Easy Chicken Tikka Masala

5 from 21 votes

This Easy Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe is a delicious British Indian recipe made with a rich and creamy tomato curry sauce loaded with bold spices and chicken.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time35 mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: English, Indian

Servings:

Calories: 397kcal

Author: Rebecca Hubbell

Ingredients

1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground garam masala
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 to 2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper* see notes
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large white onion diced
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic minced
1 cup heavy cream
15 ounces tomato sauce
2 large chicken breasts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Instructions

Combine all spices together in a small bowl.
Add the diced onion and butter to a large pot over medium heat and cook until onions are translucent, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes.
Add garlic and saute for about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently so as not to burn. If more butter is needed, feel free to add a little.
Add in half of the spice mixture and stir to combine.
Add tomato sauce and heavy cream and the remaining spices and stir to combine.
Continue to cook over medium-low heat until sauce thickens, stirring frequently. The cook time can vary depending on the type of pan and stove you're cooking on, but generally between 10 and 15 minutes.
While the sauce is cooking, slice chicken breasts into two filets each, creating four equally sized pieces, season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Add vegetable oil to a large pan and cook the chicken breasts over medium heat until golden brown on both sides and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Chop the chicken into chunks and add it to the sauce, let lightly simmer for a couple of minutes.
Serve over basmati rice with naan bread.

Video

Notes

Chicken Tikka Masala is generally spicy, but you can control the amount of spice in the dish with how much cayenne pepper you add. I would recommend about 1/2 teaspoon if you like things a little milder and then work your way up from there a 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Remember that the heat will build, so if you have leftovers, they're likely going to be hotter than when you first made the dish.

Nutrition