelerates the searing process and keeps them tender), they’re browned in a hot pan followed by 20 minutes of simmering in a rich sauce on the stovetop. This homemade version is perfect for days when you’re craving Indian food but you don’t feel like going out to eat.
tikka masala sauce
What is tikka masala sauce? Tikka masala sauce is a tomato-based sauce mixed with heavy whipping cream and spices (most importantly, garam masala). The sauce is rich and thick, with a characteristic orange hue.
What is garam masala? Garam masala is a mix of dried spices including cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and others. It adds a very unique flavor that cannot be substituted with another spice. You can pick up garam masala at major U.S. supermarkets or purchase online at Amazon.
Is the sauce spicy? While this sauce is certainly heavy on spices, it’s not that spicy or hot. I always add cayenne or diced jalapeños, but you can skip them if you can’t handle the heat.
Substitutes for cream? I’m often asked whether heavy whipping cream can be substituted for something else. Personally, I prefer the texture and taste of the sauce with heavy cream, but I know that many readers have had success using less heavy cream, or substituting all or some of the heavy cream with half and half or coconut milk. It’ll result in a thinner sauce but will likely still taste quite good.
Does this make a lot of sauce? This recipe makes a generous amount of tikka masala sauce. Extra sauce is always appreciated for pairing with side dishes (see suggestions in the next section). If you don’t anticipate needing extra sauce, you can increase the amount of chicken so that the sauce-to-chicken ratio isn’t so high.
Low Carb Serving Ideas
Like many Indian dishes, chicken tikka masala is often served with basmati rice and naan. You can replace them with lower carb options like fried cauliflower rice and low carb tortillas. Bags of pre-riced cauliflower can be found in the produce section of many U.S. grocery stores, or you can buy florets and use a food processor to grate them into rice-sized pieces. Low carb tortillas are also prevalent in many U.S. supermarkets — look for wraps by brands including Mission, La Banderita, and Kroger.
You can also serve chicken tikka masala with a variety of vegetables including onions, carrots, peas, cauliflower, spinach, and broccoli. For more ideas, check out these low carb sides and appetizers.
It irritates me so much when people make adjustments to the recipe and then have the nerve to leave a low rating. This recipe is so delicious. My brother brought some home from an indian restaurant but it was ridiculously expensive. This was better than the restaurant’s tikka masala! I enjoy the fact that there is extra sauce to dip bread in or cover my rice or use on top of veggies. So good! Thank you for this recipe!
I consider myself an Indian food connoisseur, and this recipe is completely on point…WHEN you follow the directions and use the ingredients listed. Outstanding work here, Julia! I served this over brown rice, with cucumber raita and garlic butter naan. I doubled the cayenne as suggested for more spice, and it was perfect. Absolutely wonderful, thank you for sharing with us!
This base recipe is THE BOMB! Thank you so much! Tomato sauce is what I was doing wrong. I kept using crushed tomatoes, which are still too bright.
I have made this recipe 15 or so times at this point and we love it so much. I do substitute chicken breast with tenderloin instead because it’s not as tough and I prefer the texture. Also easier to cut since they’re basically the perfect thickness/width. I also try my hardest to wait for the marinating but half the time I’m cooking it within 15 minutes or so and it’s still delicious…just a note for those as anxious and unorganized as me lol.
Maybe just once you can wait overnight for it to marinate to see the difference in the depth of flavor the chicken takes on.
Love it.
I love this recipe! As someone who is particular and well versed in Indian food, this is the best tikka masala recipe I’ve found. I use 5% Fage cause I love the texture it produces, and a generous serving of cayenne. I’ll make this 2-4 times a month, and it’s good for meal prep, too!
(oh and other recipes waste a lot of the marinade, this one uses it all)
I made this exactly like the recipe with the exception of the heavy whipping cream. I used coconut cream instead. Ah mazing!!!
Substitutes: plain whole milk yogurt was substituted in place of Greek, and whole VitD milk was substituted in place or heavy whipping cream. Still turned out and tasted great. Thanks for the great recipe 👍
I’ve been using this recipe for a year or so now. We love it! I noticed you changed the recipe and now say to “sear the chicken”. I have so much liquid from the marinade that I don’t know how to get a great sear. Thoughts?
Some thoughts:
– Make sure your chicken chunks are dry. Pat them with paper towels.
– The marinade should not be liquid-y. It should be thick. Verify that you’re using Greek yogurt. Cut down on the lemon juice, if needed.
– The pan should be very hot before searing. Don’t add the marinated chicken until it’s fully heated.
– Add only one-quarter of the marinated chicken to the hot pan at a time, sear, then repeat.
Usually a poor sear is the result of the pan cooling too much, which can happen when you add too much marinated chicken at a time. Hope that helps!
I was skeptical about this recipe at first. I’ve tried many different chicken tikka masala recipes and this is hands down the best batch I’ve ever made. This recipe is a winner! I did adjust some spices like adding turmeric, cinnamon, ground coriander, and fenugreek but everything else was the same. Thank you for the awesome recipe!!
How much did you add? (Measurements)
About a 1/4 tsp. Turmeric, 1/4 tsp Cinnamon, 3/4 tsp. Ground Coriander, and about a tablespoon of crushed fenugreek leaves.
I LOVE making this dish! Thank you so very much for the recipe, it is excellent! I cheat quite a bit and throw all the chicken in the pan (and usually a double serving because I can eat on it for days) and add the sauce ingredients directly with the chicken. Saves me a plate to clean which I always try to do 🙂
This is my new go to recipe. Guests rave about it and hubs regularly asks for it.
This came out tasting great. But no matter what, mine is always pink. Tomato sauce is red and the heavy cream makes it pink. My garam masala is a brown color. And I don’t see turmeric or curry in the recipe so nothing to really make it orange.
That’s strange. Are you missing the paprika by any chance? I haven’t had mine turn pink at all and I make this a few times a month.
This recipe is so great! The sauce is fantastic and I like to double it so I have a lot leftover and I can use it over rice or veggies for the rest of the week. One thing I’ve found is sometimes my chicken turns out rubbery. I follow the recipe exactly every time so I’m not sure why this happens and I would love if you had some pointers on how to deter that.
Here are some ideas:
(1) Don’t sear the chicken as long as you have been. And once they’re seared, immediately transfer to a plate. Use lower heat, too. These small changes may help by avoiding overcooking the chicken.
(2) Are you using the same brand of chicken every time? Things like the supplier of chicken and if it was previously frozen could be the issue.
(3) Try boneless skinless chicken thighs instead. They’re less likely to overcook, which is usually the reason why you get rubbery tasting chicken.
Hope that helps!
Got my chicken marinating in the fridge for my dinner tomorrow! My first ever attempt at a curry and I’m very much looking forward to it. Will substitute the cream for coconut milk and adding onions just to make it a bit healthier. After reading everyone’s comments, I have high hopes! 🤞🏼 thank you for sharing the recipe 🙂
You’re welcome. Hope you enjoy it, and please let me know how it turns out for you.
Absolutely delicious!!
Omg so good! Love Indian food but have never made any and after searching and searching, I chose this one based off of the comments alone! Basically followed this recipe to the t with the exception of adding a bit more spice with red pepper flakes and a Thai spice blend I had on hand. Delicious and so easy! Will definitely make this again!
Absolutely delicious! Thank you for the recipe Julia!
How did you get the light color in the end if you slightly charred the chicken in the beginning? There is always some char left in the bottom of the skillet after the chicken is done and it ends up mixing into the sauce somewhat. Also, I meant to give this 4 stars since it is pretty good. Mine just turned out darker even though I followed the directions to a T.
It sounds like your chicken is overly charred; note that the instructions in Step 3 state “Cook for a few minutes until they are golden brown and a bit charred.” The chicken can go quickly from golden brown to overly charred, so transfer them to a plate promptly to avoid this issue.
Another thing to pay attention to is the fact that I use a nonstick pan (Step 3). If you used a stainless steel pan, the chicken and its marinade will easily stick to the pan and burn.
I have made this recipe a lot, it’s easy and tastes delicious. I can’t wait to eat it again tonight. I use any leftovers in puff pastry, just cut a sheet of pastry in 4 and put some of the leftovers on a half of the sheet, fold and crimp the sides, and freeze or eat as a Sunday snack. Delicious!
Can I make this without Fage yogurt? Why is this yogurt different?
Use yogurt that is Greek style (because they are much thicker than regular yogurt, making it a more effective marinade that easily coats the chicken chunks). It doesn’t have to be the Fage brand; I mention it because that’s the brand that I use and have tested this recipe with. I also haven’t found any other yogurt brands besides Fage in my local stores that are Greek style, plain unflavored, and not the nonfat kind.
I want to make this recipe however I can’t have heavy whipping cream can I sub it for something else?
A lot of people substitute with canned coconut cream or canned full-fat coconut milk.
Looking for ways to prep ahead of time. Could I sear the chicken the day before and refrigerate, then cook in sauce the next day?
Yes, I think that would work nicely. You should also be able to make everything ahead of time. In my experience, leftovers reheat well on the stovetop as well as in the microwave.
what happens to the marinade once the chicken goes to searing? do I use it or do I only need the meat and sauce? I did the recipe once and it was delicious but I wasn’t sure about the marinade thing, I’d appreciate if you could let me know 🙂
I’m not exactly sure what you’re asking. Since the chicken chunks are coated in thick marinade, that means that the chicken chunks are seared with the marinade on them. You don’t remove the marinade from them — that would be messy and hard to do. Any excess marinade (usually not much) left in the marinating bowl can be discarded or later incorporated into the sauce while it’s simmering. Does that answer your question? If not, let me know how I can elaborate further.
How could I do this recipe with already cooked chicken breast chunks??
I’ve made this recipe several times now and we love it. Here are the changes I make:
I use a package of chicken thighs- usually a bit over a pound. I also basically double all the dried spices. Not for the marinade, but for the sauce for sure. I also use two jalepeños with all the seeds I can save. And lastly, I’ve recently been adding in a bit fenugreek to get it to taste closer to a restaurant style. My dudes. Fenugreek is amazing. We made a broccoli & spinach scramble this morning using only fenugreek, some cayennes and salt & pepper and it was so so good. Anyway, thanks for this recipe! It’s a once a week staple for us now!!
Yum! Thanks for sharing, Sarah.
How much fenigreek you used. thank you