Easy Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe
Honestly, if there’s one dish from around the world that everyone loves at home, it’s easy Chicken Tikka Masala recipe. It’s the kind of recipe that’s full of spicy flavors, warms the heart and takes the taste buds on a journey. And it’s far from complicated, packed with rare ingredients, and rest assured, it doesn’t add heat!
So yes, I know, it’s not 100% traditional Indian; in fact, the dish’s origins are a bit murky. Some say it comes from India, others that it’s a British classic revisited with a curry sauce, but honestly, it doesn’t matter. The important thing is that it’s delicious and has become a staple of easy-to-make comfort food at home.
Easy Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe
The ingredients you will need to make this Chicken Tikka Masala recipe:
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Greek yogurt
- One clove of garlic, peeled and pressed
- Garam masala spices (a spice blend found in grocery stores, and I’ll explain how to prepare it below)
- Ground or fresh ginger
- Lemon juice
- One large chopped onion
- Sugar
- Turmeric powder
- Coriander powder
- Cumin powder
- Tomato coulis or puree
- Coconut milk or sour cream
- A few fresh cilantro leaves, to serve
- Cashew nuts or slivered almonds
- Oil and butter
- Salt and pepper
What makes all the difference in this recipe is the marinade. The chicken is soaked in a mixture of yogurt and spices for several hours, ideally overnight. The yogurt tenderizes the meat, the spices give it an intense flavor, and when grilled over high heat, it reveals an irresistible smoky flavor.
A little tip: for the most tender chicken, choose thighs (skinless and boneless by the butcher). This way, the meat stays moist, juicy, and absorbs all the flavors. But just in case… chicken breasts will work just as well. 😉
And let’s talk about the sauce… creamy, well-spiced but not too hot, made with tomatoes and cream, enhanced with garam masala, cumin, coriander… In short, an explosion of flavors. You can buy ready-made garam masala (it’s a real plus), but if you have all the spices at home, you can even make your own homemade blend.
How to make garam masala without your own spice blend?
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- 1 ground clove
- 1 pinch grated nutmeg
Place the spices in a non-stick pan and fry over high heat until fragrant (a few minutes). Place them in a bowl and let cool. Mix, and it’s ready!
What I love about this recipe is that it can be prepared in advance, and the leftovers are even better the next day. It’s the kind of dish that benefits from being reheated, making it perfect for meal prep or impromptu dinners.
Personally, I serve it with piping hot basmati rice and, when I have time, homemade cheese naans. It’s truly perfect. A small bowl, a spoonful of sauce, a piece of soft bread… and voilà!
So if you too want to try your hand at a dish that impresses, pleases everyone, and is simply delicious, you know what to do: head into the kitchen and let the scent of spices fill your dining room! 🙂
Other Indian recipes that will be perfect to complement this Chicken Tikka Masala dish:
Other recipes to make with chicken:
Easy Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe
Ingredients
For the marinated chicken
- 400 to 500 g boneless and skinless chicken thighs
- 1 Greek yogurt (about 120 g)
- 1 garlic clove peeled and pressed
- 2 tablespoons garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh or ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Salt
For the Masala sauce
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh or ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 40 cl tomato coulis or purée
- 1 teaspoon caster sugar
- 20 cl fresh cream or coconut cream
- Salt and pepper
- 10 g butter
- Cooking oil
To serve
- A few chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- Cashew nuts or slivered almonds
Instructions
For the marinated chicken
- Cut the chicken into pieces.
- In a bowl, mix the yogurt, spices, crushed garlic, a pinch of salt, and lemon juice.Add the chicken pieces and coat them with the mixture.Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
For cooking
- In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of oil over high heat.Add the chicken and its marinade and sear, stirring, until golden brown or charred.Return to the bowl.
- In the same pan, sauté the chopped onion in 2 tablespoons of oil. Stir regularly until lightly browned.Add all the spices and cook for 2 minutes.Add the tomato paste and sugar and cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat.If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can blend it, but this is optional.
- Add the chicken pieces to this sauce along with the cream or coconut cream and mix. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes.
- At the end of cooking, add the butter and stir.
- Serve with rice, cheese naan, and chopped cilantro.
