British-Indian favourite · Two methods

Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe (Stovetop or Instant Pot)

Char the tikka. Brown onions. Cream finish.

Farwa ZeeshanRecipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchen

Chicken tikka masala is charred tikka in a spiced onion and tomato cream sauce. It tastes flat when the onions are pale or the tikka is boiled in sauce. The fix is browning the onions well, frying the spices until oil separates, and adding charred tikka at the end.

Prep20m
Cook35m
Servings4
kcal / serving530
LevelEasy
Jump to the method

The 3 laws of chicken tikka masala

Why this recipe works

Brown onions

Pale base

Onions give depth and colour.

Char tikka

Boiled chicken

Char adds smoke.

Cream at the end

Boiling cream

Gentle heat keeps it smooth.

Shopping and prep list

Ingredients

Servings
Tap items as you gather them · 0 of 0 ready

Tikka

Masala

The NineFoods chicken gauge

Is the chicken cooked?

Cut the thickest piece open. Tap what you see.

Tap a stage to see what to do.

Method · 4 stages

Step by step

1

Marinate and char

Grill · 10 min
  1. Marinate 30 minutes, then char under a hot grill or in a hot pan.
Look for: charred spots on chicken.
10:00
2

Onion base

Medium · 12 min
  1. Fry onions in oil until deep golden.
  2. Add ginger garlic paste and spices, fry 1 minute.
Look for: deep golden base.
12:00
3

Tomatoes

Medium · 10 min
  1. Add tomatoes and cook until oil separates.
  2. Instant Pot: Saute this stage, then pressure cook 5 minutes.
Look for: thick red masala.
10:00
4

Finish

Low · 8 min
  1. Add chicken, simmer 5 minutes, then cream and methi.
  2. Use the gauge above.
Look for: creamy orange sauce.
08:00

Chef's troubleshooter

What went wrong? Pick the symptom

Why

Onions not browned.

Fix next time

Brown onions deeply and fry spices in oil.

Why

Too thick at the bottom.

Fix next time

Add 0.25 cup water and scrape before pressure cooking.

Why

Cream boiled.

Fix next time

Add cream on low.

Why

Overcooked in sauce.

Fix next time

Add charred chicken only for the last 5 minutes.

Swap smart

Ingredient roles and substitutes

IngredientJob in the dishSwap with
CreamRichnessCoconut cream
Crushed tomatoesBaseFresh tomatoes, cooked longer
Chicken thighsJuicyPaneer for a vegetarian version
GrillCharVery hot cast-iron pan

After the meal

Serve, store, reheat

Serve with

Naan or basmati rice.

Store

Fridge 3 days. Freezer 2 months.

Reheat

Use Saute on Low in the Instant Pot or a pan, adding a splash of cream.

How we tested this recipe

Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio

Farwa Zeeshan

Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.

  • Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 4 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
  • Every one of the 4 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
  • The doneness check (is the chicken cooked) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
  • Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.

Read our full testing process

Keep cooking

Related recipes and guides

All Indian recipesHow to Make Garam Masala at HomeHow to Make Ginger Garlic PasteWeekly Meal Prep for Pakistani Cooking

Quick answers

Chicken Tikka Masala FAQ

Is tikka masala Indian or British?

It is widely credited to British-Indian restaurants, based on Indian tikka and masala techniques.

Can I make tikka masala in an Instant Pot?

Yes. Saute the base, pressure cook 5 minutes, then add charred chicken and cream.

What is the difference from butter chicken?

Tikka masala has a spicier onion base; butter chicken is milder and more buttery.

Can I use yogurt instead of cream?

Yes, whisked yogurt added on low heat.