Dinner

Chicken Tikka Masala

Name: Chicken Tikka Masala
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 600 g chicken thigh fillets, cut into chunks; 150 g plain yoghurt; 2 tsp garam masala; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger; 400 g canned crushed tomatoes; 200 ml (3/4 cup) thickened cream; 1 tsp paprika; Salt and pepper, to taste; Fresh coriander, to serve

Serves 4 Prep 20 mins Cook 35 mins Total 55 mins

This chicken tikka masala recipe is written for Aussie home kitchens — indian leaning, supermarket ingredients, and timings that match a real weeknight rather than a studio set. As written it serves 4. Budget about 20 mins to prep and 35 mins to cook or bake, roughly 55 mins all up, across 14 ingredients and 5 method steps. Shop first for chicken thigh fillets, plain yoghurt and garam masala; those ingredients do the heavy lifting for flavour and texture, while the rest of the list seasons, binds, or finishes the plate. Use it for weeknight dinners when you still want something proper, then serve straight from the pan with a simple salad or mash. Feeds a small table as written; bump quantities if you are feeding a crew. Metric spoons here mean a 20 ml tablespoon and a 5 ml teaspoon. Method opens with: “Mix yoghurt, 1 tsp garam masala, cumin and turmeric. Coat chicken and marinate 15 minutes.”. Follow the order as written; jumping ahead is how pans crowd and sauces split.

Notes

Putting it together for Chicken Tikka Masala: work clean, taste as you go, and do not rush browning or reduction steps if they appear in the method. If you are cooking for mixed diets, plate sauces and toppings separately where practical. Keep this page bookmarked if it becomes a household regular — we update wording when cooks report a confusing step. Metric consistency across Scoops & Dishes means once you trust the cups and scales here, breakfast through dessert behaves the same way.
Serving ideas without fluff: serve straight from the pan with a simple salad or mash. Keep accompaniments simple so the dish stays the hero — a green salad, steamed veg, rice, mash, or crusty bread depending on the style. Metric measures stay consistent across Scoops & Dishes, so once you trust the cups and scales here, the rest of the site cooks the same way.
Method rhythm: step one is “Mix yoghurt, 1 tsp garam masala, cumin and turmeric. Coat chicken and marinate 15 minutes.”. Do not skip resting, cooling, or draining steps if they appear later — they are usually there for texture. The finish is “Season and serve with coriander and rice.”. Taste before you plate; salt at the end often needs a final pinch.
Shopping and mise en place: read the full ingredient list once before you start. For Chicken Tikka Masala, chicken thigh fillets and plain yoghurt are the items that decide whether the dish tastes flat or properly seasoned. Weigh where grams are given — volume cups are fine for liquids and some dry goods, but baking ratios are tighter if you use scales. Australian cups are 250 ml; a tablespoon is 20 ml and a teaspoon is 5 ml.