Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe
Updated: May 9, 2024, By Swasthi
This Chicken Tikka Masala is spicy, creamy, flavorful and crazy delicious! You won’t want to stop with one serving! My perfected & time-tested recipe helps you make it better than the restaurants. I also share plenty of options to grill the chicken – in Oven, air fryer, on a griddle or skillet. Cooking this flavor-packed curry is easier than you think. Serve it over fluffy Basmati Rice, Cumin Rice or with Butter Naan, Roti, Chapati, Paratha or any flatbread of choice.
What is Chicken Tikka Masala?
Chicken Tikka Masala is a classic curried dish with soft tender chunks of char-grilled chicken, simmered briefly in a delicious & super aromatic sauce/gravy. The dish comprises of 2 components – first is tikka and the other is the masala, which is the gravy or sauce in which the tikkas are simmered.
The word “Tikka” literally means “a piece or chunk” and here the tikkas are grilled chunks of chicken that are first marinated in spiced & herbed yogurt and then char-grilled to perfection. These smoky and aromatic tender chunks are simmered in a creamy, delicious and flavorsome onion tomato masala, known as Tikka Masala. The finished dish has a super addictive smoky flavor, tastes creamy and supremely delicious!!!
This world popular dish has its origin from Northern India, where tikka kebabs were cooked in a tandoor consisting of live charcoal or wood fire. These are served as an appetizer with coriander/ Cilantro Chutney and Mint Chutney. However tikka masala sauce/gravy is said to be a fusion Indian-British curry, popularized by the Indian Chefs, working in Britain.
As you research, you will find many stories on the origin of this dish and a few dozens of variations to cook this dish.
Chicken Tikka Masala Vs Butter Chicken
A lot of people think Chicken tikka masala and Butter Chicken and Chicken Jalfrezi are same but in fact they are not. While tikka masala is on the spicier side, is made with boneless chicken and has a chunky sauce due to the usage of chopped onions. It is also cooked in oil and sometimes a small amount of butter is used.
But authentic Indian Butter chicken has no onions and can be made with bone-in chicken and is essentially cooked in butter. The main characteristic of an authentic Butter chicken is its smooth silky sauce and is low on the spice levels, with sweet notes but not prominently sweet tasting.
My Recipe
My recipe is easy enough for beginners and gives you the best chicken tikka masala that actually tastes better than in any restaurant. You can easily tweak the spice levels by following my notes and tips below.
Here are the key differences between the Indian and the British Chicken Tikka Masala: My recipe works well for both the versions
The Indian version has whole spices like bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cardamoms. 2 interesting ingredients you always find is the bell pepper & onions in the tikka skewers. However I have not added them here just to keep the recipe simple. You won’t find any of these in the British curry.
The Indian dish uses cashews to give that creamy and naturally sweet flavor. Very little quantity of cream is used at the end mostly to garnish and to adjust the flavors. The British version has a lot of cream and no cashews are used.
Indian masala makes use of fresh tomatoes (chopped or pureed) so your dish has more fresh flavours. The British chicken tikka masala is essentially made with passata/ bottled or canned tomato puree which imparts umami flavors. Some recipes even use canned tomato soup & tomato paste.
Indian Vs British Tikka Masala
To summarise, Indian chicken tikka masala has fresh flavors due to the use of fresh tomatoes. It’s creamy, rich and delicious and won’t make you feel bloated as there is a very small amount of cream used. Cashews impart a magical creamy texture and flavour without making you feel heavy.
The British tikka masala has more deep flavors due to the use of passata and you will love this if you love the delicious umami flavour. But this requires plenty of cream to balance the taste of passata else you will only taste tomatoes in the curry.
Over the years I have tested this recipe with fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes – fire roasted, bottled tomato puree/passata from different brands. So I have updated the recipe for both the versions and note that all brands of tomato puree or canned tomatoes won’t work here.
Avoid using canned tomatoes with citric acid added to it. This results in a metallic taste in the dish. I use passata from Mutti brand. It is sweet (no added sweetener) and won’t make your dish overly sour/tangy.
More similar recipes
Chicken Vindaloo
Chicken Madras
Lamb Curry
Rogan Josh
Chicken Bhuna
Chicken Korma
Photo Guide
How to Make Chicken Tikka Masala (Stepwise photos)
Chicken Marinade
1. Dice chicken to 1 to 1½ inch pieces and add to a large mixing bowl. Pat dry with a few kitchen tissues to make sure there is no excess moisture. For this recipe, you will need about 1½ lbs. (700 grams) boneless chicken thighs or breasts. A little more or less is just okay. Add the following:
- ½ to 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder (can use up to 1½ teaspoon for extra heat)
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon salt
2. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon oil. Try to avoid lime juice here. For authentic Indian tikka flavors, use mustard oil.
3. Add 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste (or ¾ tbsp grated ginger +¾ tbsp grated garlic) and 1 tablespoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves).
4. Add ½ cup Greek yogurt / strained yogurt or Hung curd. You won’t use the runny yogurt with whey here because that will let out a lot of moisture and ruin your tikkas. If you do not have it, you can make your own from my post here – Strained yogurt or Hung Curd. But note that you have to make this 12 hours in advance because this takes time.
5. Mix up everything well. Cover with a cling wrap and let it rest for a minimum of 8 hours & up to 48 hours in the refrigerator. If you are in a rush you may cook them after 3 hours but longer the better as they really become juicy and soak up all the flavors well.
Make The Tikka Sauce
6. Pour 3 tablespoons oil or ghee or a mix of both to a pot or pan. When it turns hot, add 1 ½ cups onions (1 large or 2 medium) and sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt. Saute on a medium heat until they turn deep golden. We don’t want the onions to be half cooked here.
7. Add 1 chopped green chilli (optional) and 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste (or ¾ tbsp grated ginger +¾ tbsp grated garlic). If you don’t have it, you can make your own by following this Ginger garlic paste recipe. Saute for about 40 to 60 seconds until you begin to smell the ginger garlic.
8. Turn the heat to low, add
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder (may use up to 1 tablespoon for extra heat or use tikhalal chili powder)
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
9. Stir well quickly. We don’t want to burn the spices.
10. Immediately add the tomatoes. If using fresh tomatoes, you will chop or puree 500 grams (1.1 pounds) ripe red tomatoes in a blender to a smooth puree. Or use 1¼ cup (10 oz) bottled tomato puree/ passata.
Tip: If you want a smooth gravy, you may use chopped tomatoes here and puree it later in the next steps.
11. Cook this on a medium high heat stirring often until the masala thickens as shown in the picture. This step takes some time so be patient and cook down the tomatoes as the curry develops a flavor at this stage. You may check the video in the recipe card for consistency.
12. Bring 1 to 2 cups of water to a rolling boil in another pot. Pour 1 cup hot water (if using heavy cream) or 2 cups if using cashew cream. Give a good mix.
13. Cover and simmer on a low heat until the sauce becomes fragrant and thick, for 10 to 12 mins. Optionally to cut down the acidic taste from canned tomatoes, cool down and blend it to a smooth puree and return the gravy to the pot.
Grill the Chicken Tikka
14. While the tikka masala cooks, grill your chicken tikka. Thread the chicken on to the skewers and place them on a prepared tray. Place the tray in the middle rack, in a preheated oven at 240 C or 460 F for 9 to 10 mins.
15. Later turn them with the help of a tong and bake for another 9 to 10 mins. If they look dry in between you can baste the tikkas with the marinade. To char your chicken, broil for 2 mins or until slightly charred.
To Air fry, place the tikkas in your tray or basket. Air fry for 6 mins at 200 C or 400 F. Turn them to the other side and air fry for another 6 mins.
To Cook them on the skillet/ pan, Pour 1 tablespoon oil to a heavy bottom skillet or cast iron pan. When the pan is hot, you will place the tikkas in the pan one by one, spacing them apart. Cook for 3 to 4 mins on a medium high heat and turn them to the other side. Cook on the other side until your chicken is almost cooked and charred. I have a picture of this at the end of this step by step photo section.
Make Chicken Tikka Masala
16. Pour ½ to ¾ cup heavy cream or thickened cream. Or make your own cashew cream. For this, make a fine powder of 30 whole cashews in a grinder, then pour 1/3 cup water and grind to smooth puree. You will get ½ cup thick cream similar to thickened cream. Pour 2 to 3 tbsps water to the grinder and swirl gently and pour that to the tikka masala. If you do not have a powerful grinder, read my tips below.
17. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar and give a good mix.
18. Let it simmer until thick and aromatic.
19. Add all of the grilled chicken tikka and 1 tablespoon kasuri methi. Make sure your curry has reached a thick and almost serving consistency before you add chicken. Taste test and add more salt, garam masala or sugar if required to balance the flavors.
20. Mix and cook covered, until the chicken is soft and tender. This takes only 2 to 3 mins.
30. Garnish with 2 to 3 tablespoons of heavy cream or thickened cream and 3 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves.
Serving Suggestions
Serve chicken tikka masala with Tandoori Roti, Butter Naan, paratha, roti or over Jeera rice or plain Basmati Rice. This meal goes well with kachumber salad, onion salad and Sweet and salt lassi or Mango Lassi. Vegetarian dishes like Aloo Gobi, Cabbage stir fry and Bombay potatoes go well.
Expert Tips
Blend vs no blend: If using canned tomatoes I highly recommend blending the sauce as it really tones down the acidic flavor of the canned tomatoes. But if using fresh tomatoes, you may simply blend the tomatoes and use. This way your gravy turns out slightly chunky.
Yogurt: Use Greek yogurt or strained yogurt also known as Hung curd in Indian cuisine. Using runny yogurt makes your marinade runny and will drain all of the spicy marinade to the pan when you grill them. The chicken won’t have any flavors. So make sure your marinade is thick.
Yogurt is the key ingredient here. It tenderizes, prevents the chicken from drying out while grilling at high temperatures and adds a unique flavor.
Red Chilli Powder: Use Kashmiri red chilli powder as it is low on heat levels. You will use Indian Chilli powder which is simply pure 100% ground dried red chilies. You can substitute this with paprika. Again you have many kinds here, use smoked paprika. Adjust the quantity to suit your taste.
Chicken Thigh Vs Breasts: You can use chicken thighs or breasts. But note that breasts need long marinade time, a minimum of 8 hours is recommended. Without this they are most likely to dry out and turn chewy. If you are in a rush, use chicken breasts and marinate for a minimum of 3 hours.
Cooking tikka on Skillet or Pan: If you want to cook the tikkas in a skillet or pan, ensure your marinade is thick and not runny else your tikkas will ooze out plenty of moisture and all the masala will come over to the pan and not stay on the tikkas.
Here is a picture of the tikkas grilled in a pan. For the authentic Indian restaurant version, use bell peppers and onions in your marinade. But grill the chicken and bell peppers separately not in the same batch.
Related Recipes
Recipe Card
Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 1½ lbs. (700 grams) chicken boneless (Preferably thighs, or breasts)
- ½ cup (120 ml) Greek yogurt (hung curd)
- ½ to 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (use less for low heat, use 1½ teaspoons for extra heat)
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon kasuri methi
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste (or ¾ tbsp grated ginger + ¾ tbsp grated garlic)
- 1 tablespoon oil (mustard oil if you have)
For the tikka masala
- 3 tablespoons oil (or ghee)
- 1½ cups (150 grams) onions (fine chopped, 1x – 1 large or 2 medium)
- 1 green chilli (optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste (or ¾ tbsp grated ginger + ¾ tbsp grated garlic)
- ½ to 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (can use up to 1 tablespoon for extra heat)
- 2 teaspoons garam masala (adjust to taste)
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 to 1½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1.1 lbs. (500 grams) tomatoes (pureed/chopped or 10 oz. (1¼ cup) tomato puree/ passata or 14 oz can peeled tomatoes, read notes)
- 1 cup hot water (double if using cashews)
- 1 tablespoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- ½ cup heavy cream/whipping cream (or 1x – â…“ cup whole raw cashews, 30, refer notes)
For Garnish
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream (or any cream)
- 3 tablespoons coriander leaves (fine chopped)
Instructions
Chicken Marinade
- Cube chicken to 1 to 1½ inch pieces. Add them to a mixing bowl. Make sure there is no excess moisture in your chicken. If you want you may pat dry with a few kitchen tissues.
- Add red chilli powder, garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric, salt, lemon juice, oil, ginger garlic paste, yogurt and kasuri methi. Skip the lemon juice if your yogurt is sour.
- Mix well. Cover with a cling wrap and refrigerate for minimum of 8 hours and up to 48 hours. If you are in a rush, you may cut down to 3 hours.
Make Tikka Sauce
- Heat oil or ghee in a pot or pan. Add onions and sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt. Saute until deep golden.
- Add ginger garlic paste and green chilli. Saute until aromatic, for 40 to 60 seconds.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and cumin powder. Stir well quickly.
- Add the tomatoes and cook on a medium high heat until the onion tomato masala becomes really thick. (If using fresh tomatoes, it takes about 7 to 8 mins and tomato puree/passata takes only 2 minutes)
- Pour hot water and mix well. Bring to a rolling boil and cover. Simmer until thick, for about 12 to 14 mins.
- Optional – Cool down and blend to a smooth puree. Return it to the pot and heat up. This step cuts down the acidity from canned tomatoes.
How to Make Chicken Tikka Masala
- Grill in Oven : While the gravy simmers, thread the chicken to the metal skewers or soaked bamboo skewers and place them in a prepared tray. Bake them in a preheated oven at 460 F or 240 C for 9 to 10 mins. Turn them to the other side with a tong and grill then for another 9 to 10 mins. To char the chicken, broil for 2 to 3 mins or until slightly charred.
- Or In a Skillet: Pour 1 tbsp oil to a skillet and heat it well. Place the chicken tikka one by one, spacing them apart. Cook on a medium high heat for 3 mins, turn them to the other side with a tong and cook for another 3 mins, until charred and not essentially fully cooked. Remove to a plate and Cook in batches.
- Or In the Air fryer: Thread on skewers and place them in the basket or in the tray. Air fry for 6 mins, at 400 F or 200 C. Turn them with tongs and air fry for another 6 mins. If they dry out, you may baste with marinade and continue for another 2 mins, until slightly charred.
- After 12 to 14 mins of simmering the tikka masala sauce, add sugar and the cream (or cashew cream, check notes to make your own). Stir well and cook for a few minutes until thick, creamy and aromatic. (Check video for consistency)
- Add the grilled chicken tikka and crushed kasuri methi. (Make sure your gravy has reached a thick gravy consistency/serving consistency, before adding chicken). Stir and cook for 2 to 3 mins until chicken tikka is soft and tender. Taste test and add more salt, garam masala and sugar if needed.
- Turn off and garnish with cream and coriander leaves. Serve chicken tikka masala with Butter Naan, roti, paratha, Basmati rice or Jeera rice.
Notes
- You can start with chopped tomatoes if you intend to puree the sauce/gravy.
- Avoid using Canned tomatoes with citric acid added to it.
- Avoid using sour yogurt. If it is even slightly sour, avoid using lemon juice.
- To make the cashew cream, powder cashews finely in a grinder jar and pour â…“ cup water to it. Grind to a smooth thick creamy paste. You will get half cup cashew cream. Later pour 3 tbsps water and swirl the jar and pour that as well to the gravy. If you do not have a powerful grinder, you may soak the cashews in â…“ cup hot water for 15 mins, grind them with the same water to a smooth puree. I have tried and both work equally well.Â
- If cooking tikkas on the pan, they don’t need to be fully cooked but must be almost there. If you try to fully cook, they may dry out, turn hard and chewy.
- To make this authentic Indian, add 1 bay leaf, 3 to 4 cardamoms, cloves, 2 inch cinnamon to the hot oil before sautéing the onions. Also add bell peppers and onions to the marinade before grilling them. Use mustard oil for the tikkas.
- Make this ahead by splitting the recipe. Marinate chicken the previous night. Also make the gravy till the tikka sauce the previous day. The next day grill the tikkas and heat the gravy, add the cream and simmer. Later add the tikkas.Â
- To mimic the smoky flavor of the Tandoor, you may smoke your chicken tikka masala. For that, Place a small piece of foil or a tall steel cup on the finished chicken tikka masala. Hold 1 to 2 inch piece of natural wood charcoal with a tong and burn it on direct fire until red hot. Later place it on the foil kept over the curry or in the steel cup. Quickly pour ¼ tsp ghee on the hot coal. Immediately cover the pot and smoke for 4 to 5 mins. For stronger flavor, add another ¼ tsp ghee on the coal and repeat the smoking. If you overdo this, it will have very strong smoky flavors, so be cautious. You may check my Dal Makhani video to see how I actually do it.
- To make more servings, start with 2 cups of water if using cashews, (or 1 cup water if using only heavy cream). As you cook, add half cup more at a time only if required (for 2x & 3x). Taste test the gravy after cooking, onions should be tender and soft but not crunchy or partially cooked. If they are undercooked, pour more hot water and simmer until well cooked.
- For 2x and 3x, double and triple the quantity of cashews and water for cashew cream. Cashews have a thickening property, if you reduce the quantity of water your curry won’t turn thick.
Video
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
About Swasthi
I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me
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Comments
Nice and easy recipe with a very tasty result. I Will for sure try some of your other recipes.
This. was. ASTONISHINGLY GOOD. Thank you Swasthi for sharing your knowledge with the world. I love Indian food. I have made several of your recipes and have never failed. They are all excellent.
So glad to know the recipes worked out well for you. Thank you so much for the review
Fantastic.
Swasthi I only have frozen fenugreek leaves (I can’t find dried methi leaves locally and haven’t had time to order it). Can I substitute the frozen leaves or would the recipe not work out?
I also have fenugreek seeds.
Hi Jenny,
It’s alright to omit the dried fenugreek leaves. Frozen leaves taste differnt and fenugreek seeds are not a substitute to dried fenugreek leaves. I’ve made this many times without it and the dish still tastes good.
Thank you! Turned out great. I’ve been making a different version of tikka masala for years and this was much better. Using fresh tomatoes instead of canned was a game changer. I’m so glad I stumbled across your page. Chicken Biryani tomorrow and then we have leftovers for the week! 🙂
Hi Swasthi,
I just want to express how much of an incredible cook you are. I am someone who does not have an indian heritage; however, I have been cooking Indian food regularly throughout my degree using your recipes. I have tried countless recipes of yours and must say the steps, the tips and visuals you provide are top tier. Thank you so much for your recipes, and I will continue to be a life-long follower of yours.
My pleasure Korena! I’m super happy to know the recipe have been helpful to you. Thank you so much for the kind words. That’s a huge appreciation and you made my day!
Hello. I have made this before as written . I was delicious.
Please would you confirm at what point I pick up your recipe from when using a pre made curry base ( from a different recipe).
Many thanks.
Hello Paula,
Thank you. May be you can only make the tikkas and add to your curry base.
Thank you.
Planning a dinner for 26 persons serving your Tikka Masala.
However I do have a doubt related to the tomatoes, do you use them as a whole with skin and seeds?
And what about roast them as a whole, does it intensify the flavor or does it take away the freshness? What’s your idea about that? Thanks
Hi Leonardus,
Yes I prefer to deseed the tomatoes before chopping or pureeing. But it’s alright to use without deseeding if they are vine ripened & not too tart. They are not roasted traditionally and I think that’s going to be a lot of work. If you like to infuse smoky flavor, smoke the dish once it’s ready. I have given the details in the notes section of the recipe card. Hope this helps. Have a great time!
Many thanks
This is the best chicken tikka masala recipe!!! So much flavor and very easy to follow. Instead of grilling the chicken, my husband and I made it in batches on the stove together before mixing it in the sauce. My family loved it! Thank you so much! Cannot wait to try more of your recipes! 🙂
So happy to read that Priya. Thanks for sharing back
I’m trying this for the 1st time and have accidentally added the tablespoon of coriander to the marinade… is it now ruined?
It should be alright! Hope you enjoy the dish Stacey
This is my third and BEST chicken tikka masala recipe I have made! Thank you for sharing HOW to make it all come together so well!!
Hands down the BEST and most authentic tikka masala recipe I have ever made. I did make mine with the cashew cream and serious,ly so, so good!
One of the most delicious things I’ve ever cooked/eaten. I didn’t have time to marinate overnight and it was still great!
Fabulous and really taste like India is in my house. My new staple
I’m just sitting back tasting this dish. I just LOVE the intensity in the flavor of the sauce. It came out amazing.
If you want to add the bay leaf, cardamon etc….. Do you just fry them and remove.. or leave in with the onion? Tia
Hi Victoria,
Add them to the oil before sauteing onions. Remove them before blending the sauce. Hope you get to try
Thanks so much
Do you recommend smoking the dish with a woodcoal? Does the tikka really taste like flame grilled?
Yes if you want you may smoke the tikka masala following my notes in the recipe card. It won’t taste the same as flame grilled but it adds little smoky flavor. Hope you get to try
My family loves this authentic chicken tikka masala and I’ve made this many times. If using peeled whole tomatoes would you drain the juices. Thanks for your reply
Hi Natalie,
Glad to know you all like this. If it has citric acid added to it, I would drain atleast some of it to cut down the acidic taste/flavor. Hope this helps
I’m stunned at how well this turned out. My husband flame grilled the chicken tikka while I made the masala. It was a lovely experience and this was my first time being able to create a Indian dish so well. Wish I could upload the pictures. Thank you for being a fabulous guide..
Happy to read that Elena. Yes I agree flame grilled chicken tikka is excellent in this curry. I would love to see your pictures, pls send them to our facebook page or tag me on instagram. Thank you for sharing back!
I made this chicken tikka masala and my family says they have never eaten a Indian meal as delicious as this. Didn’t have to change anything except to use smoked paprika and a little more heavy cream. Thank you for the well written recipes
Appreciate your review Lisa. Thank you so much and I’m super happy to read that
Thank you so much for this recipe, easy to follow, helpful photos. Trusted the process and the result was spot on.
Happy to read that Jon. Thank you
Fantastic and easy to follow recipe.
Thanks Ollie. Glad you like the chicken tikka masala