DinnerChickenModerate

Chicken Tikka Masala

Name: Chicken Tikka Masala
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: indian
Ingredients: 600 g chicken breast, diced; 300 g white rice, rinsed; 2 tbsp neutral oil; 1 whole yellow onion, finely diced; 4 clove garlic, minced; 20 g fresh ginger, finely grated; 1 tsp garam masala; 1.5 tsp ground cumin; 1.5 tsp ground coriander; 0.5 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 0.5 tsp chilli powder; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 400 g canned crushed tomatoes; 400 ml coconut milk; 1 tsp sugar; salt; black pepper; 1 handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

55 min totalServes

Chicken Tikka Masala is a deeply satisfying, crowd-pleasing dish of tender chicken simmered in a rich, warmly spiced tomato and coconut sauce. A proper spice blend — including cumin, coriander, turmeric, smoked paprika, and a touch of chilli — gives this dish its characteristic depth and colour. It's surprisingly simple to pull together on a weeknight, and the results taste like something far more involved. Serve it over fluffy rice to soak up every drop of that gorgeous sauce.

Ingredients

600gchicken breast- diced
300gwhite rice- rinsed
2tbspneutral oil
1wholeyellow onion- finely diced
4clovegarlic- minced
20gfresh ginger- finely grated
1tspgaram masala
1.5tspground cumin
1.5tspground coriander
0.5tspground turmeric
1tspsmoked paprika
0.5tspchilli powder
2tbsptomato paste
400gcanned crushed tomatoes
400mlcoconut milk
1tspsugar
salt
black pepper
1handfulfresh cilantro- roughly chopped

Method

1
Cook the rice
Combine the rinsed rice with 600 ml of cold water and a generous pinch of salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to its lowest setting, cover tightly, and cook for 15–18 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat and leave covered to steam while you finish the curry.
2
Sauté the aromatics
Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6–8 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1–2 minutes more, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the raw smell has gone.
3
Build the spice base
Add the ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, smoked paprika, and chilli powder to the onion mixture and stir constantly for about 60 seconds until deeply fragrant — the spices should smell toasty, not raw. Push the mixture to one side of the pan, add the tomato paste directly to the cleared space, and cook it for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until it darkens slightly and smells rich and caramelised. Stir everything together.
4
Brown the chicken
Season the diced chicken generously with salt and pepper, then add it to the pan. Cook over medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes, turning occasionally, until the pieces are lightly browned on the outside — they don't need to be cooked through yet.
5
Simmer with tomatoes
Pour in the crushed tomatoes, stir everything together, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly and the colour has deepened.
6
Finish with coconut milk and garam masala
Stir in the coconut milk, garam masala, and sugar. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently for another 8–10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is rich and creamy — it should coat the back of a spoon. The garam masala is added at the end to preserve its fragrant, floral notes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or a little extra chilli if you like more heat.
7
Serve
Fluff the rice with a fork, then spoon the curry over the rice. Scatter generously with fresh cilantro and serve immediately.

Nutrition

650 kcal
40g protein
30g fat
60g carbs