Chicken Tikka Masala

Britain's National Dish
Here's a wonderful recipe for one of Britain's favorite curry dishes - chicken tikka masala. It is a highly spiced curry but one without a huge fiery kick to it, as it was invented in Glasgow, Scotland to cater for British palates. If you want to add extra chilies though, that's fine! This recipe can also be made using lamb or just use mixed vegetables for a lovely veggie curry.
For a standard chicken curry try my Easy Chicken Curry recipe. Or to ramp up the heat, go for my Hot Chicken Madras recipe!
Ingredients
- large onion (sliced)
- 2-4 green chilies according to required heat (roughly chopped)
- 1 inch cube of ginger (roughly chopped)
- 3 cloves of garlic (crushed)
- 1 tsp hot chili powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp garam masala powder
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
- tomato puree (approx. 1 tbsp)
- 4 chicken breasts (chopped to bite-sized pieces)
- 12-15 curry leaves
- natural yoghurt (low fat option) or single cream
- fresh chopped cilantro/corriander (approx. 2 tbsp)

Cooking the onions
With garlic, ginger and chili
As for any decent curry, firstly add the sliced onion to a large pan or wok containing about 1 tbsp of groundnut or vegetable oil. Cook the onion gently until softened and starting to go golden brown.
Add the chilies, crushed garlic and chopped ginger and continue to cook out for about 5 minutes.

Adding spices
Garam masala, chili powder, turmeric and sugar
Once the onion, garlic, ginger and chilies have softened and taken on some color, add the garam masala, chili powder, turmeric and sugar. Stir to thoroughly mix the ingredients and continue cooking on moderate heat until fragrant.

Completing the curry sauce
Add tomato puree and chopped tomatoes
Make a well in the middle of the pan and add the tomato puree. Stir it into the other ingredients and cook for a further minute before adding the chopped tinned tomatoes. Stir well and cook for a further 5 minutes.
This mixture should then be blended in a food processor, or using a hand blender, until it forms a smooth curry paste.

Cooking the chicken
Re-heat the pan and add another tbsp of oil. Add the chicken pieces and stir, cooking until golden brown.

Adding the curry sauce
And curry leaves
Once the chicken pieces are cooked, add the blended curry paste back into the pan, and stir in the curry leaves.
Continue to simmer over a gentle heat for a further 15-20 minutes.
Cook your rice during this period

Stir in yoghurt
And chopped fresh cilantro
Once the curry is cooked and the rice is ready, stir in 4-5 tbsp of yoghurt (or cream if you are going for the rich, full-fat version!) together with a handful of chopped corriander (cilantro).
Chicken Tikka Masala - Garnish with chopped cilantro

Garnish the completed recipe with the remaining chopped corriander (cilantro) and serve the chicken tikka masala with boiled rice and/or bread accompaniment (naan or rotis).
Curry cookbooks - For an authentic taste of India
Other curry links
- Gordon Ramsay's Chicken Tikka Masala - from Cookalong Live on Channel 4
This is the original recipe I based this page on, due to the inclusion of yoghurt as a healthier option! There are some minor differences in the quantities and cooking times.
Are you a curry monster? - Add your voice!
Holy Smokes, yes ... call me the curry monster. I can honestly smell the onions. Sounds quite tasty! I like it spicy too.
This is my fav dish. Is there anything non-dairy that you can sub for yogurt?
Amy's Kitchen (meals) is where I got my start in loving Indian Cuisine :) Curry? In a hurry! love it!
I only learned about tikka masala today from an episode of the show QI. I'm not crazy about Indian (or Indian-inspired) food, but your recipe is very appetizing. I just may try it with different spices.
great recipe :)
I've never actually made Chicken Tikka - I've always bought it. May give your recipe a try!
Great lens, 5 stars. I love Chicken or Shrimp Masala. Great pictures and recipes.
Tikka Masala - food of the Gods!
5* and featured/lensrolled to my Welsh cakes lens in the British Food on Squidoo section :)
I'm with Not-Pop...now I'm hungry. I love these recipe lenses though.
I'm with Not-Pop...now I'm hungry. I love these recipe lenses though.
I've got to stop reading these lenses just before lunchtime. You've done a fantastic job making this recipe easy to follow and hunger-inducing!
I've got to stop reading these lenses just before lunchtime. You've done a fantastic job making this recipe easy to follow and hunger-inducing!
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