Chicken tikka masala

Chicken tikka masala is a popular dish made with roasted, marinated chicken and a thick, creamy sauce with turmeric and cashew nuts. Our tikka masala marinade consists of Greek yoghurt and spices, while the sauce is made from tomato purée, onions, turmeric, cashew nuts, and a flavourful, savoury vegetable broth. It is a curry served with rice, and it is popular all over the world.

Prepare a marinade with yoghurt, ginger, and garam masala. Place the marinade in a freezer bag along with the chicken. Massage the marinade into the meat and let it sit in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. Next, put the chicken and marinade in an ovenproof dish and cook it in the oven at 225°C for 15 minutes. In the meantime, make the sauce with turmeric, onions, tomato puree, cashew nuts, seasoning, and stock. Add the marinated chicken and sprinkle with cashew nuts and chilli flakes for a final touch.

The ingredients for chicken tikka masala consist of various spices that, to some extent, make the dish moderately spicy. However, the flavours are more warming than hot and are balanced by the tangy yoghurt marinade, resulting in a pleasant taste experience. But mostly, it depends on the spices used in each recipe, and you can always adjust the spiciness to your liking.

The aromatic chicken tikka masala is a composition of spicy, tangy, and earthy flavours. The marinade for the meat is slightly tangy with warm, peppery notes and a hint of citrus, while the creamy sauce is made from a tomato base mixed with turmeric for an earthy, sweet taste with a slight bitterness.

Serve chicken tikka masala on top of plain boiled rice, for example, brown rice, with a simple salad on the side made from finely chopped pointed cabbage, lettuce, and diced sour apples. The salad creates a refreshing contrast to the decadent creamy flavours of the tikka masala.

Chicken tikka masala freezes well and can sit in the freezer for up to 3 months. Make sure the dish has cooled down completely before you place it in an airtight container and pop it in the freezer. We do not recommend using a freezer bag, as it might split or break; unless you double-bag it just in case.

Yes, you can use Greek yoghurt in tikka masala. It gives the marinade a creamy richness with a tangy flavour that pairs well with garlic, fresh ginger, and garam masala. For our recipe, we use a Greek-inspired yoghurt that slowly tenderises the chicken and keeps it juicy.

Though some are inclined to attribute it to India, interestingly, the origin of chicken tikka masala is not as clear as it may seem. Many believe it was created by the South Asian community in Britain and derived from the Indian butter chicken. They may seem similar at first, but the difference between butter chicken and chicken tikka masala is noticeable in the taste. While butter chicken is on the sweeter side, tikka masala tends to have a spicier kick and be juicier due to the marinade.