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Chicken Tikka Masala

Categories Main Course, Sauces

I love chicken tikka masala! It is delicious and always fills my craving for Indian food, though it’s technically not an Indian dish but a British creation and tribute of sorts to Indian cuisine. It does have many of the same spices used in Indian cooking. It’s comforting, filling and delicious! I would say it tastes alot like Indian spiced spaghetti sauce that is served over rice and it is very similar to Butter chicken which is an Indian dish.

What is the different between chicken tikka masala and butter chicken?

Chicken tikka masala is very similar to butter chicken. There are only two real differences between the recipes. Number one being that chicken tikka masala is a little more textured or chunkier, not meaning chunks but not as smooth as butter chicken because tikka masala uses diced tomatoes as opposed to tomato puree that butter chicken uses.The second difference is chicken tikka masala doesn’t have butter in it, butter chicken obviously does. Those are really the two main difference though the two dishes often get mixed up, even at restaurants.

What do you need to make chicken tikka masala:

Serves 6 people

For chicken:

  • 4 large chicken breasts
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon ginger powder

For the Sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion – diced
  • 5 cloves garlic – minced
  • 2 – 14.5 ounce cans of diced tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • dash of chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup cream or milk
  • 1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

Instructions for chicken:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  2. In a bowl, combine Greek yogurt, salt, chili powder, garam masala, garlic powder and ginger powder and mix well.
  3. Dip raw chicken breasts into yogurt mixture and place on a greased metal baking pan.
  4. Bake for 45 minutes or until chicken breasts are cooked thoroughly.
  5. Broil for 2-3 minutes at the end to brown up the chicken slightly.
  6. Remove from oven and allow chicken breasts to cool then dice them up.

Instructions for sauce:

  1. In a large pot, add olive oil, yellow onion and garlic and stir over medium heat until onions begin to soften.
  2. Add diced tomatoes and stir.
  3. Stir in the garam masala, curry powder, sugar, chili powder and salt and bring mixture to a boil.
  4. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for about 10 minutes.
  5. Stir in the cream or milk and sour cream or plain yogurt.
  6. Add in diced chicken, stir well and serve over rice with some naan bread.

Want more Indian Recipes? check out some others I have on my blog.

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Chicken Tikka Masala

Delicious indian/british comfort food, easily made at home.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Course: chicken, Dinner, Main Course, Sauce
Cuisine: Chicken, Curry, Dinner, Indian, main course
Keyword: Chicken, Dinner, indian, main course, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner
Servings: 6 people

Ingredients

  • For chicken:
  • 4 large chicken breasts
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon ginger powder
  • For sauce:
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion – diced
  • 5 cloves garlic – minced
  • 2 – 14.5 ounce cans of diced tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • dash of chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup cream or milk
  • 1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

Instructions

  • Instructions for chicken:
  • Preheat oven to 375 F.
  • In a bowl, combine Greek yogurt, salt, chili powder, garam masala, garlic powder and ginger powder and mix well.
  • Dip raw chicken breasts into yogurt mixture and place on a greased metal baking pan.
  • Bake for 45 minutes or until chicken breasts are cooked thoroughly.
  • Broil for 2-3 minutes at the end to brown up the chicken slightly.
  • Remove from oven and allow chicken breasts to cool then dice them up.
  • Instructions for sauce:
  • In a large pot, add olive oil, yellow onion and garlic and stir over medium heat until onions begin to soften.
  • Add diced tomatoes and stir.
  • Stir in the garam masala, curry powder, sugar, chili powder and salt and bring mixture to a boil.
  • Reduce to a simmer and simmer for about 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the cream or milk and sour cream or plain yogurt.
  • Add in diced chicken, stir well and serve over rice with some naan bread.