Charred chicken tikka pieces in a smooth orange curry sauce on a white platter, scattered with chopped coriander, with a serving spoon. — Photo: Lance Vanlewen · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Indian & South Asian · Lunch · Dinner

Chicken Tikka Masala

Name: Chicken Tikka Masala
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 80 min
Cuisine: Indian & South Asian
Ingredients: 600 g (about 3 breasts) Boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 3 cm chunks; 1 cup Plain low-fat yogurt; 1 tbsp Lemon juice; 6 cloves Garlic, finely grated; 2 tbsp Fresh ginger, finely grated; 3 tsp Garam masala; 2 tsp Ground cumin; 2 tsp Paprika; 1 tsp Ground turmeric; 2 tsp Ground coriander; 1/2 tsp Chili powder; 3/4 tsp Salt; 1 tbsp Canola oil; 1 large Onion, finely chopped; 2 tbsp Tomato paste; 1 can (400 g) Canned crushed tomatoes; 1/2 cup Water; 1/4 cup Fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped

चिकन टिक्का मसाला

By BerryFit Kitchen · Nutrition checked with USDA data · Updated Oct 11, 2026 · How we make recipes

Smoky, charred chunks of yogurt-marinated chicken simmered in a warmly spiced tomato sauce. Yogurt stands in for heavy cream, so it stays rich and silky but much lighter.

Prep: 45 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 80 min
Serves: 4

Medium
High protein

17%

Per serving332kcal17% of a 2,000 kcal day

40gProtein

22gCarbs

10gFat

5gFiber

Calories come from: Carbs 26% · Fat 26% · Protein 48%

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Ingredients

For 4 servings

600 g (about 3 breasts)Boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 3 cm chunks
1 cup245 gPlain low-fat yogurt
1 tbsp15 gLemon juice
6 cloves18 gGarlic, finely grated
2 tbsp12 gFresh ginger, finely grated
3 tsp6 gGaram masala
2 tspGround cumin
2 tsp5 gPaprika
1 tspGround turmeric
2 tspGround coriander
1/2 tspChili powder
3/4 tsp5 gSalt
1 tbsp14 gCanola oil
1 large150 gOnion, finely chopped
2 tbsp32 gTomato paste
1 can (400 g)Canned crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup120 gWater
1/4 cup10 gFresh coriander (cilantro), chopped (optional)

Steps

1
In a bowl, mix half the yogurt (1/2 cup) with the lemon juice, half the garlic and ginger, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp turmeric and 1/2 tsp salt.
2
Add the chicken, toss to coat, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3
Heat the grill (broiler) to high and line a baking tray with foil.
4
Spread the chicken on the tray in one layer, shaking off excess marinade, and discard the leftover marinade.
5
Grill for 10-12 minutes, turning once, until charred at the edges and cooked through to 74 °C / 165 °F inside.
6
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat and cook the onion for 8 minutes until soft and golden.
7
Stir in the remaining garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute.
8
Add the remaining garam masala, cumin, paprika and turmeric plus the ground coriander and chili powder, and stir for 30 seconds.
9
Stir in the tomato paste, then the crushed tomatoes, water and the remaining 1/4 tsp salt.
10
Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until thickened.
11
Blend the sauce with a stick blender until smooth, if you like.
12
Take the pan off the heat and stir a few spoonfuls of hot sauce into the remaining yogurt to warm it.
13
Stir the warmed yogurt into the sauce off the heat so it does not split.
14
Add the grilled chicken and warm gently on low heat for 3 minutes without boiling.
15
Scatter with fresh coriander and serve.

Swaps, storage and make-ahead

Swaps

Use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of breast for juicier pieces that are harder to overcook.
For a dairy-free version, use a plain unsweetened coconut or soy yogurt labelled dairy-free in both the marinade and the sauce.
Swap the chicken for chunks of extra-firm tofu or paneer for a vegetarian version, grilling them the same way until browned.
If you can't find garam masala, use a mild curry powder plus a pinch of ground cinnamon instead.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days, reheating gently on low heat or in the microwave, stirring, until steaming hot. Freezing is not recommended because the yogurt sauce can turn grainy and split when thawed.

Make ahead

You can marinate the chicken up to 24 hours ahead in the fridge, and make the tomato sauce up to 3 days ahead, then reheat it, stir in the warmed yogurt off the heat and add freshly grilled chicken.

Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.

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Allergens and nutrition

Contains: Milk

Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.

Full nutrition

	Per serving (409 g)	Per 100 g
Calories	332 kcal	81 kcal
Protein	40.4 g	9.9 g
Carbohydrates	22.2 g	5.4 g
of which sugars	11.7 g	2.9 g
Fiber	4.6 g	1.1 g
Fat	9.6 g	2.3 g
of which saturated	1.9 g	0.5 g
Sodium	756 mg	185 mg

Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.