This easy, at-home chicken tikka masala is a classic Indian-inspired tomato curry, with skewered, marinated chicken browned in the oven or on the BBQ, then added to the spiced tomato gravy.
Chicken tikka masala: at a glance
What is it? While certainly Indian-inspired, chicken tikka masala is actually a British creation that is a marriage of Indian chicken tikka (marinated, roasted or grilled chicken) and classic Indian-spiced tomato gravy.
Why you’ll love it! If you are a fan of Indian food, you’ll find lots to love in chicken tikka masala. The rich tomato gravy is pleasantly (but not overly) spiced, and the chicken is perfectly moist and browned.
I find chicken tikka masala a bit lighter than, say, butter chicken, so it’s perfect for warmer days, especially when you can make use of the BBQ for cooking the chicken. It’s a perfect tag-team recipe, too. One person grills the chicken while the other makes the tomato gravy!
How do you make it? Marinate the chicken pieces in a spiced yogurt marinade (you can marinate for at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours), then thread onto skewers and oven-roast or grill on the BBQ. The tomato gravy comes together quickly on the stovetop. When the chicken is done, simply remove the chicken from the skewers and cook the chicken together with the sauce briefly before serving.
Ingredients and substitutions
A few notes about the key ingredients …
Chicken – I am partial to boneless chicken thighs, but boneless chicken breasts work just fine, as well.
Tomatoes – Passata (strained tomatoes) is ideal for this dish. You could also use canned crushed tomatoes.
Yogurt – You can use regular or Greek plain yogurt of any fat level here. You can also use yogurt to replace the splash of cream at the end of cooking, if you like.
Kasuri methi – Kasuri methi are dried fenugreek leaves. Look for them with the Indian foods at the grocery store or buy online. They are typically sold dried, but I have also seen them frozen in the frozen section with the frozen roti and parantha, etc.
Kashmiri chili powder – This Indian chili powder is easily available online and in some grocery stores. Substitute a pinch of cayenne pepper, if you like.
How to make chicken tikka masala: step-by-step
This is a visual summary of the steps to make this recipe. Scroll down to the Recipe Card below for the complete list of ingredients and instructions.
Step 1: Start by threading the marinated chicken pieces onto wooden skewers. Cook in the oven or on the BBQ.
Step 2: Start the tomato gravy by softening onions, then add the ginger garlic paste and spices to the skillet.
Step 3: Add the tomato sauce and broth to the skillet and simmer 15-20 minutes to reduce.
Step 4: Use an immersion blender or blender to smooth the tomato gravy (optional).
Step 5: Cook the chicken until cooked through and browned in spots.
Step 6: Remove the chicken pieces to the skillet and cook in the tomato gravy for 5 minutes or so, to blend the flavours.
Recipe tips!
- If cooking the chicken skewers on the BBQ, be sure to soak the skewers in cold water for about 30 minutes before assembling the skewers.
- Adjust the spices to your taste for spiciness. As written, this curry is spice-forward, but not overly so. Reduce the spices a bit if you prefer a milder curry.
What to serve with chicken tikka masala
Naan is pretty much non-negotiable with curry, in my opinion. Roti or parantha are other options. You could also add some basmati rice, if you like. I like to add some green vegetables on the side, such as green beans or steamed broccoli.
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Get the Recipe: Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients
For the chicken tikka marinade:
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken thighs, or boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon ginger garlic paste, or 1 1/2 teaspoons grated ginger and garlic
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil, or similar neutral-tasting oil
- 1 Tablespoon kasuri methi, optional *see Note 1 below
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon fine table salt
For the tomato gravy:
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
- 2 teaspooons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/8-1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder, optional, or a pinch of cayenne
- 2 cups tomato passata, (jarred strained tomatoes)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth, or water
- 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon kasuri methi
For serving:
- 1/4 cup cream, for drizzling (optional)
- cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Cook chicken skewers in 450F oven for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking.
- For the marinade: Combine all the marinade ingredients (except the chicken) in a medium bowl. Stir together well. Add the chicken pieces. Stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate from 3 hours to 24 hours.
- Once the chicken has marinated, preheat the oven to 450F. Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers and lay the skewers onto a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Cook the chicken skewers in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, flipping them over after 10 minutes in the oven. (You can broil the chicken skewers for a couple of minutes to brown further, if you like.)
- Measure out the garam masala, coriander, cumin and chili powder in a small bowl and set aside.
- Meanwhile, start the tomato gravy by heating oil in a large skillet on the stovetop, over medium heat. Add the onion and salt to the skillet. Cook, stirring regularly, until golden, about 8-10 minutes. Add the ginger garlic paste and cook for an additional 1 minute. Add the spices to the skillet and cook briefly, stirring well. Immediately add the passata to the skillet and cook, bubbling, for about 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth and stir in. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10-15 minutes to reduce. Using an immersion blender, puree the sauce to a smooth consistency (optional).
- After the sauce has reduced, stir in the sugar and kasuri methi.
- When the chicken is done, remove the chicken pieces from the skewers to the tomato gravy. Stir in and allow the chicken to cook with the sauce for 2-3 minutes. Taste the sauce and add additional salt, as needed, to round out the flavours. (It will generally need more salt at this point. If it tastes sweet or flat, it needs more salt!)
- Drizzle a bit of cream into the sauce and garnish with chopped cilantro to serve. Serve with basmati rice, if desired and naan, roti or parantha.
Notes
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Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
