Best Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe (Restaurant Style)
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This is the best chicken tikka masala recipe ever! It tastes just like the restaurant and will fool even the most hardcore of takeout enthusiasts. Rich and creamy with tender bites of chicken, this chicken tikka masala recipe has been perfected over years to be just the best!
Get Ready to Wow Your Tastebuds
Chicken tikka masala is a gateway drug.
Having never before tasted a spicy and sour rassam, never dunked a crispy piece of pakora in bright green chutney, never fought over the last gulab jamun in the order, most of us start with chicken tikka masala. It’s considered the official dish of the United Kingdom and is almost certainly the unofficial first-timer’s order the world over. Maybe it’s the description on the menu:
- Mesquite broiled Chicken-Tikka cooked with bell pepper, onions in a tomato butter sauce
- Chicken tikka prepared in tomato cream sauce.
- Pieces of chicken tikka cooked in a creamy sauce with fresh tomato and exotic spices.
I see a few words in each of those descriptions, don’t you? Tomato. Cream. Butter.
Indian cuisine neophytes across the country are pointing at that item on the menu, claiming “It couldn’t be bad.” And oh, are they so very wrong.
This recipe for chicken tikka masala is quite possibly the heavenliest dish on the face of the planet if you’re asking me (and you are, aren’t you?). The heady mix of spices, the slow-cooked onions, and garlic, the creamy, buttery ho-my-goodness sauce: it draws most Indian food newbies in instantaneously, converting them for life
The problem is that a restaurant style chicken tikka masala recipe is weirdly hard to make at home. No, I take that back; it’s really hard to find. I’ve been working at nailing it for over a decade now, with no real luck. Sure, the recipes I made were great, awesome takes on Indian curries. But did they taste like restaurant-style chicken tikka masala? Was it the best chicken tikka masala recipe? Not quite. There was just something missing.
So a little while back, I decided to do some research into what restaurants really do to produce that unbelievable dish. I read through plenty of theory, different elements that combine to create the dish you know and love. I paired those new techniques with a recipe I had been developing and most importantly, I had very low expectations.
And so when I tasted that first bite, it was a sheer delight when I realized I’d done it. Finally, the restaurant style chicken tikka masala recipe I’d been dreaming of! The slow-cooked onions, garlic, tomatoes, and spices; the rich and creamy half and half; the heady spices and fenugreek. It surpassed every previous attempt I’d made with flying colors.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- It utilizes authentic caramelization processes to produce a tikka masala that tastes just like the restaurant.
- It’s rich and creamy and smooth and spicy and perfect.
- There are even healthier options, like Whole30, paleo, and dairy-free options, making it super healthy and workable for even restrictive diets.
Important Tip!
Do not skip the caramelization process either with the aromatics or the tomato sauce. If you do, you’ll end up with a less-than Indian curry, and not the best chicken tikka masala recipe ever! Seriously, if you make this and find it isn’t the best ever, you didn’t caramelize it all long enough!
I repeat – do not skip the caramelization process!
I used full-fat plain yogurt as a marinade, but if you’re paleo or on a Whole30, you can skip that without missing too much. And if you’re dairy free, use 2 cups solid coconut cream in place of the 2 cups half and half.
Where Can I Find Fenugreek Leaves?
Fenugreek leaves are optional but oh, they put the dish over the top. Do use them if you can find them! I bought a big box at an Asian market and have barely made a dent in it. If you like Indian food, you’ll be super happy to have a box of fenugreek leaves at home. I use them in my saag chicken recipe, too, and they really take things over the edge.
Is Chicken Tikka Masala Healthy?
This chicken tikka masala recipe is healthy! It uses real, whole foods.
This chicken tikka masala also has dairy-free options and works for a Whole30 or paleo diet. It’s gluten and grain free, includes no sugar, and no processed anything! All real food love.
Other Recipes You’ll Love
- How to Make Paneer
- Paneer Tikka Masala
- Palak Paneer
- Easy Chana Masala
- Vegetarian Chickpea Tikka Masala
- Whole30 Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala (Paleo, Low Carb)
- Butter Chicken
- Perfect Naan
- Chicken Tikka Masala Chili (Whole30, Paleo)
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
- The Best Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
Best Chicken Tikka Masala (Restaurant Style)
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts diced, about 1 ½ pounds
For the Marinade
- 1 cup plain full-fat yogurt See Notes for alternate diets
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice about half a lemon
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried ginger
For the Sauce
- 4 tablespoons ghee or butter, ¼ cup
- 1 medium white onion diced
- 1-2 serrano chiles minced, see Notes for heat level
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh ginger grated
- 3 ½ teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 green bell pepper deseeded and sliced into strips
- 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
- lots of salt to taste
- 2 cups heavy cream or half-and-half, See Notes for alternate diets
For Serving
- basmati rice See Notes for alternate diets
- naan
- fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
- Combine all marinade ingredients besides chicken in a medium bowl and stir well. Add chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, up to overnight.
Make the Sauce
- Heat the ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add serrano chiles, garlic, ginger, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until a nice toffee color, about 20 minutes, adding a few drops of water here and there if drying out and sticking. Add garam masala and paprika and stir well. Cook until fragrant, a few minutes, adding a couple of tablespoons of water if necessary to reduce sticking.
- Stir in the tomato sauce then transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Return the sauce to your skillet. Add sliced bell pepper, fenugreek, and salt.
- Meanwhile, cook the chicken. Preheat broiler and place a wire rack over a baking sheet. Place chicken pieces on top of the rack. Broil, turning occasionally until browned in spots and cooked through, about 8 minutes total.
- Simmer for 30 minutes on medium-low heat or until thick and more like a paste than a sauce. Add the heavy cream and stir until very smooth. Taste and correct seasonings. Add chicken, stir well, and serve over basmati or cauliflower rice and naan. Top with plenty of chopped cilantro.
Notes
- Mild: 1 serrano chile, seeded
- Medium: 1 serrano chile, not seeded
- Hot: 2 serrano chiles, not seeded
- You can use a compliant non-dairy yogurt, like Kite Hill unsweetened, to marinate your chicken. You can also skip the yogurt entirely and simply marinate the chicken in spices and lemon juice, or use canned coconut milk to replace the yogurt.
- Use 2 cups coconut cream (just the solid white part of a can of coconut milk or cream) in place of the half and half.
- Serve over steamed cauliflower rice, not regular rice.
Video
Nutrition Information
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
I use deggi mirch powder, which is similar to paprika but a vibrant red, in my chicken tikka masala. It gives the dish a brilliant hue and especially authentic restaurant-style taste. I highly recommend ordering a box if you make Indian food, like my chana masala, butter chicken, or chickpea tikka masala, with any sort of regularity!
Fenugreek is native to South Asia and Southeastern Europe. The leaves taste like a combination of fennel and celery.
The leaves have a much milder flavor than the seeds, so I would recommend just omitting the fenugreek or starting with a very small amount if you only have the seeds. (Unless you just absolutely love the taste of them!)
I made this recipe twice, and I really wanted to like it. I thought I made a mistake the first time but I didn’t. Unfortunately it tasted nothing like what I was expecting. It was creamy and rich but it did not have that chicken tikka masala flavor that I’ve been looking for. Both times the color was completely off. Thank you for the recipe but my quest continues.
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I grew up in UK and moved to the US 10 years ago. I don’t normally comment on recipes but this was is phenomenal. It’s rare that I have tried a recipe and felt like I got close to restaurant food. Thank you!!
I thought I was the only one who was out there searching for the perfect chicken tikka masala recipe! I have been trying this for years as well, reading British websites downloading every recipe I could find and I agree with you every single one of them kind of taste the same and was missing that creamy something that I don’t know how to describe. I am anxious to try this but since we are snowed-in in St Louis and the wind chill is 25 below, the stores are closed si I will have to go to the store to get a few things. I guess my question is.. is this more of a British Curry or an American style There really is a difference. I prefer the American style, even though I know that this is Britain’s favorite dish. Also I have never seen green peppers in chicken tikka masala, do those dissolve after you cook them because I’ve never seen it before. Thank you so much for this recipe. I hope it’s what I’m looking for!
I haven’t made this recipe but I’ve done A LOT of research on British Indian food and have been experimenting with those recipes – this to me looks like an American style (I also like the American style but they are definitely different)
what do you call a can of tomato sauce, please? passata? ragu, puree?
Passata or puree 🙂
I’m from the UK and grew up eating Indian food. This recipe was spot on! I marinated the chicken for 4 hours it was perfect. I didn’t blend the ‘paste/sauce’ until after I’d added and cooked down the green peppers as I didn’t want them noticeable. I substituted 2teaspoons of fennel seeds as I couldn’t find fenugreek. It was so delicious… thank you!
Hi, I’m in the Uk and not seen canned tomato sauce, what would be a good substitute could I use passata or canned chopped tomatoes with some tomato purée.?
Passata will work! 🙂
This was a great recipe! I usually make modifications to recipes but followed this exactly and loved it. Try not to skip the Fenugreek bc it makes ALL the difference (I found a large bag of it for $5 at my local international grocery). Instead of a blender, I used my immersion blender and the sauce was smooth and creamy and this way I had one less thing to wash. Loved this recipe and will make again!
Can I make this with lamb instead? I have a chicken intolerance. Is there something different you’d recommend?
We’ve never tried it with lamb! Please let us know what you think if you try it. You could also substitute with chickpeas!
This is an awesome recipe to follow. It turned out fantastic. I have tried others and it didn’t turn out this well. I have seven kids and it’s impossible to please them all yet this did it. I don’t have fenugreek hanging around so I left it out and it was delicious. I will look over your other recipes on the sight as I am expanding my kids tastes. Thank you!
Oh. My goodness. I’ve searched far and wide for a recipe that comes anywhere close to restaurant-style tikka, and this blows my mind! We’re on the reintroduction part of Whole30, so I used coconut cream instead of heavy cream, and it was still delicious!!! I’m honestly more excited about the chicken and the sauce than I am about finally adding rice back into our diet. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!!!
Do you mean ground ginger when you say to add 1/4 tsp dried ginger to the marinade?
Yes. 🙂
Having cooked curries all my life using a range of spices and different ingredients I was a little apprehensive about using this recipe, however me and my husband tried it and we were totally amazed. Whilst it was cooking we were a little worried but followed your recipe through and through and in the end it tasted fabulous. Thank you so much for sharing… x
So glad y’all liked it!