Chicken Tikka Masala is a classic dish from Indian cuisine, and that's for a good reason. First, the chicken is marinated in the famous yogurt marinade. Then, baked and stewed in a delicious curry is full of flavor with a creamy sauce. The flavors soak into the chicken, and that makes it irresistibly delicious. And while the list of ingredients is extensive, they are all very easy to get!
Chicken Tikka Masala
One of the tastiest dishes from Indian cuisine that I know is Chicken Tikka Masala.
It's not even an authentic Indian recipe, but a British Indian recipe. We often think curries are part of Indian cuisine, but they're a British addition. But that's what makes this recipe so delicious.
Not only do I enjoy the flavors. The enjoyment starts with preparation. All the smells that are released. The whole house smells wonderful. And when the dish is finally on the table, it lives up to all expectations. A homemade Tikka Masala without packets and bags with delicious chicken and a curry of cream, no ready-made sauce can compete with that.
My Tikka Masala dish is an adaptation of the recipe from Jamie Oliver.
What exactly is Tikka Masala?
Tikka is the Indian name for chicken that is marinated in spices combined with yogurt and then fried or roasted. Masala is the spice mixture, the curry, in which it's stewed.
Sometimes the sauce is colored with food coloring turning it into a bright red or orange curry. But the coloring doesn't add extra flavor; it's just a nice touch for the eye. This chicken tikka masala is quite a popular dish that is made and eaten all over the world.
Is this delicious Curry Indian or British?
That is a good question. The Tikka, a roasted chicken, is a recipe from the Indian kitchen. It is widely made and eaten throughout India.
But if you are ever in India and are tempted to order Tikka Masala, it turns out that it is not a traditional recipe. Curries are not common in traditional Indian cuisine. Instead, it's an addition originated from British influences, who like to see their meat served in a gravy sauce. So that's why the Masala sauce is the British addition to this recipe. And so, Tikka Masala is an Indian and British recipe.
What do you need for Easy Tikki Masala With Chicken?
To prepare this Chicken Tikka Masala, you need the following ingredients. You can find the correct amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the blog:
- Garlic, ginger, and peppers - Important seasonings in the Tikka Masala yogurt marinade.
- Mustard seeds, pepper, cumin, and coriander - The other spices that give the chicken marinade flavor.
- Garam masala - An Indian roasted spice mix. Every region has its method of preparation. You can get it in almost every Asian supermarket.
- Yogurt - Tikka Masala Marinade is always based on yogurt. The acidity of the yogurt makes the chicken extra tender.
- Chicken breast - Use chicken breast or chicken tenderloins for this recipe.
- Butter - Unsalted butter is used to make the sauce creamier. You could also use ghee. Ghee is clarified butter widely used in Indian cuisine and available at Asian supermarkets.
- Onions - When fried, they give the curry a wonderful taste.
- Tomato paste - To deepen the taste. But make sure you use it properly. To give it its delicious rich, and slightly sweet taste, fry it for at least 2 minutes.
- Cream - A little bit of cream makes the curry creamy. You can also replace this with the same amount of coconut milk.
- Lime - You use this acid to give the sauce even more flavor.
How to prepare Creamy Chicken Tikka Masala
A printable recipe in easy steps can be found at the bottom of this blog.
- Mix all the ingredients, except yogurt, for the Tikka Masala marinade in a bowl. Divide this paste into two portions. Place the first half in a large bowl and mix with the yogurt. Marinate the chicken in this marinade in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Melt the butter in the pan and add the other half of the spice mixture. Fry briefly, and then add the chicken cubes. Cook the chicken on medium heat for ten minutes.
- Pour the tomato paste into the skillet and fry for 2 minutes. Then add the water, salt, and ground cashew nuts and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir the cream and extra garam masala into the sauce. Season with lemon and serve immediately.
Serve the Tikka Masala with Rice, spicy cucumber salad, and Garlic Naan bread.
If you want to garnish this curry, use coriander, or if you don't like that, flat parsley.
Did you make this recipe? Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram. I enjoy seeing what your creation looks like. Video recipes can be found on my YouTube channel. And don't forget to save the recipes on Pinterest so you can easily find them next time!
📖 Recipe
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Chicken Tikka Masala
Equipment
Ingredients
Tikka Masala Marinade
6 cloves garlic peeled and squeezed
3 inch fresh ginger peeled and grated finely
2 red chili pepper deseeded and sliced finely- 1½ teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon paprika ground
2 teaspoons ground cumin ground - 2 teaspoons ground coriander ground
- 2 tablespoons garam masala
⅞ cup yogurt full or Greek yogurt
Chicken Tikka masala
2 pound chicken breast Each chicken breast cut into six
1 tablespoon butter
2 onions sliced finely
1 oz. tomato paste
1 oz. cashew nuts grounded
2 cups water
½ teaspoon salt- 1 tablespoon garam masala
½ cup cream
1 limes juice
Ingredients you need per step are listed below the step in Italic
Instructions
Tikka Masala Marinade
- Mix ginger, garlic, pepper, mustard, paprika, cumin, ground coriander, and garam masala in a bowl.6 cloves garlic, 3 inch fresh ginger, 2 red chili pepper, 1½ teaspoon dry mustard, 1 tablespoon paprika, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 2 tablespoons garam masala
- Mix the spices well and put half of this mixture into a large bowl.
Marinate
- Pour the yogurt into the large bowl and mix well with the spices to get a marinade.⅞ cup yogurt
- Place the chicken with the yogurt marinade and mix so that everything is well coated, and leave for half an hour to marinate in the fridge.2 pound chicken breast
Chicken Tikka masala
- Melt the butter in a pan and add the onions and the other half of the spice mixture.1 tablespoon butter, 2 onions
- Fry for 5 minutes on low heat, and then add the chicken.
- Bake the chicken for about 10 minutes on medium heat.
- Add the tomato paste, fry for 2 minutes, and then pour in the water, salt, and ground cashews.1 oz. tomato paste, 1 oz. cashew nuts, 2 cups water, ½ teaspoon salt
- Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and add the cream and garam masala.1 tablespoon garam masala, ½ cup cream
- Season to taste with the lime juice.1 limes
Notes
- Marinating - The chicken can be marinated in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. Add chicken and marinate it in a freezer box or bag. When defrosting, the chicken will marinate (let it thaw in the fridge)
- Refrigerator - Keep the Tikka Masala covered in the fridge for three days.
- Freezer - Store the Indian Chicken Curry in the freezer for up to three months. Then, let it thaw in the refrigerator.
- Reheating - Reheat the curry in the microwave or place it in a saucepan with a little extra water and reheat over medium heat.
Amanda Marie says
This was easy! And smelled so good! It was even better than the Indian restaurant near me.
Jessica Formicola says
I'm always looking for new chicken recipes, and this tikka masala looks amazing! I can't wait to add it to our dinner lineup soon!
Sunrita says
You have captured the essence of the recipe beautifully. Being Indian it gets hard to explain the history behind the recipe and you have so nicely narrated it all.
Liz says
Tikka Masala is one of my fave dishes but I never knew how it was made. Thanks for a great recipe!
Natalie says
My family loves tikka. It's a classic. Love your recipe. Honestly can't wait to give it a try. Looks so delicious!
Leslie says
This is a long list of ingredients, but this recipe isn't intimidating! All those ingredients just means LOTS of flavor!