The best homemade Chicken Tikka Masala recipe like you get at your favorite Indian restaurant! With tender, juicy pieces of charred chicken, swimming in an unbelievable luscious, flavor-packed creamy tomato sauce, it will make your taste buds sing with every bite. Pair this with our homemade Naan bread to mop up the amazing sauce!
Other Indian-inspired dishes we love include our Turkey Keema, Beef Kofta, and Chickpea Curry.
I adore Indian cuisine, but since we don’t live close to any Indian restaurants anymore, I have learned to recreate my favorites at home. Chicken Tikka Masala is right at the top of that list. Every time I make it, I spend the following morning anxious and fidgety waiting for lunchtime to draw near so I can inhale the leftovers.
If you’re unsure about Indian food, I am 1000% certain this dish will convert you.
What is Chicken Tikka Masala
Tikka Masala is a traditional Indian dish made up of chicken that’s been marinated in yogurt, charred and simmered in a rich, creamy tomato-based spiced sauce. The gorgeous color comes from Garam Masala, which is blend of cinnamon, black pepper, coriander, cumin, and cardamon. It has a subtle nutty and sweet, unique flavor.
Authentic tikka masala is usually skewered and cooked in a hot clay oven that reaches up to 900 degrees F! Since most people don’t have a tandoor oven, though, we’re sharing how to make it in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop. Just as flavorful, but way easier!
Butter Chicken vs. Chicken Tikka Masala
These two classic Indian dishes are both mouth-watering and extremely similar. They even look practically the same, but there is a difference in taste and cooking method. Butter chicken is cooked mainly with butter (thus the name) and a creamy blend of spiced tomato sauce that’s somewhat mild and slightly sweet. Tikka masala is mainly cooked with oil in a creamy tomato and onion sauce that has more heat and bigger flavor.
Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe
We love the complexity of Indian spices that lend crazy flavor to dishes like this one. Don’t skip any of them or you’ll miss out on the optimal Tikka Masala experience. Here’s what Chicken Tikka Masala Ingredients you’ll need:
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Yogurt: This is part of the chicken marinade which helps tenderize the chicken. You can use plain yogurt or plain Greek yogurt.
- Lemon Juice: Use fresh.
- Aromatics: Onion, fresh ginger, and garlic.
- Seasonings: Garam masala, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, chili powder, and salt.
- Brown Sugar: The molasses in brown sugar adds extra flavor to the sauce. It’s a small amount.
- Tomato Sauce: This is canned tomato sauce that is unseasoned, not spaghetti sauce.
- Heavy Cream: For a creamy, rich sauce. You can use half-n-half to cut back on calories.
- Vegetable oil and Butter: We love the combination of oil and butter for sautéing.Cilantro: Used for garnish that adds flavor and a nice pop of color!
Chicken Breasts or Chicken Thighs?
These two cuts of meat deliver subtly different results. Thigh meat is more tender and usually more flavorful, but it tends to be fattier and higher in calories. Chicken breasts are leaner and require a longer marinating time. It’s totally personal preference. The dish will turn out great with either.
How to Make Chicken Tikka Masala
As mentioned earlier, traditional tikka masala is made in a tandoor oven. We don’t have one of those and don’t know many people who do! So, for ease we make this dish in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop, while maintaining all the authentic flavors. Here are some tips to get as close to the real deal as possible:
- Don’t skip marinating: Marinating helps tenderize the chicken and is critical for this dish. Chicken thighs require a minimum of 15 minutes, while breasts need at least an hour. The longer the better!
- Use a cast iron skillet: A well seasoned, cast iron skillet will get you the best charred results. If you only have a regular nonstick pan, cook over hight heat.
- Pan fry in batches: Cooking the chicken pieces in batches helps prevent over-crowding, which can result in steaming, instead of charring.
Chicken Tikka Masala Video
What to Serve with Chicken Tikka Masala
I always serve this dish over hot cooked basmati rice with a sprinkle of fresh chopped cilantro (or parsley) and a side of homemade Naan bread to mop up that amazing sauce! It’s also great with a simple side salad or vegetable like roasted broccoli or roasted asparagus. Then wash it all down with some sweet tea.
I hope you love this delicious and simple recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade
- 1 cup plain yogurt or Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder (not cayenne pepper)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast , cut into small bite-sized pieces
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large sweet onion , finely diced
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger
- 2 cloves garlic , finely minced
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 8 ounce can tomato sauce (unseasoned)
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 cup 1/4 cup water , only if needed
For Serving
- chopped cilantro , for garnish
- naan bread
- cooked basmati rice
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the marinade; add the chicken and toss to coat. Let marinate for 15 minutes to 1 hour (ideally overnight in the fridge, if time permits.)
- Warm oil in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add chicken pieces in batches, if necessary, making sure not to crowd the pan. Let them fry, untouched, for 1 minute to develop a crust, then saute until browned for about 5 more minutes. Set aside and keep warm.
- Melt the butter in the same pan. Saute the onions until soft (about 3 minutes) while scraping up any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pan. Add ginger and garlic; sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add in the brown sugar, coriander, cumin, paprika, garam masala, and salt. Stir occasionally for about 15 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the tomato sauce; let simmer gently for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens and becomes deeper in color.
- Stir in the cream until incorporated.
- Add the partially cooked chicken along with its juices back to the pan; cook for an additional 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and bubbling. Pour in the water to thin out the sauce, only if necessary.
- Serve over cooked basmati rice, with Naan bread, and garnish with chopped cilantro.
Video
Nutrition
Other Notes
So delicious. I added lime juice on top and it elevated it so much
My whole family loves this recipe! I add green peppers and onions, and substitute the yogurt with cashew yogurt due to dairy intolerances.
I have made this over and over. It’s amazing! Have some marinating for tomorrow. But I’m attempting to do it in a slow cooker tomorrow. I’m going to wait to add the cream towards the end in hopes it doesn’t separate ?
Lovely recipe. I received a lot of praised . Thank you!
My go to tikka masala recipe! I’ve tried many, this is the only one I use anymore.
I have made this recipe dozens of times for family and friends. It’s a regular dish in our rotation now. I crave it all the time and it’s amazing leftovers as well. We serve it with white basmati rice and cilantro, lime & jalapeño cucumbers. Side of naan too! It’s best when you get a good sear on the chicken. The sauce comes together so nicely.
I am a food tech teacher and my students loved making this recipe with Naan bread … they even used it for an assessment … thank you
This was DELICIOUS and the instructions were easy to follow. I’m looking forward to making this for company. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
happy i found this recipe! i’ve made this many times now and it comes out perfect every time. personally i double the spices, and use sour cream instead of yogurt in the marinade (more accessible for me) and it’s perfect! will continue to use this recipe forever
We have made this so many times and it is always amazing
I’m making this for the 2nd time in a pretty short time frame. My husband and I really enjoy this! I do substitute coconut milk in for the heavy cream, other than that I make it as stated and thoroughly enjoy.
I have made this several times. It’s a hit with the whole family!
Absolutely love this recipe
Just made it today. And will now be part of my rotation. So yummy
very good! personally i used an immersion blender so that the onions were undetectable. added extra chili powder and salt at the end. will definitely make again!
I’ve made this again and again. This is the best homemade recipe for non-spicy Chicken Tikka Masala. My 10yo daughter loves it and gets excited when I tell her that’s what I’m making for dinner. It’s my favorite homemade meal now. Thanks for this awesome recipe. It’s really easy too! Just make sure to have everything marinated and chopped up ahead of time. Then it’s a 30-minute meal!
This recipe is amazing! Came together so easily and tastes, in my opinion, better than the takeout I can get in my hometown! I did use coconut milk instead of heavy cream and added a dash of cayenne for spice. So delicious with garlic naan!! Will definitely be making again!
Made this last night for dinner. Very delicious. Will definitely be making it again. Thanks for sharing!
I loved loved the recipe, my guests really enjoyed it
It was so good! I made a couple adjustments. I substituted coconut milk for the heavy cream, added lime juice and substituted honey for the sugar. Small tweaks. So yummy!
I made this last night to rave reviews! It came together quickly and easily and packed a ton of wonderful flavor. I will definitely make this again and soon!
This recipe was delicious! The only problem was that my sauce split when I added the cream. Any suggestions on how to avoid this the next time I make this recipe? Thanks!
Fantastic recipe! I have made it twice, but I had to change a couple things. I only use a half teaspoon of brown sugar and 1/3 cup of heavy cream. I also added some cayenne pepper to spice it up. Highly recommended!
I’ve made this recipe twice in the past week and it’s absolutely amazing! Never thought I would be able to make chicken tikka masala at home but it’s pretty close to authentic! A new fav!
Absolutely amazing recipe!
We make this recipe probably twice a month now! It’s perfection as is. Our 3 year old is a big fan and that’s always a win. Curious if there’s any tips on how to freeze to prep for postpartum. I think I’ll wing prepping the marinate and freezing. Have shared this recipe with so many friends.
This recipe is time consuming but delicious! I doubled everything in the recipe except the chili powder because I was not sure if it would be too spicy, and it ended up being perfect for my kiddos. If you prefer it spicy then double the chili powder. I also only used 2 cups of heavy cream because that’s all I had. For the tomato sauce I used jarred strained tomatoes instead of canned sauce because the canned varieties had other ingredients in addition to tomatoes. When making the sauce the instructions say to add salt but I don’t see that in the ingredient list. Is there a specific amount you add?
Can this be frozen once it is made?
New favorite!! I’ve made this quite a few times now and I can’t get over it ? My fiancé is super picky and I thought he wouldn’t like it but he gobbles it up every time. Thank you for the recipe! I’ll be making this on the regular for years ??
This recipe is AMAZING!!!!
Grandson said I nailed it with this dish!
My go to recipe! This recipe is so good, my son loves this meal very much! Thank you.
This is a gorgeous recipe and easy to make. I used plain yogurt instead of the cream. We had a lot left over, so the next day I made some more rice, added some broccoli, mushrooms and bean sprouts and it was delicious. Definitely a keeper!
This was excellent. I also made the naan from this site to go with it. We didn’t want to stop eating!
Thank you so much. I will try to make it by the recipe.
Absolutely the best
This has become a staple recipe in our family. I’ve made nearly 10 times now & always turns out amazing, even with small changes and substitutions
Just made this for dinner & I’m obsessed!! The flavors are so deep & complex, & it’ll definitely be going into my usual rotation of meals! Only thing I changed was not adding the red chili powder to the marinade (I didn’t have any) & added a dash of cayenne & substituted it with paprika. Absolutely delicious over rice & with some home made naan! Love that this is a naturally gluten free dish too!
This was fantastic! The Chicken Tikka Masala tasted SOOO good and was so easy to make. Since I already had all the spices in my kitchen, plus the heavy cream, the hardest part for me was all in the prepping. After that, it was smooth sailing. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Just fabulous. I also made the naan recipe from this site to go with it. Both were a big hit!
Any input on how to make the sauce super spicy?! We love spice!
Trying dicing Serrano peppers and adding to your sauce. I would sauté them a bit first.
Cayenne pepper is a good fit for a kick to Indian foods.
This is really delicious! I used sour cream because I didn’t have yogurt and full cream. It was rich and creamy!
I haven’t made this yet as I’m perusing for something to make tonight, and the comments have swayed me into marinating chicken overnight, but any recommendations to add some heat to the dish and make it spicy ?
I’m excited to make this, and will update once I do, thx !
I made this last week and all but licked my plate clean. This recipe is darn near perfect. Thanks so much for sharing!
Made as written and marinated overnight. This was outstanding!
This recipe is delicious! I made it exactly as the recipe is written with one exception. After I seared the chicken I removed it from the pot and added a touch of chicken stock to loosen up the brown bits and then continued the recipe as is. The marinade gave the chicken amazing flavor and the sauce is savory and rich with just a touch of sweetness. It’s fantastic! Thank you!
I’ve tried many Tikka masala recipes in the past, but this has to be the best I’ve ever made. Tastes like going to a Indian food resturant and ordering it there. My husband and I love Indian food. Thank you for this amazing recipe. I’ve made it several times and it’s always a hit.
Easy and delicious!! I will definitely make again!!
Making this again. Marinated over night this time. Wondering if I can freeze the chicken in the marinade uncooked to cook at a later date?
Technically yes, you can. But I don’t really recommend it. When yogurt is frozen it releases water and separates from the milk solids, then once thawed it becomes grainy.
I have frozen the marinated uncooked chicken with the yogurt. I had best results with making sure the chicken is flat in the bag, frozen flat, not in a big clump. Then, I let it defrost in cold water and continued on with the recipe. We actually liked the flavor more because I think it really set in. But honestly, this recipe is soooo good and flavorful. My mouth waters just revisiting the page to refresh my memory!
This dish was incredible. Marinating the chicken the night before makes dinnertime the next day super easy too. We LOVED this.
Hello from South Africa ?? Thank you for sharing your recipe with us. It was so delicious! My husband loved it. I had to use paprika instead of smoked paprika, Mother-in-law spice instead of garam masala, but they are similar. As I wasn’t able to get the garam masala or smoked paprika . I only marinated for an hour, but despite the adjustments it was still amazing. Next time i’ll try it with the garam masala and marinade over night. Looking forward to having the left overs tonight.
Very good!! For the marinade I used dried minced garlic and onion powder instead of fresh. And I thought I used tomato sauce, but it was tomato paste and so I added a little water… wow!! So good!!
This dish is delicious! My family absolutely love it especially my 5 and 6 year old
This was SUPERB!! 10/10 stars!!
Has anyone tried skewering and grilling the chicken after marinating overnight? I love the grilled chicken at the restaurant, just not sure if it would work with this recipe.
This is the absolute best homemade tikka masala recipe I’ve tried – as close to authentic as it gets! 10/10!
I tripled this recipe and made it for my whole family! It was a big hit.
Hi Asia! I’m planning on doubling or tripling this recipe for my family soon, I’ve made with my roommate a couple of times now and it’s amazing. When you tripled it did you change anything about the cooking process? I’m worried I don’t have a big enough pan for all the sauce. Thank you! :)
Can i make this in a slow cooker
Very tasty. Did the overnight marinate and prepped all of the ingredients the day before. Prepared an hour before guests arrived and kept warm in low oven setting along with the Naan until dinner.
This recipe was simply outstanding. I also made your naan recipe which was also amazing. 5 star meal honestly and was all very easy to make!
This was an amazing recipe. I made it with my nephew, and it turned out so well they licked their bowl clean. We added about a half cup of the yogurt to the final sauce, and a bit more tomato sauce, since our can was bigger than 8 oz, so we just poured it all in, but truly, it’s an amazing recipe, with straightforward directions. The combination of spices is just perfect, the barest hint of heat from the chili powder in the marinade, smooth and tangy.
This was outstanding.
I’ve made this recipe 3x now. Perfection every time. Twice I let it marinate overnight as suggested, once I only had time to marinate for a few hours – flavors weren’t as deep of course but still delish if you’re short on time.
Delicious taste!! I used nonfat Greek yogurt and it wasn’t that creamy. Should I have used full fat plain yogurt? Also, do you fry the chicken with the marinade or do you pick the pieces of chicken out and then discard the marinade? I wasn’t sure and didn’t want to waste the marinade so I just dumped all the chicken and marinade mix in the pan. The chicken didn’t brown, but basically simmered in the sauce. Was still yummy, but I feel like I did something wrong.
Hi Denise! Full fat plain Greek yogurt should be used, so that would definitely make it more creamy. The marinade is discarded – by including it there would be too much excess liquid, which is why you weren’t able to get a brown crust on the chicken pieces. You also need to make sure you’re not overcrowding the pan so the chicken doesn’t steam, and lastly letting the chicken pieces fry without touching for 1 minute before stirring – this allows them time to develop a nice golden crust. Hope that helps for next time!
I used nonfat Greek yogurt and it came out perfectly creamy.
This was OUTSTANDING. I would give it 10 stars if I could.
Can I swap the heavy cream for full fat coconut milk (canned)?
Hi Aisha – You can, but the taste and texture will be different.
This recipe is so freaking amazing! I have one child that is a vegetarian and I was thinking I could make a version of this for her with chickpeas but I’ve never cooked with chickpeas before. Do you have a suggestions? Would I do everything the same just with chickpeas instead of chicken? Thanks in advance.
Hi Kristan – I haven’t ever tried this recipe with chickpeas. I think they’d make a great addition, but not sure about a 100% swap for the chicken. Try it! Or I would actually recommend our easy chickpea curry for your daughter. It’s wonderful. Here: https://bellyfull.net/easy-chickpea-curry/
I never leave reviews, but this was literally so good that I had to! I made this today. I marinated the chicken for 2 days in the fridge. I also doubled the spices for both steps, and I added a tiny bit of Vindaloo curry spice from Sprouts for heat. It is AMAZING! I can’t rave about it enough. My husband is away for work, but I can’t wait for him to get back and try this! I will literally be eating this the whole week and be happy about it. Thank you!!!
I also used light cream instead of heavy cream and doubled it instead of using water. Wow. Wow. Wow!
If you are unsure about this recipe, the answer is YES DO IT. I doubled (maybe even tripled) some of the spices and added onion powder at the end. Pleasing my picky kids is almost impossible but these kids went in for seconds and thirds! EVEN MY VERY 14 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WHO IS CRITICAL OF EVERYTHING(!) said it was so good it was better than restaurant quality. If you know how big of a compliment that is, then you must also be in shock right now.
Hello, could you please clarify if the recipe asks for cumin or ground cumin? Thank you.
Ground cumin
Easy and delicious!
Great and easy recipe I made it for my family and they loved it
Was a big hit! Easy and delicious! Everyone had seconds including the picky eaters at the table. I added spinach and sprinkled w cilantro at the end Yummy!
Bro this recipe is immaculate. I’ve been diving into new recipes as of recently. Reason being I was raised in a very Caucasian household where the only seasonings were salt and pepper. Learning this recipe has sent my entire family into a food coma(good thing) and they now use many varieties of seasonings on their food. In other words, this was the most amazing and easy to follow recipes that I’ve ever used! Thank you for saving mine and my families tastebuds. You’re a superhero in my world. ?
This turned out so lovely!
Did coconut milk because I never have cream unless I buy it for something specific, and this was one of those “working with what I got” situations. This was super fantastic, served it with instant pot lentils and basmati. Hubby had heart eyes.
This recipe is fantastic. So much flavor. I marinated overnight and I definitely think it makes a difference – don’t skip it.
My husband and my in-laws really enjoyed this curry! I’ve tried a couple different recipes for Tikka Masala but this one by far is the best in my opinion. I doubled the recipe.. only marinating in the fridge for 1hr 30min and added turmeric into the spice mix.. also chili powder in with the onions when adding all the other spices.
1 1/4 HWC + reg milk mixture and then a can of coconut milk since I didn’t have enough HWC to double that part… no water needed!
11/10 recommend
Sooo good!!!
So insanely delicious that I just ate leftover masala for breakfast! I used salmon instead of chicken and used dairy free yogurt and coconut milk as we are pescatarian and generally go for dairy free. Turned out beautifully!
This is so good. Will definitely be mailing it again!
My lady friend shared this with me. But before she she did she had my husband and I over for dinner and made this. It was so delicious.
My kids can’t get enough of the frozen Trader Joe’s Chicken Tiki Masala so I thought I’d try to make it. This is soooo good! I added celery and butternut squash (leftover fridge items) and used canned coconut milk instead of cream. Delish!
This recipe is the absolute best!! My favorite. I have made it 10 times already. I usually double the recipe. I also like it spicy sometimes so I add chilies.
do I have to shake all the marinade from the chicken before frying
Do you have to shake off excess before frying????
My family loved this recipe
Definitely marinade overnight if you can. Tikka masala is my husband’s favorite and he requested this be in our rotation at least once a month.
I won’t rate, because I made a couple of adjustments/changes. I used about 1/2 the amount of cream, because that’s all I had, and added 1/2 t of fenugreek to the spice mix.
I tripled this recipe for a party and it was wonderful!! Thank you!
Loved this recipe !!!
Hi there! Would this recipe work well to go in the freezer?
Is the chili powder Indian hot chili powder or regular American chili powder?
regular American chili powder
I have made this with cauliflower in the sauce along with the chicken. The grandchildren cannot get enough! A wonderful one dish dinner!
This recipe was awesome. Even my husband, who is a picky eater, stated: “This is restaurant quality!” And, my son, also fairly picky, really enjoyed it. Mmmm mmm!
This is a great recipe. I found it and made it for Sunday Supper. Outstanding. Thanks for sharing.
This is a delicious recipe and very tasty.