Chicken Tikka Masala
One of the most famous Indian recipes, chicken tikka masala features a brightly spiced sauce.
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 286
- Total Fat
- 17 g
- Saturated Fat
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 18 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Protein
- 32 g
- Cholesterol
- 163 mg
- Sodium
- 832 mg
Article by Emily Saladino
Food Network Kitchen’s best chicken tikka masala recipe features boneless, skinless chicken thighs that get charred under the broiler then cooked in a spiced sauce for worlds of flavor and texture. You can customize the ingredients to suit your pantry and preferred spice level.
Butter Chicken vs. Chicken Tikka Masala
These two dishes are very similar but butter chicken tends to have a more mild sauce enriched with butter and heavy cream (and some people like it with bone-in chicken); whereas chicken tikka masala recipes have charred boneless chicken pieces in a spicier (though still creamy), tomato-based sauce.
The origins of butter chicken, called murgh makhani in Punjabi, are debated. The descendants of Kundan Lal Jaggi, a man who cooked at a restaurant called Moti Mahal (Pearl Palace) in New Delhi, say he created the recipe. However, the grandchildren of Kundan Lal Gurjal, who also cooked at Moti Mahal, claim he deserves the credit. Others believe that Gujral and Jaggi learned how to make butter chicken from a man named Mukhi Singh in Peshawar, a city in what is now Pakistan.
Chicken tikka masala is believed to have been created by a Bangladeshi chef in Glasgow, Scotland in the 1960s. Tikka means “piece” or “chunk” and refers to the charred morsels of tender chicken.
Tips for Making Chicken Tikka Masala at Home
Our recipe developers' tips and ingredient substitutions make it easy to enjoy this chicken tikka masala recipe at home.
Plan ahead. In addition to providing flavor, the spiced yogurt marinade tenderizes the chicken. For best results, marinate overnight; otherwise, keep it in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
If you can’t find ghee, make it. The clarified butter is sold in South Asian markets and many grocery stores, but it’s also easy to make ghee at home.
Customize the masala for chicken tikka. Our recipe developers use fenugreek leaves for their nutty and slightly minty flavor; you can also swap in dried mint leaves and a pinch of ground fenugreek. Kashmiri red chili powder is mildly spicy with a bright red color. Look for it in Indian and Asian markets, or substitute cayenne to taste.
Make your own spice blends. Most grocery stores stock the Indian spice blend garam masala, or you can make your own version with black and white pepper with ground cloves, cinnamon, mace, cardamom, bay leaves, cumin and coriander. Other recipes with garam masala include dal, butter chicken and palak paneer.
Fill the blender halfway with tikka masala sauce. When you blend the sauce, leave ample headspace and cover the lid with a towel to prevent spills from staining your clothing or countertops.
Don’t skip the broiler. Finishing the chicken beneath the broiler provides flavor and texture to the finished dish. While the results aren’t identical to those created in a tandoor-style oven, our recipe developers find it’s a useful approximation.
What to Serve with Chicken Tikka Masala
Serve this chicken tikka masala recipe with basmati rice and store-bought or homemade naan to pick up all the tasty sauce.
The Best Chicken Tikka Masala
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 4 hr
- Active: 1 hr
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 286
- Total Fat
- 17 g
- Saturated Fat
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 18 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Protein
- 32 g
- Cholesterol
- 163 mg
- Sodium
- 832 mg
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 4 hr
- Active: 1 hr
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 286
- Total Fat
- 17 g
- Saturated Fat
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 18 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Protein
- 32 g
- Cholesterol
- 163 mg
- Sodium
- 832 mg
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade:
Sauce:
Directions
- For the chicken marinade: Whisk together the yogurt, ginger, salt, chili powder, garam masala, pepper, turmeric and garlic in a large bowl until combined. Toss the chicken in the spiced yogurt marinade until evenly coated. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to 24. (Overnight works best.)
- For the sauce: Melt the ghee in a large Dutch oven or wide heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions and serrano, season with 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden and beginning to caramelize, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, until very fragrant and the ginger starts to turn golden and sticks to the bottom of the pot, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the fenugreek leaves, garam masala, chili powder and paprika and cook, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up into pieces with a spoon, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced by half and the tomatoes are very tender, about 30 minutes.
- Let the hot sauce cool for about 5 minutes or so, then transfer it to a blender filling no more than halfway. (If your blender is small, you may need to work in batches.) Remove the center cap from the lid and place it on the blender. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters, and pulse until smooth. Add 1/4 cup heavy cream and puree until creamy. Pour into a clean pot and bring to a simmer. Season with salt.
- Meanwhile, position a rack directly under the broiler and preheat to high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack inside.
- Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the rack. Broil until the chicken starts to brown in spots, 3 to 6 minutes per side (it will not be cooked through). Remove from the broiler. When cool enough to handle, cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces. Add the chicken to the simmering sauce, cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Top the chicken and sauce with cilantro. Serve with rice and naan.
Cook’s Note
Kashmiri red chili powder is mildly spicy with a bright red color. Look for it in Indian and Asian markets. Ghee is clarified butter used in Indian cooking. It's available in Asian markets and specialty grocery stores. We use fenugreek leaves for their nutty and slightly minty flavor. If you can't find them, substitute dried mint leaves and a pinch of ground fenugreek.
