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Chicken Tikka Masala

Weeknight Chicken Tikka Masala

A fragrant, smoky dish loaded with wonderful Indian flavors and spices.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Marinate 1 hour
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 people
Author Michele

Ingredients

Marinade

  • 1 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne optional
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 2-3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast - cut into bite sized pieces

Sauce

  • 1 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
  • 1 medium onion - chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves - minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger - grated
  • 28 oz canned diced tomatoes
  • 6 oz can tomato paste
  • 3 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tbsp tikka paste can leave out
  • 1 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tbsp chopped cilantro optional
  • 6 cups cooked basmati rice

Instructions

Marinate

  1. Stir together yogurt, lemon juice, cumin, cayenne, cinnamon, salt and pepper.  Add cubed chicken breasts; toss to coat completely with marinade.  Cover and place in the refrigerator at least one hour, or overnight.

Prepare Sauce

  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken in batches, making sure not to crowd the pan.  Cook until brown (about 3 minutes on each side).  Set aside and cook remainder of the chicken.  Remove from pan.

  2. Add onion, garlic and ginger to the hot pan and and saute' for about one minute, until fragrant.  Add tomatoes, tomato paste, garam masala, tikka paste, cumin, chili powder and coriander, and simmer on medium-low for about 15 minutes, until the sauce becomes a brown-red color.

  3. Stir in the cream and the chicken and cook for an additional 10 minutes, until the sauce is thick and bubbling.  

  4. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve over hot basmati rice.