You’ve been asking for a 30 minute chicken tikka masala and I think you’re going to love this one. Everything from cooking the chicken to preparing the sauce can all be done in about half an hour. Taking extra time to marinate the chicken is optional but it does come with its flavour benefits. Still, using this recipe you will be able to make a 30 minute chicken tikka masala that you can be serving up hot instead of waiting for the luke warm curry to arrive from the takeaway down the road. Try it served over this Easy Basmati Rice.
About this 30 minute chicken tikka masala recipe.
I have no idea where you keep your ingredients and how quickly you can get your hands on them. So by 30 minutes, we are talking cooking time. I keep all my spices labelled and can get to them quickly, so for me, it only takes about 5 minutes to get everything ready.
I have listed a few helpful ways that you can make this 30 minute chicken tikka masala even faster below. The recipe will result in a CTM that is right up there with the best of them!
You can give the chicken a delicious smoky flavour by using the smoking method I explain in this butter chicken recipe.
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Ingredients for 30 Minute Chicken Tikka Masala
There are quite a few ingredients in this chicken tikka masala. Get them all measured out and ready before you start cooking. It's a lot easier that way.
- Ghee or rapeseed (canola) oil
- FOR THE CHICKEN TIKKA
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Natural yogurt
- Cloves garlic, minced
- Ginger, minced
- Lemon juice
- Ground cumin
- Ground coriander
- Paprika
- Turmeric
- Salt
- FOR THE TIKKA MASALA SAUCE
- Medium onions, diced small to blend or very finely chopped
- Garlic and ginger paste
- Ground almonds
- Curry powder or mixed powder
- Sweet paprika
- Tandoori masala
- Ground cumin
- Ground coriander
- Sugar (more or less to taste)
- Unseasoned passata
- Tomato paste stirred into 3 tablespoon water
- Chicken stock or water
- Red food colouring powder (optional)
- Single cream
- Juice of one lemon
- Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- Salt to taste
- Fresh coriander (cilantro) finely chopped
- Garam masala
See recipe card for quantities.
Step by step photos.
Follow these step by step photos and you will be on your way to chicken tikka masala heaven. Really... 30 minutes is all it takes!
- Step 1: Whisk all of the marinade ingredients together and add the chicken. Mix well so that the chicken is completely coated with the marinade.
- Step 2: Heat 2 tablespoons of the ghee or oil in a large frying pan. When bubbling hot, add the chicken and cook it in one layer for about 4 minutes and then flip it over to cook the other side for another 4 minutes.
- Step 3: Transfer from the pan to a plate and set aside. Careful… no snacking as it might not be completely cooked through yet.
- Step 4: Heat the remaining oil or ghee in the pan over a medium heat and stir in the blended or chopped onions.
- Step 5: Stir in the garlic and ginger paste and fry for an additional 30 seconds and then add the ground almonds, curry powder or mixed powder, paprika, tandoori masala, cumin, ground coriander and sugar. Stir well to combine.
- Step 6: Pour in the passata and tomato paste mixture along with the water or chicken stock. Bring to a simmer over a medium-high heat. If any of the sauce starts to stick to the pan, just stir it in for more flavour. If you would like to use the food colouring, this is a good time to stir it into the sauce.
- Step 7: Stir in the cream and return your chicken to the pan and allow to simmer for a few minutes until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Step 8: Add the Kasoori methi by rubbing it between your fingers. Season with salt to taste. Give it a good squeeze of lemon juice and add a knob of butter if you like.Top with chopped coriander to serve and a slice of lemon. Dig in!
Substitutions
For the authentic Chicken Tikka Masala flavors, I recommend using the ingredients above and in the recipe card below. However, if you have some ingredients you want to use up then here are some suggestions:
- Vegetarian - Why not replace the chicken for cubed paneer? simply follow the steps in this recipe and brown the paneer in the pan instead of the chicken. You can even marinate it in the same way!
- Try lamb or beef - You could give some new life to your Sunday roast leftovers or fry up some lamb leg meat or beef until tender and add it instead of the chicken.
Equipment
You don't need any special equipment to make this 30 minute chicken tikka masala. I used a hot wok to show you can cook a great curry with whatever you have. That said, the best pans for hot curries and high-heat frying are a carbon steel wok, heavy-based frying pan, or a cast iron skillet — all hold heat well and give you that proper sizzle and flavour.
Storage
You can store any leftover curry in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. In fact, as it rests in the fridge, the flavours will develop and it will get even better. You can reheat it in your microwave or pour it all back into a pan and heat it over a medium heat until hot.
Top Tip
Fry your blended onions on a medium heat to caramelize them! Cook slowly and let all the natural sugars release, leaving you with beautifully browned onions!
FAQ
If you use the freshest ingredients and take some time to marinate the meat, you might even find it's better! Remember, most takeaway food is prepared with economy and ease in mind. Use the best and you will get the best.
Nope. This 30 minute chicken tikka masala is cooked in one pan in a more traditional Indian style.
You do. And I have said exactly that in my books. This is really a cheats version but I think you are going to love it. By all means... If you enjoy cooking with a base sauce and using pre-cooked meats, do it. I do! I promise, however that you will get a great tasting Chicken Tikka Masala with this recipe.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
30 Minute Chicken Tikka Masala
You really can make a delicious 30 minute chicken tikka masala that is right up there with the best. In fact, once you make it and get your spices together, you'll do it faster next time around! This one is so good!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon ghee or rapeseed (canola) oil
- FOR THE CHICKEN TIKKA
- 800g boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized piecesi
- 3 tablespoon natural yogurt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon salt
- FOR THE TIKKA MASALA SAUCE
- 2 medium onions, diced small to blend or very finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon garlic and ginger paste
- 2 tablespoon ground almonds
- 1 tablespoon curry powder or mixed powder
- 1 ½ tablespoon sweet paprika
- 2 tablespoon tandoori masala
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon sugar (more or less to taste)
- 200g unseasoned passata
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste stirred into 3 tablespoon water
- 250ml (1 cup) low sodium chicken stock or water
- 2 teaspoon red food colouring powder (optional)
- 200ml (scant 1 cup) single cream (more or less to taste)
- Juice of one lemon
- 1 tablespoon kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- Salt to taste
- 4 tablespoon fresh coriander (cilantro) finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
Instructions
- Let’s start with the chicken tikka and get that ticked off the list. Whisk all of the marinade ingredients together and add the chicken. Mix well so that the chicken is completely coated with the marinade. You can go straight to cooking or let it marinate longer for even more flavour.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the ghee or oil in a large frying pan. When bubbling hot, add the chicken and cook it in one layer for about 4 minutes and then flip it over to cook the other side for another 4 minutes.
- Transfer from the pan to a plate and set aside. Careful… no snacking as it might not be completely cooked through yet.
- Now blend the onions with just enough water or chicken stock to make a fine paste. If you would rather not blend, just finely chop the onions or purchase them finely chopped. Blending the onions will get you a texture that is closer to what you find at curry houses.
- Heat the remaining oil or ghee in the pan over a medium heat and stir in the blended or chopped onions. Sauté the onions, stirring regularly for about 10 minutes or until they turn a deep yellow. The idea here is to bring out the natural sweetness of the onions and not necessarily brown them.
- Stir in the garlic and ginger paste and fry for an additional 30 seconds and then add the ground almonds, curry powder or mixed powder, paprika, tandoori masala, cumin, ground coriander and sugar. Stir well to combine. Pour in the passata and tomato paste mixture along with the water or chicken stock. If the sauce is looking too thick, add a drop of the water or chicken stock to thin it some. Adding stock or water can be done at any time you feel the sauce is too thick. If it is too thin, just cook it down.
- Add your cooked chicken tikka and push it right into the sauce. If you prefer a bright red chicken tikka masala, now is a good time to add the food colouring but that is optional. Continue cooking until the sauce simmers down to the consistency you like and the chicken is cooked through.
- To finish, stir in the cream and the juice of one lemon. Add the kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) by rubbing them between your fingers over the sauce. Time to taste it! Try a spoonful of the sauce and season it with salt to taste. You can also adjust the other flavours now too. I also like to add about a tablespoon of butter to melt into the sauce but that is optional. Has it been 30 minutes yet? If not, you can let the curry keep simmering over a low heat or just serve it up.
- Garnish with the chopped coriander and sprinkle a little garam masala over it all, if using.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 719Total Fat: 45gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 291mgSodium: 1334mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 7gSugar: 12gProtein: 58g
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