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Chicken Tikka Masala

Updated Jan 5, 2021Published Sep 12, 2016 By Julia 269 CommentsThis post may contain affiliate links.

Summary:
This chicken tikka masala recipe is restaurant quality, made from scratch, and easy to make. The chicken is tender and flavorful, simmered in a generous tikka masala sauce that's creamy, thick, and decadent. It's also low carb, keto, and gluten free.
close up view of chicken tikka masala

Chicken Tikka Masala

4.9 from 94 votes
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Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Marinate: 1 hr
Yield: 4 servings
Calories: 510
Net Carbs: 10g

INGREDIENTS

Marinating Chicken:

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (Note 1)
  • 7-ounce container plain greek yogurt (Note 2)
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala (Note 3)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Sauce:

  • 15-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream (Note 4)
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 teaspoons garam masala (Note 3)
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne (Note 5)

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Marinate Chicken: Stir together all marinade ingredients except chicken in large bowl until well-mixed; set aside. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, and cut into bite-sized chunks, 1/2 to 1 inch in size. Stir chicken chunks into marinade until well-coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  • Sear Chicken: Heat nonstick pan (Note 6) over high heat, no oil needed. Add 1/2 of chicken chunks (along with any marinade sticking to them; Note 7) to pan and spread them out. Cook until golden brown and a bit charred, a few minutes, while stirring and flipping chicken to sear all sides. As they finish searing, transfer to large plate. Repeat with remaining chicken (Note 8).
  • Simmer Sauce: Reduce to medium heat. Add all sauce ingredients to now-empty pan, stirring for a minute until mixed. Add seared chicken chunks (without drippings) to pan and submerge in sauce; no need to stir. Bring sauce to simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and decreasing heat as needed to maintain light simmer. Chicken should be cooked through and sauce should be slightly thickened and orange. Turn off heat. Serve (Note 9).

NUTRITION

Makes 4 Servings
Amount Per Serving:
Calories 510 (62% from fat)  
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  
Vitamin A 43% · Vitamin C 7% · Calcium 14% · Iron 9%

PHOTOS

close up view of chicken tikka masala
chicken chunks coated in yogurt marinade
stirring chicken tikka masala in pan
overhead view of chicken tikka masala

NOTES & TIPS

(1) Chicken. I use fresh chicken; if yours is frozen, defrost in the refrigerator until thawed before using in this recipe. I use chicken breasts and they come out tender and moist, and don’t get tough. I haven’t tested with other cuts, but chicken thighs should also work well.
(2) Greek Yogurt. Greek yogurt is used because of its thick consistency; don’t use American yogurts, which would result in a watery marinade. Select one with at least 2% fat, plain flavor, and unsweetened. I use the Fage brand. This can’t be substituted with sour cream.
(3) Garam Masala. This is one of those spices that can’t be easily substituted because it gives a characteristic taste to Indian dishes like chicken tikka masala. It’s a blend of ground Indian spices including pepper, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and cumin. You can easily buy garam masala online, or you can find it at many U.S. supermarkets.
(4) Heavy Whipping Cream. I haven’t used anything other than dairy-based cream, but readers have told me that they have successfully substituted some or all of the cream with half and half or coconut milk. I think the taste of coconut milk would go wonderfully with the flavors in chicken tikka masala, especially if you use full-fat coconut milk. For a thicker, luxurious sauce, a better substitution might be coconut cream.
(5) Cayenne. This amount yields medium spiciness; adjust as needed to match your preferences. Cayenne can be substituted with 1 diced jalapeño with seeds removed.
(6) Nonstick Pan. I use a nonstick sauté pan, 10 inches in diameter and 3 inches tall. Pans without high sides, like frying pans or skillets, may not be large enough to comfortably hold the sauce.
(7) Leftover Marinade. The chicken is cooked along with any marinade sticking to it, and any leftover marinade in the bowl is not used again. If desired, you can save the leftover marinade and stir it into the sauce in the next step.
(8) Working In Batches. Searing the chicken in 2 batches prevents the pan from cooling too much, resulting in a better sear.
(9) Serving. As an optional garnish, top with chopped fresh cilantro. 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, low carb tortillas, or roasted vegetables. I suggest pairing with some kind of side dish because this recipe makes a generous amount of tikka masala sauce — you’ll want something to help sop it up!
(10) Similar Dishes. This 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 a vegetarian dish (see Cauliflower Curry). It’s also very similar in flavor to Butter Chicken, which has a less spiced and more buttery curry sauce.

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Filed Under: Mains: Poultry, One Pan Meals, Per Serving: 5-10g Net Carbs Tagged With: cayenne, chicken breasts, cilantro, featured, garam masala, garlic, ginger, gluten free, heavy cream, jalapeno, lemon, more10ingredients, more60min, paprika, stovetop, tomato sauce, yogurt

About Julia

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Julia is a recipe developer and the founder of Savory Tooth. She shares simple recipes and guides for keto and low carb diets. Learn more.

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A.T.

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!

Vote Up11Vote Down  Reply
9 months ago
Angie

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!

Vote Up7Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
Jackie S.

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.

Vote Up5Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
Leigh Anna

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.

Vote Up4Vote Down  Reply
11 months ago
Julie Camm

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.

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Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
10 months ago
Jaedyn

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!

Vote Up4Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
Jaedyn

(oh and other recipes waste a lot of the marinade, this one uses it all)

Vote Up2Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
Kim

I made this exactly like the recipe with the exception of the heavy whipping cream. I used coconut cream instead. Ah mazing!!!

Vote Up3Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
Chelsey

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 👍

Vote Up2Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
Jen

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?

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
Julia

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!

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
Justin

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!!

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
W G

How much did you add? (Measurements)

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
Justin

About a 1/4 tsp. Turmeric, 1/4 tsp Cinnamon, 3/4 tsp. Ground Coriander, and about a tablespoon of crushed fenugreek leaves.

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
Carol

I’ve made this recipe several times now and it’s a favorite go to! Delicious in flavor and beautiful color. Thank you for sharing! Making it tonight per daughter’s request!

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
3 days ago
Stephanie

This was a good recipe! I made it as suggested since it was the first time. I doubled the recipe exactly and went for more cayenne based on the recommendation. I doubled the cayenne and would personally still call that “medium” lol, but I like heat.

The only thing is, it did not turn out this creamy orange color. Mine was more brown, I’m not sure why. Super creamy and very rich though. Next time I would probably use a higher ratio of tomato sauce and swap a tad of the cream for chicken broth, however it was good as-is and I would probably reference this recipe again even if I tweaked it.

I paired it with a keto-friendly naam recipe I found and it was a great meal.

I’d like to request a naan recipe though haha. What I used was more like a naan biscuit, based off of a fathead dough. It was good, but I’d love something better!

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
15 days ago
Hannah

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 🙂

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
5 months ago
Pam G

This is my new go to recipe. Guests rave about it and hubs regularly asks for it.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
7 months ago
Aimee

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.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
7 months ago
Sarah

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.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
6 months ago
Katie

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.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
8 months ago
Julia

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!

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
8 months ago
Lynds

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 🙂

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
8 months ago
Julia

You’re welcome. Hope you enjoy it, and please let me know how it turns out for you.

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
8 months ago
Deb

Absolutely delicious!!

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
8 months ago
Darlene

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!

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
8 months ago
Erika Trinidad

Absolutely delicious! Thank you for the recipe Julia!

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
9 months ago
Mary

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.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
9 months ago
Julia

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.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
9 months ago
Julez1961

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!

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
10 months ago
Judy

Can I make this without Fage yogurt? Why is this yogurt different?

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Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
11 months ago
Julia

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.

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
11 months ago
Tricia

My husband loved this dish. It was my first time making Tikka Masala from scratch and it is worth the effort. The marinated chicken elevates the dish. I served it with cauliflower rice and it was the perfect accompaniment. We will definitely make it again!

Vote Up-1Vote Down  Reply
1 month ago
Erin Duke

This was delicious! I made it with chicken thighs and served with keto Naan. Wonderful low-carb supper!

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Vote Up-1Vote Down  Reply
2 months ago
Sarah

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!!

Vote Up-1Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
Julia

Yum! Thanks for sharing, Sarah.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
Tee

How much fenigreek you used. thank you

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago

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