The best Chicken Tikka Masala recipe is easy to make at home and tastes just like your favorite Indian restaurant dish. Serve it over basmati rice with warm naan for a comforting, family-friendly meal everyone will love.
Chicken Tikka Masala that's easy to make at home.
Chicken Tikka Masala that's easy to make at home.I love this easy Chicken Tikka Masala recipe because it delivers all the rich, authentic Indian flavors I crave, without needing a traditional tandoor clay oven. I’ve adapted this recipe for the stovetop, Instant Pot, or slow cooker so it’s easy to make no matter what tools you have on hand (you can even broil the chicken in the oven!). The creamy, spiced tomato sauce is pure comfort food, and it tastes even better as leftovers, which is always a win in our house!
Try my curry recipes, like Panang Curry, Yellow Curry, Massaman Curry, or Chickpea Curry.
How to make Chicken Tikka Masala at home:
Cook Chicken: Marinate chopped chicken in a mixture of yogurt, oil, garlic, ginger, lime, spices, and salt for at least 30 minutes (or up to 1 day in the fridge). Sear in a hot cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat with oil, cooking in batches until golden and cooked through. Set aside and keep warm.
Make Sauce: Sauté whole spices (peppercorns, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon stick) for 20 seconds in hot oil, then add onions, chilies, garlic, and ginger. Cook until soft for 2-3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, and spices. Cover and simmer for 10–15 minutes, then remove bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Blend the sauce until smooth with a blender or immersion blender. Stir in cream or coconut milk, then return chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 more minutes.
Serve: Enjoy homemade chicken tikka masala warm over basmati rice with naan or pita bread.
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Recipe
Chicken Tikka Masala
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade:
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs , or breasts, chopped into pieces
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
Sauce:
- 2 Tablespoons canola oil
- 4 whole peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf (Indian bay leaf if you have one)
- 2 whole cloves , or ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 yellow onion , chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 inch fresh ginger , grated
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 Bird's eye chili , , or a small piece of jalapeño, chopped, (optional for spicy)
- 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes , or 3 roma tomatoes, chopped
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper , or more, for extra spicy
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 cup coconut milk , or heavy cream
For Serving:
- ½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
- Hot cooked Basmati rice
- Naan, chapati, or rotis
Instructions
- Make Marinade: In a mixing bowl combine yogurt, oil, garlic, ginger, lime, cayenne pepper, garam masala, smoked paprika, and salt. Add chopped chicken pieces and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes (or refrigerate for up to 1 day, stored in the fridge).2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 4 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger, 1 tablespoon lime juice, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon salt
- Cook Chicken: Heat 1 or 2 Tablespoons oil in a grill pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, cook chicken pieces in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan, and cook for a few minutes on each side, until cooked through. Add additional oil, as needed, for multiple batches. Set aside and keep warm while making the sauce.2 Tablespoons canola oil
- Make Sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Once hot add the peppercorns, bay leaves, cloves, and cinnamon stick and saute for 20 seconds, careful not to let them burn. Add chopped onions, green chilies or jalapeno, ginger, and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, and spices and mix well. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.4 whole peppercorns, 1 bay leaf, 2 whole cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 yellow onion, 1 inch fresh ginger, 3 cloves garlic, 1 Bird's eye chili, 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes, ½ cup tomato sauce, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons garam masala
- Blend: Discard bay leaves, cinnamon stick and cloves. Use a blender or immersion blender to puree the sauce until smooth. Stir in coconut milk or cream.1 cup coconut milk
- Simmer: Return the chicken to the pot and simmer for 5 more minutes. Garnish with cilantro.½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
- Serve over hot cooked basmati rice, with a side of naan.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe September 2020. Updated March 2021, September 2023 and September 2025.
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Real tasty. Spices are right on mark. I used ginger powder instead of fresh because that’s what I had, and it still came out great.
I made this last night. Mg family loves it.
Delicious! I cut the chicken into smaller pieces and only had 1/2 and 1/2 on hand, but it was still very good. This will go into the regular rotation!
Great recipe! The spices are really perfect. The only thing I did differently was use the tomato sauce to de-glaze my cast iron (used to cook chicken) before adding it in with everything else. Didn’t want to waste any of that stuck-on flavor!
This is Chicken Tikka Massa recipe is perfect, and everyone in the family loves it. I removed the cayenne pepper from mine as my two young daughters (10 and 7) are not too fond of spices. Thanks Lauren
I’ve made this recipe for my whole fam three times now, and it’s a constant request each week! I’ve got 3, 4 1/2 and 6 yr olds, and this recipe is just the perfect amount of complex spices and cream. They love having naan to tear and scoop up the sauce and rice with. Sooooo good, a definite keeper with no edits. I also made once with half cauliflower, half chicken and it was just as delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Made this recipe last night and we loved it! I made a simple garam masala recipe (an ingredient called for in the recipe) which I will now have on hand when I make this again!
Great recipe!
Made for an incredible Mother’s Day meal. My wife loved it ❤
This recipe is fantastic. My husband could not stop raving that it was the BEST tikka he had ever tasted.
The second time I made it was much easier, thanks for your good instructions. Its well worth the effort.
I would say this is one of the best tikka recipes I have ever had. Thanks to your instructions, it was easy to make and the whole family loved it. Total win!