Not too spicy, this family-friendly chicken tikka masala is filled with rich Indian-inspired flavors. It’s easy to make at home using accessible ingredients.
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Hello, my friends!
Let me just start out by stating plainly that I’m no expert on Indian cuisine. I’m not from there. I’ve never even been there. I am simply a bystander who admires their delicious food.
We have a local Indian restaurant called Tadka that Brandon and I have discovered in the last little while. We’ve tried many of their dishes and everything we have tried is good. One of our favorites is the chicken tikka masala.
Trying their chicken tikka masala inspired me to create a family-friendly version that I could easily make at home so that my whole family could enjoy it.
After several attempts, this is the recipe I landed on that I want to keep making. It comes together in just 40 minutes and the spices are tamed down to where my family enjoys them. There is enough flavor to excite the more adventurous eaters, without the little ones feeling like their taste buds are going to explode.
Plain and simple, it’s a winner recipe. And that’s what I share here.
How to make this chicken tikka masala
The first step is a 10-minute marinate for the chicken.
I’m pretty sure this is not an authentic step for making chicken tikka masala. I made it up based on what my friend Emmy from Taiwan (remember the Taiwanese curry?) taught me.
Emmy showed me how marinading the chicken before cooking it adds a lot of flavor to dishes like this one. It makes the chicken more tender and delicious.
Cut the chicken in bite sized pieces and mix it with the following:
- cornstarch
- Garam Masala (I will talk more about this ingredient below)
- salt
- water
- olive oil
- vinegar (I use rice vinegar, but I think you could use any white vinegar)
Then let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes while you are preparing the rest of the dish.
The next step is to make the sauce.
Sauté the onions in melted butter (or oil) and a little white sugar. Then add the ginger (I like to use ginger paste) and fresh garlic. I don’t substitute refrigerated minced garlic for the fresh garlic because it tends to add a bitter flavor. If you’re looking for an easy way to mince garlic, I love my garlic press (aff. link).
Then add the spices (more Garam Masala, ground chili powder, cumin, turmeric, and a little bit of cayenne pepper–more if you like it hot).
Then add the tomato sauce and coconut milk. I like to gently simmer the sauce about 10 minutes to develop the flavors, but you could skip this step if you are in a hurry.
Finishing it off.
Now it’s time to add the marinated chicken. It will cook in the simmering sauce for about 5 to 10 minutes until it is cooked through and no longer pink in the center.
Lastly add cream and frozen peas to finish it off. Taste it and add additional salt and pepper, if needed.
Chicken tikka masala serving suggestions and variations
This dish is delicious served over cooked rice with freshly chopped cilantro on top. The cilantro is optional, but it’s so delicious.
I haven’t tried it, but I think this dish would work well to add potatoes. I would add them with the sauce ingredients and cook until barely tender before adding the chicken.
Coconut cream (Trader Joe’s brand, aff. link) works in place of the coconut milk and it is very good, maybe even slightly thicker and more creamy.
This recipe would adapt very well to be dairy free. If I were making it dairy free, I would use coconut cream in place of heavy cream and substitute oil for the butter.
What is Garam Masala and where can I find it?
Garam Masala is a spice blend that is used in Indian cuisine (and other Asian cuisines).
You can buy garam masala on Amazon (aff. link) or maybe able to find it in some grocery stores. I bought mine at a local Asian market.
There really are no good substitutions for this spice. It maybe possible to make your own, but a quick google search convinced me it’s probably more difficult than buying it.
It has a warm and delicious flavor and definitely a spice worth keeping around even for this dish alone.
Wrapping things up…
In conclusion I just want to tell you that this chicken tikka masala, while not authentic, has completely won over my heart. It is definitely one we will be making over and over again. Give it a try, my friends.
Chicken Tikka Masala
Not too spicy, this family-friendly chicken tikka masala is filled with rich Indian-inspired flavors. It's easy to make at home using accessible ingredients.
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade:
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ tablespoon garam masala see note
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Tikka Masala:
- 1 tablespoon butter (or oil)
- ½ tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¾ cup diced onion from 1 small onion
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger or ginger paste
- 3 large cloves garlic minced, about 1 tablespoon
- ½ tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper use more if you want it spicy
- 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 14.5-ounce can coconut milk see note
- ¾ cup frozen peas no need to thaw
- ½ cup heavy cream see note for dairy free variation
- salt & pepper to taste
- cooked white or brown rice for serving
- choped cilantro for serving, to taste, optional
Instructions
Chicken Marinade:
-
Trim fat from meat and cut into ½-inch pieces. Set aside.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, garam masala, salt, water, olive oil, and vinegar. Place cut up meat in bowl and toss to coat evenly. Refrigerate meat for at least 10 minutes to tenderize.
Tikka Masala:
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In a Dutch oven or large, sturdy pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sugar and diced onion and saute for about 4 minutes until onion begins to soften.
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Add garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute more until aromatic. Add ½ tablespoon garam masala, the chili powder, cumin, tumeric, and cayenne. Sauté for about 3 minutes more until the onion is completely soft and spices are fragrant.
-
Add the tomato sauce and coconut milk. Then heat to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes (see note).
-
Add marinated meat plus all of the juices and cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until meat is cooked through and no longer pink in the center.
-
Sitr in frozen peas, heavy cream, and additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve over steamed rice garnish with chopped cilantro, if desired.
Recipe Notes
1. You can buy garam masala on Amazon (aff. link) or maybe able to find it in some grocery stores. I bought mine at a local Asian market.
2. I have also use coconut cream in place of coconut milk and it is very good, maybe even slightly thicker and more creamy.
3. I think this recipe would adapt very well to be dairy free. If I were making it df, I would use coconut cream in place of heavy cream and substitute oil for the butter.
4. I like to simmer the sauce alone for 10 minutes before adding the chicken. I think it helps develop the flavors, but if you are in a hurry you could skip that step.
Recipe Source: Heather @ The Cook’s Treat
All images and text ©The Cook’s Treat
Disclaimer: post contains affiliate links for items on Amazon.
I just made the Chicken Tikka Masala from The Cook’s Treat, and it was absolutely divine! The balance of spices was perfect, creating a rich and comforting dish. Your clear, step-by-step instructions made the process enjoyable and easy to follow. This recipe is a keeper and has added a delicious new favorite to my dinner rotation. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks Supriya!