A mild and fragrant chicken tikka masala curry made with homemade tikka paste, ground spices and fresh herbs. This easy to make tikka masala curry is perfect for a stay at home curry night and a great dish to whip up for a dinner party. Its also a fantastic recipe for using up your leftover or rotisserie chicken.
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👩🏻🍳 Why make this recipe
A delicious, homemade chicken tikka masala curry that you will find yourself making again and again. After marinating the meat, this lovely curry can be made and on the table within 30 minutes. If you're really short on time you can skip the marinating time. Just mix the chicken into the marinade and add to the curry. However, the flavour of the chicken will be greatly enhanced by marinating for just 20 minutes and then cooking on griddle pan until lightly browned.
🥘 Ingredients
To make chicken tikka curry for 4 people you will need:
Ingredient notes
Measurements: For the amounts required, see the recipe card below and use the toggle button to see the recipe in cups.
Passata: Passata is the best option for a making a smooth tomato based curry sauce. Alternatively use a tin of chopped tomatoes but whiz up in the blender.
Chicken: This recipe uses raw chicken. However, cooked shredded chicken can also be used. This means you could buy a rotisserie chicken or use leftover chicken from a previous meal.
Tikka masala paste: This recipe uses a homemade tikka masala paste, but if you are short on time you can buy a jar of paste.
Ground almonds: This adds a sweetness to the curry without having to add sugar. However, if you prefer, the almonds can be replaced with 2 teaspoon of sugar.
Plain yogurt: Use full fat yogurt to help keep the sauce nice and thick. This adds a creaminess to the sauce. If you want extra creamy sauce then replace with 2 tablespoon of double cream.
Fresh garlic and ginger: Fresh garlic and ginger will give the best flavour for this tikka curry, but a teaspoon of paste or jarred garlic/ginger could be used instead.
Tikka masala spices: Paprika, cinnamon, garam masala are used in this recipe which helps boost the flavour already provided by the tikka paste. I recommend using at least these spices and for a little extra flavour try adding a teaspoon of cumin and turmeric.
🔪 Step by step instructions
- First add 2 tablespoon of tikka masala paste and 120ml plain yogurt to a large bowl and mix together well to create a tikka marinade.
- Slice the chicken breast into chunks and add to the tikka marinade. Alternatively slice or shred leftover or rotisserie chicken and add to the marinade. Stir well to completely coat the chicken. Cover and leave to marinade in the fridge for around 20 minutes. You can marinade for longer (max 2 hours) but don't over marinade as the chicken may start to become a bit mushy.
- Next heat up a tablespoon of oil in a large pan and add finely chopped onion, garlic and ginger. Gently fry until the onions start to caramelise.
- Once the onions are caramelised add the juice of half a lemon, chopped coriander stems, 1 tablespoon of tikka masala paste and the ground spices. Mix together and continue to gently fry on a medium heat allowing the paste and spices to release their flavours.
- Stir in the passata and ground almonds and bring to a gentle simmer, then remove from the heat to slightly cool.
- Remove the marinated chicken from the fridge. At this point the chicken can either be added as it is directly to the curry sauce or can be griddle in a pan to brown the marinade. To griddle add the marinated chicken to a sizzlingly hot pan (no oil required). Fry until browned on both sides then remove from the pan into a bowl.
- Add 2 tablespoon yogurt to the slightly cooled curry sauce and stir in well.
- Next add the marinated chicken and fresh coriander leaves to the sauce. The marinated chicken can be browned off in the griddle pan first (step 6) or just added straight from the marinating bowl with all the marinade. Stir together well.
- Bring the curry to a gentle simmer to ensure the chicken is cooked through before serving. If you have added raw marinated chicken directly to the curry simmer for 10 minutes or so until the chicken is cooked.
💭 Expert tips
Chicken tikka curry: The chicken can be replace with your preferred meat or fish (lamb or cod are good options). Or swap in for veggies (courgette, aubergine, sweet potato) if you want to make a vegetarian tikka masala.
Spicy tikka curry: For an extra kick add in sliced chilli pepper or a few drops of Tabasco or a teaspoon of hot chilli powder.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Once made, allow the tikka masala curry to completely cool then transfer to a sealable container and keep in the fridge for 2 days or or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight. Reheat in a pan or in the microwave until piping hot throughout.
Serve up with a helping of rice, naan bread, extra coriander leaves and wedges of lemon.
Tikka usually means pieces of marinated meat cooked in a tandoor or grilled. Tikka masala uses the marinated meat in a curry sauce.
🍛 Other easy homemade curry recipes
- Thai Red Curry Recipe
- Fish Biryani
- Thai Green Curry Recipe
- Massaman Curry
- Thai Green Prawn Curry
- Quick Chicken and Almond Curry
- Thai Panang Curry
- Sweet Potato and Spinach Curry
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📖 Recipe
Chicken Tikka Masala Curry
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl (to marinade chicken)
- Griddle pan (optional)
Ingredients
For the chicken marinade
- 500 g raw chicken breast or leftover/rotisserie chicken
- 2 tablespoons curry paste homemade or shop bought
- 120 ml plain yogurt
For the curry
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped or minced
- 2 cm piece of fresh ginger peeled and finely chopped
- ½ lemon juiced
- Handful fresh coriander stems chopped
- 1 tablespoon curry paste homemade or shop bought
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 400 g passata
- 40 g ground almonds
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
- Handful fresh coriander leaves
Instructions
- First add 2 tablespoon of tikka masala paste and 120ml plain yogurt to a large bowl and mix together well to create a tikka marinade.2 tablespoons curry paste, 120 ml plain yogurt
- Slice the chicken breast into chunks and add to the tikka marinade. Alternatively slice or shred leftover or rotisserie chicken and add to the marinade. Stir well to completely coat the chicken. Cover and leave to marinade in the fridge for around 20 minutes. You can marinade for longer (max 2 hours) but don't over marinade as the chicken may start to become a bit mushy.500 g raw chicken breast or leftover/rotisserie chicken
- Next heat up a tablespoon of oil in a large pan and add finely chopped onion, garlic and ginger. Gently fry until the onions start to caramelise.1 Onion, 2 garlic cloves, 2 cm piece of fresh ginger
- Once the onions are caramelised add the juice of half a lemon, chopped coriander stems, 1 tablespoon of tikka masala paste and the ground spices. Mix together and continue to gently fry on a medium heat allowing the paste and spices to release their flavours.½ lemon juiced, 1 tablespoon curry paste, 2 teaspoons garam masala, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Stir in the passata and ground almonds and bring to a gentle simmer, then remove from the heat to slightly cool.400 g passata, 40 g ground almonds
- Remove the marinated chicken from the fridge. At this point the chicken can either be added as it is directly to the curry sauce or can be griddle in a pan to brown the marinade. To griddle add the marinated chicken to a sizzlingly hot pan (no oil required). Fry until browned on both sides then remove from the pan into a bowl.
- Add 2 tablespoon yogurt to the slightly cooled curry sauce and stir in well.2 tablespoons plain yogurt
- Next add the marinated chicken and fresh coriander leaves to the sauce. The marinated chicken can be browned off in the griddle pan first (step 6) or just added straight from the marinating bowl with all the marinade. Stir together well.Handful fresh coriander leaves
- Bring the curry to a gentle simmer to ensure the chicken is cooked through before serving. If you have added raw marinated chicken directly to the curry simmer for 10 minutes or so until the chicken is cooked.
Nutrition
Notes
Once made, allow the tikka masala curry to completely cool then transfer to a sealable container and keep in the fridge for 2 days or or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight. Reheat in a pan or in the microwave until piping hot throughout. What to serve with chicken tikka masala?
Serve up with a helping of rice, naan bread, extra coriander leaves and wedges of lemon.
This post was first published in Aug 2016. Updated in Sept 2021 with an improved recipe, new photos, and new step by step instructions and expert tips.
Cat
Is it okay to reheat this curry?
Debbie Jones
Hi Cat, yes you can freeze this curry. Just wait until its fully cooled then pop in a sealable container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost on the side overnight or in the microwave then reheat over a low heat in a pan until piping hot throughout. Hope you enjoy it!
Debbie