Chicken Tikka Masalaਚਿਕਨ ਟਿੱਕਾ ਮਸਾਲਾ

Name: Chicken Tikka Masala
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Punjabi
Ingredients: 700g boneless chicken thighs, cut in 4cm pieces; 100g plain yogurt; 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder; 1.5 tsp garam masala; 2 tbsp butter; 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped; 400g canned crushed tomatoes; 80ml heavy cream; 1 tsp cumin powder; 1 tsp coriander powder; to taste salt; for garnish fresh coriander

⏱ Prep 20m🍳 Cook 40m🍽 Serves 4🌿 Non-veg

Video: amateurprochef (YouTube)

Chicken tikka masala begins where tandoori chicken ends — charred, marinated chicken pieces are folded into a rich, brick-red tomato-cream sauce. Whether the dish was perfected in Punjab or a Glasgow kitchen is still debated; what is not debated is that it is one of the most popular Indian dishes made outside India. The trick is to char the tikka properly before adding it to the masala, because it is that caramelised surface that holds the sauce.

📍 Make it in Plano

This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.

Finding Desi spots near Plano…

Ingredients

▪boneless chicken thighs, cut in 4cm pieces700g
▪plain yogurt100g
▪ginger-garlic paste2 tbsp
▪Kashmiri red chili powder2 tsp
▪garam masala1.5 tsp
For the masala
▪butter2 tbsp
▪yellow onion, finely chopped1 large
▪canned crushed tomatoes400g
▪heavy cream80ml
▪cumin powder1 tsp
▪coriander powder1 tsp
▪saltto taste
▪fresh corianderfor garnish

🌍 Cooking abroad? Substitutions

Kashmiri chili powder gives the deep red colour without fierce heat. Outside South Asia, 1.5 tsp sweet smoked paprika plus 0.5 tsp cayenne is the practical substitute found in any supermarket.
Chicken thighs are far more forgiving than breast under the broiler — they stay juicy even if slightly overcooked. If breast is all you have, watch the timing carefully and pull at 68°C internal.

Method

1Combine the yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, Kashmiri chili, 1 tsp garam masala, and salt. Add the chicken pieces, coat well, and marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.
2To cook the tikka: spread the marinated chicken on a baking tray or thread onto skewers. Broil at maximum heat 8-10 minutes per side until charred at the edges. Set aside.
3For the masala: melt the butter in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until deep golden, about 15 minutes. Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook 2 minutes.
4Pour in the crushed tomatoes. Add the cumin powder, coriander powder, 0.5 tsp garam masala, and salt. Cook on medium heat, stirring regularly, until the masala is thick and the butter separates, about 12 minutes.
5Stir in the cream. Add the cooked tikka pieces and fold gently. Simmer on low heat 5 minutes so the chicken absorbs the sauce.
6Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with garlic naan or steamed basmati rice.

A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.