Homemade chicken tikka masala
My Latest and Favourite Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe is in my New Hardbound Cookbook!
Chicken tikka masala is my kids’ all time favourite curry. They aren’t into spicy food so this and chicken korma are often on our evening menu. This recipe is the result of many visits to curry house kitchens. I have watched it be made many times and of course made it myself hundreds times more.
If you are a chicken tikka masala fan, this one is probably the best out there. I’ve had some great teachers. Now I would like you to be able to make this hugely popular mild curry too.
Many chicken tikka masalas are very sweet. I don’t personally care for overly sweet curries but if that’s what you like, add more sugar or honey. That will do the job.
Preparing Ahead
All of the authentic Indian restaurant style curry recipes on my site use a base curry sauce. There is a link to my recipe below.
PRE-COOKED CHICKEN
Most restaurants use tandoori style chicken for chicken tikka masala. Here is my recipe.
The ingredients you need.
Start by melting your ghee.
Add the spices and fry for about 20 seconds. Then add the garlic and ginger paste.
Pour in the heated base curry sauce.
In goes the tandoori chicken.Ā
Stir the chicken into the sauce and then add the tomato paste.
Pour in the cream.
Add the red food colouring if using.
Finish by adding a squeeze or two of lemon juice and seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
All done! Dig in.
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I recommend serving this chicken tikka masala with plain white rice and another curry such as chicken korma or my mildly spiced pork patia.
- 800g Tandoori chicken tikka (A link to my recipe is above)
- 2 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons garlic and ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
- 2 tablespoons garam masala
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon sugar (more or less to taste)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 700ml heated base curry sauce
- 250ml double cream
- 1 tablespoon red food colouring powder (optional)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small bunch fresh chopped coriander
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Juice of one lemon
- Heat the ghee/oil in a large pan or wok over medium high heat
- When bubbling hot, add the cumin, turmeric, coriander powder, fenugreek leaves and garam masala.
- Stir the spices around in the hot oil for about 30 seconds and then add the tomato paste and garlic and ginger paste.
- Continue stirring all the ingredients for another 30 seconds and then add the heated curry sauce.
- Bring to a simmer and add your chicken tikka.
- Simmer for about a minute and pour in the cream and red dye if using.
- Add the butter and stir until it melts into the sauce.
- Stir in the fresh coriander, season with salt and pepper and finish with a squeeze or two of lemon.
Ā
Ā
Looks fabulous, I can’t wait to try it! Nettie
Thanks Nettie
I hope you like it. š My family sure does.
Hi made this last night I put the paprika with other spice but can’t see where you say to add it was I right to add them at that stage made Madras as well both went down really well
Thanks Robert
Looks like I need to fix that. Great to hear both went down well. š
Dan
Also I think the recipe meant to call for cilantro bunch!
How do you make the curry sauce
Hi Ben
It takes some time to make a curry house style base sauce. Once done, however, you should be able to make your favourite curry house curries in about ten minutes. Here is a link to one of my base sauce recipes. http://www.greatcurryrecipes.net/2013/12/31/make-indian-restaurant-style-curry-sauce-large-batch/
Thanks,
Dan
this looks fantastic – my husband’s favorite…maybe a Valentine’s Day treat!
Quick question on your curry gravy: The recipe you link to makes “8 main course servings” – would one serving be the 3 c. you call for tikka masala?
Hi Liz
Thanks for stopping by.
I have now corrected that. The sauce makes enough for approximately eight curries. Each of my British Indian restaurant (BIR) curries like this chicken tikka masala serves 3 to 4 people. The leftover curry gravy freezes very well.
Thanks for trying the recipe. Let me know how it goes. š
I can’t seem to find a garam masala recipe on your site – I have a a couple of versions I bought from Indian Grocers but they all seem to differ somewhat and I’d like to make my own as I’m buying a spice grinder next week (Yessss…) so I can also make your Tandoori mix and Curry Powder. Any hints?
Hi, found it in your “larder section” – cheers, Michael.
Good luck with the spice blends. I thing you will find that they are far superior to anything you can purchase. š
Hi, I would like to make this recipe as it’s my families favourite, tho some recipes I have seen talk about coconut, perhaps half a cup added at the end?
Love you site!
Thanks
Dave.
Hi Dave
Thank you. I have read and tried hundreds of different chicken tikka masala recipes. It seems no two are the same. I love a bit of coconut in this curry. My kids aren’t convinced so I leave it out. If you add 1/2 cup of coconut milk at the end it would taste great.
I try this last night done this and the madras, previously done the gravy the night before, loved it was the best curry I have made, easy to follow steps and I’m beginner cook so must be easy. Thanks.
Thank you very much Jason.
I’m really glad you liked it. It’s comments like that that make all the blogging worth it.
Dan
Madras are new to me.
Thank you for taking the time to share this recipe, for the time it takes to develop this whole website, I have cooked this particular recipe and have not tasted better. I am sharing recommending to my family and friends, to come here for recipes and other information. Good on ‘ya mate… well done š
Thank you very much Erafrey! It comments like that that make all the blogging worthwhile. I’m really glad you liked the recipe.
I made your chicken tikka Marsala this evening for the first time. It is absolutely lovely and so easy. Thank you.
Thank you very much for trying the recipe Gillian. I’ll keep the recipes coming. š
Dan,
Just to say thanks agian for your great recipes. Made Tikka Masala as above at my very first attempt and it was absolutely delicious.
Just as you’ve said, it tasted like a real British Indian Restaurant Curry.
Thanks!
J
Thank you very much Jon for your nice words and feedback. I’m really happy you liked the recipes.
Dan
incredible! i love it
Dan,
Love your curry sauce recipe and am busy experiementing with a range of flavours and textures. Thank you.
I found 2 versions of Ch. Tikka masala. Which one is your favouraite and the one I should cook for my family?
http://www.greatcurryrecipes.net/2011/05/23/how-to-make-chicken-tikka-masala-the-most-popular-restaurant-curry/
http://www.greatcurryrecipes.net/2012/01/31/how-to-make-chicken-tikka-masala-like-they-do-in-the-indian-restaurants/
Hi Remi
Thanks for your question and leaving a comment.
The newer of the two chicken tikka masala recipes is closer to what you would find in an Indian restaurant. The other was written about a year ago and is much closer to authentic Indian cooking. Personally I think both are really nice but if you are going for the takeaway look and flavour, go with the latest version.
Wow – I’m so glad I found your site. I love it. Problem is that the sirloin steak I’ve been looking forward to all day suddenly doesn’t seem so appealing!
Note to self… Do not look at anything on this website after the dinner’s gone in. Ever! Even if it’s that wonderful, low temperature cooked steak. The one that always cooks to perfection and looks like something out of an M&S food advert. Even if it’s also going to have that amazing mushroom, chili, garlic, bacon and cream sauce! No. Don’t do it. You’ll just want curry instead!
Hi Dan,
Once again you are the man. I have been experimenting with cooking Curry for around 15 years now and the recipes on your website are far superior to any others. I cooked the Chicken Tikka Masala tonight and my wife & kids couldn’t get enough.
Just wondering if you would have a recipe for Indian style Spiced & Grilled fish. An indian friend of mine which I have lost contact with now cooked it for us one night and it was amazing.
Thanks for sharing all your fantastic recipes, I look forward to future posts.
Regards,
Rosco
Pre cooking chicken is a restaurant time saver and should never be done at home !!
If you stop trying to be Indian take aways at home your food will enter another dimension.
Indian restaurant chef Birmingham UK
I agree with you Metharb. I just want to explain how it is done in most Indian restaurants. Many people like that Indian restaurant flavour! I also have a lot of authentic Indian recipes on my site. š
I love chicken tikka masala and i am going to be trying your recipe soon! precooking chicken is a brilliant idea.
Thanks. You don’t have to pre-cook the chicken. Only if you’re in a hurry. I love to cook it in a tandoor oven. Enjoy.
Hi Dan ,just finished base and pre cooked chicken so that I can cook it later ,even at this stage house smells like a Birmingham Balti House.I make a similar base for baltis .One thing though when I liquidised the garlic and ginger I found that 1/2 pint of water was to much to make a paste .We are all looking forward to this one though
Hi Kev – Thanks for trying the recipe. I do usually use less water when making pastes. I’ve found thought that it works ok in the curry sauce as it is cooked quite long and the water evaporates. That said, I will try less next time. š
Thanks and I hope it all goes well for you.
Dan
oooh this looks good, I cannot wait to try and make it… I will get some ingredients sorted and give it a try – thank you for posting it up, I’m glad I’ve found your website! š Nixie
Thank you Nixie. I’d really like to hear from you once you’ve had a chance to try it. š
Hi Dan, This dish looks great! One thing though, I’m not a fan of tomato puree as it seems to impart a ‘burnt’ flavour to dishes. Maybe I’m using an inferia type? I’m guessing homemade tomato paste would be ok instead? Could you let us know which brand of tomato puree you use? Many thanks š Ian.
Hi Ian
I use Heinz which seems to work really well. I guess you could leave it out if you’d rather.
Dan
Hi Dan,
Just got to tell you that your recipes are fabulous! The only problem is that we now eat so much curry, that my part of Hertfordshire has now moved to India! I want to get a spice grinder and not sure which type to buy. What would you recommend? Kind regards Annie
Thank you very much Annie. Really glad you like the recipes.
I use a Krupps grinder and it works really well. Any good quality coffee grinder will do the job though. Don’t spend more than about Ā£20.00.
Thanks
Dan
Hi Dan,
Thanks for all your endeavors mate, great job. Question, do you have the mint yogurt recipe famously served in the Indian restaurant with Shish Kebabs and Popadoms.
Much appreciated.
Mick
Hi Mick.
Thank you. I do have the recipe but not typed. I’ll do that for you shortly.
Dan
Hi Dan,
Living in New Zealand for 12 yrs, orig. from Zimbabwe, I have found very few C.T.Masalas that I like. I have been following yr blog for the past year and only now have I tried one of yr recipes. I decided to cook it for work last week for my monthly lunch contribution, what can I say, it was very very good, thank you š Please could you tell be what the cabbage does to it, I love your site and will be cooking much more recipes of yours in the future, thanks again for sharing your cooking skills.
Grant
Hi Grant
Thanks very much for that. I’m really glad you tried and liked the recipe. The cabbage idea was given to me by the ex chef of my local tandoori recipe. It adds very little flavour but does thicken the sauce and it’s nice to have the extra vegetables.
I think is does add to the sauce a little so if you have it on hand, use it. If not, don’t let that stop you from making a batch.
Cheers
Dan
Hi Dan
You are a savior! Am a Scot now living in the USA and tried a few other recipes on the net with not a lot of sucess before coming across your site. My husband and my dinner party guests loved this! I am making it this weekend again (currently making your naans as a trial run) but the guests this weekend prefer milder curry – can you tell me how to make it milder if that isn’t a silly question? Less curry powder? Thanks a lot in advance and well done on your fab site.
Thank you Natalie. I’m really glad you liked the recipes. Yes, you’re right… Just cut down on the chilli! š
Dan
Hi Dan,
I’ve been searching for a while and can’t track down fenugreek leaves. Is there anything I can substitute for them?
Thanks a lot
Lottie
Hi Lottie – Just leave them out. They are nice but as long as the other ingredients are there, you won’t miss the fenugreek.
Thanks
Dan
Hi ,
Just to say Lottie Fenugreek is called Methi in Punjabi so most asian shops will have it listed as that, hope this helps
Hi Dan, i have made about 5 different c t mos dishes and none of them have come close to yours, taste texture and presentation were all spot on. 5 stars from the wife too. Thanks.
Thank you very much Simon. I love that kind of feedback. š
Dan
Hi ,
Just to say Lottie Fenugreek is called Methi in Punjabi so most asian shops will have it listed as that, hope this helps š
hello just wondering at what temperature the oven needs to be for the chicken to cook? š
Thanks so much, I have been living in China for a few years now and curry is my favourite meal but just can’t seem to find a good curry anywhere in the place where I live…so thanks so much for sharing your skills. You’re a legend! Just hope the ingredients will be easy enough to find! Keep up the good work!!! Bless you and your family. Wish you go from success to success!!!
Thank you Euan. I hope you can find all the ingredients you need too. Keep in touch.
Dan
Hey Dan
Cooked this one today……..as a lover of Indian Cuisine and having been praised for my previous curries I am totally in awe of you recipes……I think I may have quite a hot chili powder because it came out much hotter than a takeaway tikka masala….but that was fine for me….I usually ask them to make mine hotter anyway…..my partner just added more yoghurt….I made it really red like a take away as well which is so pretty…..I know it is a British invention but it is one of my favourites…..Thanks again.
Regards
Louise
Thanks for this! Tikka Masala in a jar just isn’t right. Just put the chicken chunks in the fridge to marinate. It won’t get 48hrs but it should get a good 16-18. Can’t wait to get the sauce done and give it a try now.
Only had dried garlic and ginger so it won’t be perfect but should still be tasty. Also didn’t have clove powder but hoping I get away with it. Going to chuck in 1/2 cup of coconut milk at the end as per your suggestion.
Update: Beautiful curry. Mild, creamy, perfect for my spiceaphobe mum. The chicken after 14hrs or so marinading was out of this world. My sauce ended up a little bitter. Not sure where I went wrong there, perhaps extra juicy lemons? but a tablespoon extra of sugar brought it around. I need to be more careful next time.
If I wasn’t cooking for my mum after her foot op I’d have been happy just to use the gorgeous pre-marinade sauce but it was too hot for her. Make sure you give it a try anyone attempting this recipe!
Thanks for that Nell. Great to hear you got the sauce just right in the end. It does take some experimentation from time to time.
Dan
We as a family have just finished our first proper tikka masala meal from raw ingredients and not out of a jar! Firstly I would just like to say what a buzz I got from cooking it and my ten year old son helped and loved it too!
I marinated the chicked over night and it was out of this world and succulent, when removed from the oven it looked amazing, tandoori chicken!
The flavour was great but could be dabbled with to suit individuals tastes!
Our local curry house tikka masala is a lot sweeter than this version,
what would we add to get a sweeter taste?
sugar?, syrup? coconut?
I am thinking of throwing all three of them in next time!
That is what I love about curries, you just cannot be wrong!
So true. Really glad you liked the recipe. Yes, sugar will do the job just fine. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth but my kids do and they add sugar when cooking. Some chicken tikka masalas have coconut milk while others don’t. I like to add it sometimes and it will make the curry sweeter.
Cheers
Dan
Hi Dan
I tried your chicken tikka masala from your e book last night. I found that curry was over-spiced even though i decreased the spices by 1/3. It differed significantly in taste from the tikka masala in Kris Dillon’s The Curry Secret which I liked a lot (I’m new to BIR cooking). Yours has about five or six times more the quantity of total spices (cumin, coriander, curry powder, garam masala etc) as well as a more flavoured basic curry sauce. My questions:
Have you since revised this recipe at all?
Or do you have any advice on how I could amend your ebook tikka masala recipe?
Thanks.
Adam
Hi Adam
It’s all a personal thing. My recipe was shown to me by a chef whose food I really like. Why not leave all of the chilli out and then sprinkle it in slowly at the end or not at all.
Thanks
Dan
I loved the recipe, especially how you cook the chicken. I will be doing it this way all the time now.
The only thing for me was mine was very thick so I wondered if I did something wrong. I did try and cook it on a low heat but it was still thick. I wondered if I would be able to add some water to the tomato to achieve this so it looks a bit more like it does in the picture?
Hi dan love this recipe, tried to make it red as in the picture I’ve put red dye in but I can not get it like yours , I’ve heard beetroot juice is good. Any ideas?
Beetroot juice is a good alternative to red dye. You may want to use a little more. To be honest, I rarely colour it at all. There is no added flavour.
Dan
Looking to try this recipe, just a bit uneasy about adding marinade to the sauce.
Also can’t find fenugreek leaves, will it matter much?
Thanks
Hi Jenson
Don’t worry about adding marinade to the sauce. Just be sure to cook it at a high temp for a few minutes so that it cooks all the raw chicken juices. If you can’t find fenugreek leaves, try a pinch of fenugreek powder. Not too much though as it is a lot stronger than the leaves. You could leave it out too.
Dan
Just made the marinade and put the chicken in and placed in the fridge for 48 hrs ready for my hubby on Wednesday and I’m sure I’ve used way too much fenugreek (only had powdered and used a couple of teaspoons) is there anything I can do to rescue it ! Really don’t want to waste it by binning it.
Sorry Zoe
It sounds like you did use too much. Fenugreek powder is quite potent. Double or triple the recipe. You may even need to make more than that. It freezes well though.
Dan
hi iv’e just made this (this is the first curry iv’e made ) and when it was nearly done i tasted it and it was lovely! left on low heat to keep warm whilst rice finished cooking, and now the taste of lemon is over powering iv’e looked through the recipe again but i cant think what i have done wrong ? is there anyone with a bit of knowledge who can help me please? tanks stacey xx
Hi Stacey
If you add a little water or stock and simmer a while longer, the flavour of the lemon will reduce. Hope this helps.
Dan
Hi Dan!
I just made your chicken tikka and it was the best curry I’ve made so far! I left out the red food colouring and used a vibrant red tandoori spice powder instead, which went on the raw chicken first before the rest of the marinade ingredients and it stained the chicken red. I also added some cardomon pods and a few whole cloves as I didn’t have any ground cloves- just got to take them out at the end. Loved opening the oven to see my chicken looked just like the tandoori chicken from my local curry house!
Thanks so much for the recipe, I will be checking out your other ones!
Sophie
Thank you Sophie. Great to hear the recipe worked out for you and that you added your own personal touch.
Dan
Awesome recipe! Just like the Indian restaurants, Thank you
Thank you Sherrie. Really glad you liked it.
Dan
Hi there.
great recipe thanks.
Do you have a similar one that can be cooked in a slow cooker?
Hi Craig
Slow cooker curries aren’t as good but you could mix all these ingredients in the slow cooker. It will still be one heck of a lot better than a ready meal.
Dan
Hi Dan, loving the Chesni, Dansak and now want to try CTMarsala, I was wondering if I could use the Curry Gravy Base and just add the spices and butter to that or would you advise not to.
Kindest Regards Kay
Ps. Converted my mum to Indian flavours and she even preferred your two Dishes I mentioned above to a shop bought third dish, saying definetly cook them two again for me but that one not keen on at all, I was well chuffed.
I’ve just re-read your instructions and silly me you had answered my question in them. Senior moment no doubt.!!
Thank you for sharing your lovely recipes.
Regards Kay
Hi Kay
Glad we got there in the end. š
Dan
Hi Kay
I have recently updated my CTM recipe with loads of step by step photos. These should answer all your questions.
Thank you.
Dan
I am the worst cook in the world , my family almost fainted when they tasted this awesome dish. Complete beginner in the kitchen but I followed the instructions and it turned out amazing. Thanks
Great to hear Ross. Glad you and family liked the recipe.
Dan
if i want to make a bigger batch, do i just double everything
Yes. There is quite a lot of sauce anyway so you could probably double the chicken but just make a little more sauce.
Dan
I have been making my own curries for years, using online recipes, but somehow managed to miss yours.
I haven’t even made any yet yet but I bought your book āHow To Make British Indian Restaurant Style Mealsā on the kindle, as I can tell just by reading the recipes they are going to be delicious.
I’ve just finished getting a batch of chicken tikka ready and marinading, will be making my first large batch of curry sauce on the weekend and thought I might try the tikka masala first up.
I noticed there are some differences between the online recipes and those in the book, which ones are more up to date ?
Also in the comments someone talks about adding the leftover marinade to the sauce, this step isn’t mentioned in the recipe, so do you recommend this or not ?
Thanks
Hi John
Thank you for purchasing my book. I try to update the book with the latest recipe. You can definitely use the leftover marinade to add more flavour. Just ensure that you bring it to a bubble so that any raw chicken is cooked off. I’m going to be updating all of my ebooks shortly with new recipes and photos. As you have already purchased it, the updates are free. š
Thank you.
Dan
It doesn’t say anything about adding the fenugreek leaves or powder in this this.
Hi Sam
Thanks for noticing. All fixed now. š
Dan
Thanks for your great website. I am a curry-loving Brit who has been living in Western Australia for the past decade and cannot find a good curry to match the amazing ones back home. I finally found your site yesterday and started out with the curry base gravy made into chicken korma (which was always my control dish for comparing new restaurants in the UK). It came out beautifully, mild, creamy and genuinely flavoursome. We ate far too much, it was so good, but went to bed fat but happy!
One thing to mention – my gravy and resulting korma sauce was slightly too bitter too. Funnily enough, salt counteracts bitterness, so make sure you add some salt (not just increasing the sugar too much) if anyone experiences this issue.
Thanks again for all your hard work. Next we will be trying this CTM which the children will LOVE! Jen
Thanks so much Jen. Glad you liked the recipe. Good advice too. People are reading these recipes from all over the world so measure may be different depending on the product used. I really appreciate you feedback.
Dan
When you say 4 tbsp garlic and ginger paste do you mean 4 of each or a combination ie say 2 of each?
Hi Darren
It’s two of each. Thanks. š
Dan
Brilliant recipe and tastes amazing. But how do I now get rid of that curry smell? Been fighting it nearly a week now
Your site is fantastic, im currently making this recipe over a couple days with my kids for a school project they’re doing. so far so good – I can tell its going to be a pretty special curry this one! Thanks
Hi John
That’s great. Thanks for the kind words. Keep in touch and happy cooking.
Dan
Hi, have you got a recipe for a murghi masala please?
You have paprika in the recipe ,but you don’t say when to add it to the curry ,I add it with the other spices,hope its right, taste brilliant anyway cheers
Hi there so interested in making the tikka curry.can you recommend a red dye to make that vibrant red colour with thanks āŗ
Hi Kitty
Thank you. I use a red food colouring powder by Balah. I’ve used others though with equally good results. Good luck and I hope you enjoy the recipe.
Dan
Hi,
Is it ok to make the tikka masala sauce in advance and freeze it before adding the chicken?
Hi Annabelle
Sure is. I do all the time. š
Dan
Just tried the base sauce and chicken tikka masala. Unbelievably good. Better than a lot of restaurants.
Thanks Tom
Really glad you liked it. š
Dan
Hey !
I tried a lot of BIR CTM from many sources but this one was by far the best I ever tried !!!
I’m from France and french indian restaurants never use coconut in their recipes..And CTM there is no more sugar than in other curries..I’m now convinced that coconut has not to be used in this recipe…And there is no need to add too many sugar too.
Thank you very much Guillaume. I’m really glad you like the recipe.
Dan
New to your site. Made the base sauce already and looking forward to trying a Dhansak first although my son wants this CTM! Not sure who will win. Perhaps you could kindly point me in the right direction as I can’t source all the spices from my local supermarket. There are lots of on line companies. Who do you find the best for quality and value?
Thanks again for the recipes.
Regards
Steve
Hi Steve
Thank you very much. Try East End Foods. They have an online shop and their spices are excellent quality. There is a link to their shop on the right hand side of my shop. These are the spices I use.
Dan
hi
im making your chicken tikka masala,and have made the base curry sauce,and am now marinating the chicken..will leave for another 24 hrs before finishing of the meal…as it makes allot of portions,will it be ok to cool and freeze for later dates
loving the dishes and will be trying many of them
thanks
peter
Hi Peter
Thank you. The curry actually gets better if you leave it over night. It also freezes well for up to two months.
Dan
Thank you! Can’t wait to use your recipe. Can you please tell me where you find the Indian spices?
Hi Sarah
You can find Indian spices both online and also at Asian shops. They aren’t difficult to come by in most places. Good luck.
Thanks
Dan
hello, I am doing this curry on Saturday for my birthday after finding you on internet, looks amaze balls, what base curry sauce to use though? im ordering all the stuff and unsure which base curry sauce to buy?
700ml heated base curry sauce?
regards
tom
Hi Tom
My base sauce recipe is on my home page. There should have been a link to it. I’ll get that fixed.
Cheers,
Dan
I would put a quarter to a half of a block of coconut cream, gives it a stronger coconut flavour and texture and a big handful of ground almonds and I like a squeeze of lime instead of lemon for CTM.
Curry base is super, the cabbage makes a big difference.
D.
Hi David
Good idea. I’m actually posting a new CTM recipe soon that includes those ingredients. š
Dan
The pictures look wonderful. I live in California and a small restaurant here has the most amazing chiken tikka masala I’ve ever had. I’ve tried many recipes to copycat it, but to no avail. The chef finally told me there are carrots and bell peppers in the gravy, so I was hopeful when I tried using your recipe since it includes the same. The photos you’ve posted also look really similar. I made the large batch base and it looked close to your photos, but not quite. My consistency turned out a bit clumpy, no matter how much I blended (using a handheld immersion blender).
As for the tikka masala recipe, the only thing I left out was the fenugreek and food color, and the end result was unfortunately not a beautiful looking sauce like yours. It was more paste like and quite thick.
I keep wondering where I went wrong!!
Hi Holly
Sorry to hear that. Perhaps add a little more water next time and blend for longer. You really need to blend it until it is very smooth. There’s no point rushing as you won’t get the same result. Better luck next time.
Dan
Dan,
I certainly appreciate all the effort you’ve taken in order to perfect your recipes, and to publish them on this website for free. There are many food aficionados out there (myself included) who are never happy unless we prepare a dish which tastes authentic, and lives up to our perfectionist standards.
With that said, I look forward to trying your Chicken Tikka Masaala recipe, and believe the extra effort making the base gravy is often over looked because many people want things quick and fast, but don’t understand that “clean cooking” requires work and time invested. I’ve tried several other online recipes which fall way short of an authentic/restaurant style Chicken Tikka Masala., perhaps because I’ve had some of the best out there.
A few questions for you, and I apologize ahead of time if you don’t want other links to recipes included on your site, but I’m including these to help as reference points with my questions.
1) I’ve seen Chicken Tikka Masala made a number of ways, and one way of preparation includes the use of coconut and/or almond flour/powder. Have you tried using this method seen here? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DSZarQUIu8
2) Referencing the above link, the chef uses a “masala” which he prepared by the use of several mixed pastes and spices. Have you tried this method, and if so would you recommend this route? I noticed you have a recipes for kashmiri and tandori masala recipes which would fit right into the referenced chef’s method of cooking. Please elaborate on the following: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sSjW3TR3U0
Thank you again and I look forward to your input.
Hi Joe
I have so many chicken tikka masala recipes. In fact I have a recipe quite similar but not exact to what is in that video. This will be a much sweeter CTM than is presently on my site. I hope to get it all typed up soon.
Thanks
Dan
Hi Dan,
I am glad to see that you are still answering questions on this website. I have been searching for the perfect chicken tikka masala recipe and I have probably tried about 25 different recipes that I have read online and none of them come even close to the chicken tikka masala that I have had in the restaurants here in the United States. Pretty much everywhere you go here in the United States, all of the chicken tikka masala dishes taste pretty much the same… this phenomenal flavor that I cannot reproduce at home. You have such good comments, it makes me want to renew my search because basically I have given up. I have even tried to befriend the guys that work in the Indian restaurants to get some tips, but they all pretty much give me the same vague recipes. I’m not sure if you can answer this question, and it may be a silly question, but is this recipe similar to the Indian restaurants in the United States or Great Britain? I’ve never eaten at a real British curry house, just one in New York City called brick road? which I really loved.
So I guess I am basically asking whether or not this tastes like the Indian curry restaurants in the United States. That’s the tastes that I am looking for, and if I could make this stuff at home, you will be my new hero! Lol. It looks like you’ve made a lot of people happy with your recipes and I thank you in advance.
Mike in St Louis
Hi Mike
Thanks for stopping by. Chicken Tikka Masala is a British invention. I’m from the US but have not yet tried a CTM in the US that is as good as what is made here. This recipe was given to me by some really popular chefs. The thing with CTM is there are so many recipes and interpretations. If you use my recipe and don’t get the flavour you’re looking for, try to think what it might be that it is lacking. My version is more savoury than others. There are some very sweet versions out there. The sweetness comes, of course from lots more sugar. The CTMs I’ve tried in the state also use block coconut which is used here in the UK by some chefs. Just add it to taste.
I hope you get a chance to try this. Please let me know what you think.
Dan
Hi Dan
Followed this recipe pretty much to a T… but ended up with a bitter tasting curry! any ideas where I might have gone wrong??
When I added the spices to the ghee.. it went very dark brown and thick! And didn’t smelt too pleasant really, but I’m perplexed!
I kinda of rescued it with lots of sugar and more cream, but it wasn’t like the really nice mild creamy ones you get at a restaurant.
Any help greatly appreciated!
Hi Jim
It sounds like your ghee might have been too hot and you burned the spices. That would make them go darker and also taste quite bitter. The bitter flavour could also be from when you added the garlic. Garlic burns easily and is very bitter when it burns.
Hope this helps.
Dan
Hi Dan,
I love this site, thanks for all the work you put into it. I made the Tikka Masala last night using the base sauce (which is great). However, the end result tasted a little more like a korma than a tikka masala. I didn’t get that tomato tang from it. Perhaps I needed more tomato paste?
I also didn’t have Fenugreek leaves so Iused 1/2 teaspoon of Fenugreek powder. Do you think this might have thrown it off a little bit?
Thanks for all your hard work. I now have 3 jars of sauce in the freezer that’ll keep us going for a few weeks and I’m so excited to try other recipes.
Best,
Chris
Hi Chris
A little more tomato paste should do the trick. With regard to the fenugreek powder, it is a lot stronger than the dried leaves so it might have been a bit bitter. š
Dan
Hi Dan, I made this curry and it was very nice don’t get me wrong! Between my family and friends was gone within the hour! However it just didn’t feel completely like a chicken tikka masala. There were aspects in there but it seemed to be lacking something or other! It seemed to be lacking a kick and maybe wasn’t sweet enough. Would you include coconut or add more spices to sort this out?
Hi James
Thanks for your questions. I have made so many different chicken tikka masala recipes. I don’t like them sweet but many people do. A few more tablespoons of sugar wouldn’t be out of the question for some restaurants. Coconut could also be added. Usually any problems with a chicken tikka masala can be corrected by simply adding sugar or coconut.
I make mine mild though I prefer it spicy. A little more chilli powder will do that.
Thanks
Dan
Hey, Dan! Great curry! If I were to make this for a party by either doubling, tripling, quadrupling, and so on, the curry batch size, would I multiply the ingredient amounts by 2, 3, 4, etc? Also, I’m planning on making this dish for a party of about 50, if not more, guests. How should I go about making the curry for that many people?
Hi Nate. Thank you. Yes but also be sure to taste it along the way. At the end of the day, it needs to be perfect for your own taste. Just make the amount you need and adjust accordingly.
Cheers,
Dan
Thanks, Dan!
Does this taste like the takeaway version ive been trying to find a recipe that will match that and haven’t succeeded yet
It’s a good one. Using the prepared curry base sauce gives it the flavour and texture of an Indian restaurant style chicken tikka masala. š
Dan
I was in Scottsdale, AZ a few weeks ago. Went to the Taj Mahal for dinner. Apart from the character that was the cook, he acknowledged that his secret was a great curry base. cooked for hours – a little bit goes a long way. I was surprised that it equally served my coconut korma as well as my CTM. I think it is the richness of the base PLUS the needed spices for the specific dish that makes it great!
Anyway, just thought I’d share my experience. the control over the spice/heat goes a long way to make my wife happy. She even takes left overs to work in the AM. Never did that will Curry’s from a shop!
Great to hear! The base sauce is the secret ingredient that makes a good curry awesome!
Thanks,
Dan
I am not sure if this was answered, but I made the base sauce last night and getting ready to make this recipe in a few days. my question is about the double cream. In the United States we have heavy cream and whipping cream. Which do you recommend? Thank you so much
Hi Mike
When I cook this recipe in the US, I usually use half and half. Hope this helps.
Dan
Hi Dan.
Firstly I would like to say thank you for sharing all of your wonderful recipes with us. I made the chicken tikka masala for the first time tonight. Made the base sauce last night…. followed your instructions to the word. I found the finished result to be vinegary . My husband and daughter thoroughly enjoyed it, but for me it was not sweet enough and I found the vinegar taste very over powering. How do you suggest I could tweek it more to my taste please ? Again thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. X
Hi Kelly
As there is no vinegar in the recipe, it must be another acidic flavour that is not agreeing with you. Either the tomato paste you are using or the lemon. Many chicken tikka masala recipes are very sweet. Try adding more sugar to taste next time. I’m not a big fan of sweet curries but I know a lot of people love them and the sweetness could also mellow the acidic flavours. Hope this helps and thank you.
Dan
Hi Dan,
Thanks for building a fabulous site. I have made a few different base sauce’s before, but this one by far has to be the best one ever!
I made a large batch yesterday (I also made a large batch of garlic and ginger paste) and i have frozen it in ice cube trays like you suggested and its a brilliant idea too.
I made the this dish tonight and there was none left, absolutely cleared plates and happy faces.
Chicken korma and madras next!!!
Once again, thank you.
p.s.
Loving the new app too!! š
Hi Richard
Thank you very much. I love getting feedback like that. I’m really glad you are enjoying the recipes and app.
Cheers,
Dan
HI Dan,
First class work, Made the sauce made the korma and masala and all turned out great and far better than my local takeaway CHEERS will be using this recipe for years now !!
Thank you Stevie
Really glad you liked the recipes! I’ll keep the recipes coming. š
Thanks,
Dan
Great recipies – Thanks! We knocked up a few of these last night after cooking a large batch of base and they were all great. Only this one tasted slightly burnt – I saw a comment above and wonder if it might have been the tomato puree? (It did however taste great today and not at all burnt?) Any idea what I did wrong?
Also I need to make a vegi version of this. Would it work with Paneer? Would I marinade it in your tandoori recipe? Or should I use another vegetable?
Thanks in advance
Hi D
I’m not sure what is going on there. I have made this recipe many times and it doesn’t taste at all burnt. It could be that you overcooked some of the spices or indeed the meat but I don’t know without trying it. Better luck next time! Regarding your question about paneer, yes. You can marinate it in the same marinade. Either fry the paneer until brown and add it or you can also add it raw but just at the end of cooking. Raw paneer breaks up quickly so it needs to be added right at the end until heated through. This only takes a couple of minutes.
Thanks
Dan
Over the other side of the world in oz and miss chicken tikka masala, your recipe was amazing I don’t need to. One back home to get a curry now.
Great to hear Karen. Thank you.
Dan
Hi dan,
I’m making this recipe what can I add to this instead of double cream ( trying to be a little healthier of late).
Regards
Sharon
Hi Sharon
You could use single cream which is a little bit better. Another option would be to reserve the yoghurt marinade if you are making this recipe using one of my tandoori chicken recipes. Remove as much of the marinade from the meat before cooking it. Then stir it in at the end of cooking one tablespoon at a time. If you add it too quickly, it can curdle. Bring to a simmer to kill off any bacteria from the chicken. This works really well.
Hope this helps,
Dan
Hi Dan
Thanks for the recipy
Iv followed every step but iv tasted it and it’s got a tang to it. Have you got any tips to get rid of the tang maybe more sugar?
Thank you
Hi Ashton
That’s the first I’ve heard that one. If you don’t like the tang, perhaps leave the lemon juice out next time. If I could taste your version, I could probably figure it out. More cream might do the trick too. Many people like the CTMs quite sweet. If that is you, a little more sugar might help to.
Sorry I can’t be more help.
Dan
Oh my gosh, I could hug you for creating his recipe! I adore tikka masala, but the homemade versions just never quite live up to the curry house ones. Giving this a go asap!
Thank you very much Julia! Hope you love the recipe. š
Dan
Hi, me again!
I decided to make this version tonight instead of the book version and it turned out really well and was really tasty. The only issue we had though was it tasted a bit ‘bitty’ as though the spices weren’t dissolved correctly. Any idea where I went wrong? I feel I mis have shortened a step or maybe my ghee wasn’t hot enough?
Thanks for the recipes, madras next time, after perfecting this obviously lol!
Regards,
Phill
Hi Phill
Thank you. If it was a bit bitty, your spice blends were not ground finely enough. Try running them in the grinder longer. It is also not a problem to be a bit bitty! In Indian cuisine, the spice blends are often not ground finely. They are then cooked longer. It is a personal preference thing but if you grind for longer, it should solve the problem.
Thanks,
Dan
Very excited to try this. Already cooked up the base and am currently marinating the chicken for tomorrow. Looking forward to see how it tastes. I still have not been able to get a curry right. The marinades are always amazing but the sauce is just terrible. Hoping the prepared base fixes my problems.
I am worried though, I made your garam masala blend. I know this masala is normally bitter when its fresh roasted and blended and my blend is no exception. Your recipe calls for two tablespoons of the stuff and I’m wondering if that’s going to be too much. Will the bitterness cook off during the simmer? It has a nice aftertaste but it is very bitter and it’s possible I burned some of the whole spices. There is no apparent bitter taste in the base but that is a lot of gravy for only one tablespoon of garam masala. Any advice is welcome, I am ready to finally have a curry turn out right. Thanks for all the work you have put into this site. I cant wait to get going on some of your other recipes.
Hi Ryley
Thank you for getting in touch. The bitter flavour often comes from slightly over cooked cumin. This shouldn’t ruin your curry though. I recommend halving the amount you put in your sauce. As these are warming spices, more can be added later in cooking to taste. If you find that it is too bitter, you can always add a little (and I do mean a little) sugar to balance the flavours.
Good luck,
Dan
Hi
I’m loving the book mate!!
I was always lead to believe tikka massala has cocunut in?
Speaking with 3 local restraints they all is cocunut milk /cream
Dave
Hi Dave
Thank you very much. I’m really glad you are enjoying the book. Yes, it depends of the chef. Some use coconut and others don’t. Some use coconut cream or milk and other us powder. It really depends on what you like. You can use any of these or completely leave it out.
Thanks,
Dan
Excellent blog and recipe. Finding your site is a revelation! For the first time I’ve been able to make an ‘authentic’ tasting british curry house curry. I actually was cheeky and did an amalgamation of the Tikka Massala and Garlic Chilli recipes because I couldn’t make my mind up – I basically followed the Tikka massala recipe, but started by frying garlic slivers as per the Garlic Chilli recipe and I added three fresh chillies towards the end before adding cream and butter. It was delicious!
Alan
Thanks for that Alan. That’s what this style of cooking is all about. Just mix in what you like. If it sounds good, it probably will be.
All the best, š
Dan
Hi,
Thanks for all your great recipes!
Where would you personally say your best and most recent update of your CTM recipe is? Here on the site, in your books, or in your app? I can see there are quite a few recipes on here, just trying to work out which one is the most recent one (and hopefully the best one! š ).
Br,
Peter
Hi Peter
They are all very authentic curry house style. My most recent is in my printed cookbook. It and the one on my app are my current favourites.
Thanks,
Dan
Hi Dan, Thanks for this recipe. I have my base curry made up and in the freezer and my chicken tikka marinading until Fri night when its going to be curry night ABW !! .. I am very much a noob at this and I have been following your excellent instructions to the letter.
My quetion is, when I take the Chicken Tikka from the marinade to cook (will have to be in the hot oven) do I wash the excess marinade off or just pat down etc with kitchen roll.
Many thanks
Mark
Hi Mark
Thank you. Don’t wash the marinade off! Using your hands, remove as much as you can from the meat. Reserve the excess marinade. Then stir it into the sauce, one tablespoon at a time at the end of cooking. This will add a lot of nice flavour. Be sure to bring it to a simmer to cook off any raw meat juices. I add the marinade one tablespoon at a time because if you add it too quickly, the yoghurt will curdle.
Have fun with your curry feast!
Dan
Hello,
Is it possible to make a curry just using the prepared garam masala plus garlic/ginger onions ect (fresh ingredients) rather than having to add more spices?
I’m trying to understand the variation and role of the garam masala here when often the extra spices feature in the mix anyway?
It would also be good to have a simple quick curry on hand
Hi James
You could definitely just use garam masala in a curry. Cooking spices in different ways brings out different flavours. You won’t be disappointed with just the garam masala You could always add more of another spice if you want to.
Thanks,
Dan
Hi Dan
Can I use the base curry sauce for this one?
Thanks!
Sure can. The recipe calls for 700ml of base sauce. š
Dan
Hello, Iām looking forward to trying this! Iām in the US and wonder if you might have recommendations on where to buy premade chicken tandoori tikka? Is there another name it gops by here? When I google it, I only see frozen chicken tikka masala. Thank you!
Hi Ashly
Sorry but I really can’t help you there. I make my own. There are a few good recipes for it on my site. š
Dan
Hi Dan, my friends and I made this recipe whit lamb, and it taste amazing! The only thing me and my Husband thinks is that it could be a little bit spicier, can we just add a pinch of chili powder to make that happen?
Also, how long will it keep in the fridge? We got some leftover sause after all the meat was eaten, also have some leftover from the base curry sause, how long will it keep in the fridge? And how long in the freezer?
Hi Kristine
Yes! Definitely add more chilli powder or even chopped fresh chillies to taste. The sauce will keep in the fridge for about three days. You can freeze it for up to three months.
Thanks,
Dan
Hi, I bought your book and followed the recipes to the letter, however 2 times IV made this now the Currys has ended up bitter/sour. I tried adding sugar and coconut milk and cream on different occasions but always seems to have the same bitter taster. Any ideas what could be causing this.
Hi Daren
Some people find certain spices very bitter. They just don’t agree with them. The common problem spices are cumin, turmeric and fenugreek. Give these spices a try and you will probably find the flavour you don’t like. Also, if you over cook them, they do tend to turn bitter. Hope this helps,
Thanks,
Dan
This recipe produces the best Chicken Tikka Masala I have ever tasted.
THANK YOU, DAN!!!
Hi Rob
That’s great to hear! Thank you.
Dan
Think I burnt the spices, I reallyyy screwed up the whole thing, I made it so bitter; will defo cook the spices quicker next time! Probs just 15 seconds rather than 30.
Hi Gordon
Or turn the heat down. Hope you have better luck next time.
Dan
Been making Indian dishes and stuffed nanns for 30 years ,2 or 3 times a month, everyone says they are good, and they are! Bought red and blue books on a whim last week, took a week and a lot of travel to get the missing spices, and I made this dish this evening, with some naaan (but made with tipo 00 flour), and it was amazing! Boiling the cabbage for the starter curry I thought this was a waste of time, how wrong I was. Looked complicated but was actually so simple . Perfect . Thanks alot!
Hi Louise
Great to hear! Thank you so much.
Dan
Great recipe, so thanks. Whenever I use coconut flour or almond it gives a slightly grain like texture to the the sauce. It seems a bit odd any ideas. Was thinking of using a grinder or coconut milk instead would this solve it without altering taste?
Hi Paul
Coconut flour is usually used but there is no reason you can’t use coconut milk. It will work fine.
Thanks,
Dan
Ok I’ll give that a try. Thanks
This looks amazing, Iām going to make this tomorrow for my moms birthday, my chirken is currently in the fridge marinating!
Great to hear Kristal. Thank you. Hope you all enjoy the recipe.
Dan
Do you by any chance know the carbohydrate content for say 1 serving? I assume it is relatively low as the only thing i can see is the tablespoon of sugar/4 per serving
Thanks for what looks like a great recipe
Also calories of one serving? Apologies for the questions – just trying to work out if I can have on my low carb/high fat diet!
Hi James
Sorry but I can’t really help there. Yet! I’m writing a light cookbook that will show nutritional info. I’m having a nutritionist read through all the recipes to make it easier for people to choose their meals. I usually leave the sugar out of this one as I don’t really have a sweet tooth. It should be pretty low in carbs too. š
Thanks,
Dan