• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Zimmy's Nook
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Zimmy’s Blog
  • Services
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Zimmy’s Blog
  • Services
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Recipes
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Zimmy’s Blog
    • Services
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Chicken & Poultry

    Grilled Chicken Tikka Masala

    Published: Feb 25, 2021 · Modified: Jan 28, 2024 by Zimmy · This post may contain Amazon and other affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Grilled Chicken Tikka Masala. Marinate succulent chicken thighs in a blend of yogurt, aromatic spices, and fresh herbs. The rich sauce, crafted with caramelized onions, tomatoes, and a medley of spices, is a harmonious balance of flavours. Grill the marinated chicken to perfection, then simmer it in the luscious sauce until tender.

    A pan of grilled chicken tikka masala and an individual portion is served on a bed of rice with naan.

    Serve over fragrant basmati rice, garnish with cilantro, and enjoy this delicious dish with warm naan for an authentic and delightful dining experience.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Equipment
    • Leave a Comment
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Recipe Tips:

    Ingredients

    Chicken Marinade

    Ingredients for a chicken tikka masala marinade recipe.
    • Whole milk yogurt
    • Fresh ginger 
    • Kosher salt 
    • Kashmiri red chili powder 
    • Garam masala  
    • Ground black pepper 
    • Ground turmeric
    • Garlic cloves
    • Boneless skinless chicken thighs 

    Sauce

    Chicken tikka sauce ingredients.
    • Olive oil 
    • Cooking onion
    • Red onion
    • Long chilies, red &/or green
    • Kosher salt 
    • Ginger 
    • Garlic cloves 
    • Fresh methi leaves
    • Garam masala 
    • Kashmiri red chili powder 
    • Hot paprika 
    • Can of whole peeled tomatoes 
    • Tomato passata
    • 15% cooking cream  
    • Salt to taste

    For Serving

    • Chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems 
    • Basmati rice
    • Naan, homemade or store bought

    Instructions

    Chicken Marinade

    Whisk together all the ingredients (except the chicken) in a large bowl until combined. Toss the chicken in the marinade until well coated. Pour chicken, marinade into a resealable bag, and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours.

    A bowl of chicken tikka marinade ingredients with chicken thighs.
    Chicken thighs marinating in a tikka masala sauce a sealed bag.

    Sauce

    Heat the oil in a 5-quart covered pan over medium heat. Add the onions and chilies, season with 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to caramelize, 8-10 minutes. Add the ginger & garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until very fragrant, 2-3 minutes (lower heat if garlic browns too quickly, do not let it burn). Next, add the methi leaves, garam masala, chili powder and paprika. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes & passata, breaking the tomatoes into pieces with a spoon, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are very tender, about 30 minutes.

    Remove from heat and let the sauce cool slightly (5 minutes).

    While the sauce is cooling begin making the rice as per the package instructions

    Transfer it to a blender filling no more than halfway. (Work in batches if required or alternatively use an immersion blender.)  Place the lid on the blender and remove the center cap. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel, and blend starting low, and work speed up slowly, until smooth.  Add cream and blend to incorporate. Pour into the cleaned pan and bring to a simmer. Season with salt.    

    Grill the Chicken

    Meanwhile, preheat the grill or grill pan on medium-high. Cook the chicken (without overcrowding) until the chicken gets some charred spots, 4-5 minutes per side (raise heat slightly if needed to char) Note: chicken will not be fully cooked at this point. Remove from the grill and cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces.

    Chicken thighs going on the grill.
    Chicken thighs on the grill with char marks.

    Add the chicken to the simmering sauce, cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 10-12 minutes. 

    A pot of grilled chicken tikka masala and a pot of rice.

    Serve and Enjoy

    Serve over fragrant basmati rice, garnish with cilantro, and enjoy this delicious dish with warm naan for an authentic and delightful dining experience.

    • A skillet with a baked flatbread.
      Skillet Flatbread

    This recipe was adapted from the Food Network Kitchen Recipe. 

    Equipment

    This recipe was made (and served) in my Hestan ProBond Forged Stainless Steel 5qt Sauté Pan and 2qt Sauce Pan and on my Hestan Dual Fuel Range and grill. Proud Hestan Culinary  & Hestan Ambassador. Opinions in this post are my own.

    Leave a Comment

    If you get the chance to try this Grilled Chicken Tikka Masala recipe please drop back and leave us a comment and rating here. We would love to know what you think! Thanks Elaine & James 🙂

    📖 Recipe

    A pan of grilled chicken tikka masala and an individual portion is served on a bed of rice with naan.

    Grilled Chicken Tikka Masala

    I marinated the chicken thighs in yogurt, spices, ginger & garlic for 20 hours before grilling them. Made the sauce of onions, garlic, ginger, long chilies, garam masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, hot paprika, fresh Methi leaves, tomatoes & cream, then added the chicken in to finish cooking.
    Served over basmati rice, topped with fresh cilantro, alongside naan.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr
    Marinating time: 12-24 hours 12 hours hrs
    Total Time 13 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
    Course Dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine Indian
    Servings 4 -6 People

    Ingredients
      

    Chicken Marinade

    • 2 cups whole milk yogurt
    • 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
    • 4 teaspoons kosher salt
    • 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
    • 2 teaspoons garam masala
    • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
    • 4 cloves garlic minced
    • 12 boneless skinless chicken thighs

    Sauce

    • 4 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 medium cooking onion diced
    • 1 medium red onion diced
    • 3-4 long chiles red &/or green, seeded and chopped

    Kosher salt

    • 1 ½ tablespoons finely grated ginger
    • 8 cloves garlic finely grated
    • ⅓ cup fresh methi leaves picked from stems & washed. Substitute 4 teaspoons dried whole fenugreek leaves (Kasoori methi) if fresh methi leaves are unavailable.
    • 4 teaspoons garam masala
    • 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
    • 2 teaspoon hot paprika
    • 1 x 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
    • 2 cups tomato passata
    • ½ cup 15% cooking cream
    • Salt to taste

    For serving:

    • Chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
    • Basmati rice
    • Naan

    Instructions
     

    Chicken Marinade

    • Whisk together all the ingredients (except the chicken) in a large bowl until combined. Toss the chicken in the marinade until well coated. Pour chicken, marinade into a resealable bag, and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours.

    Sauce

    • Heat the oil in a 5-quart covered pan over medium heat. Add the onions and chilies, season with 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to caramelize, 8-10 minutes. Add the ginger & garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until very fragrant, 2-3 minutes (lower heat if garlic browns too quickly, do not let it burn). Add the methi leaves, garam masala, chili powder and paprika. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes & passata, breaking the tomatoes into pieces with a spoon, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are very tender, about 30 minutes.
    • Remove from heat and let the sauce cool slightly (5 minutes).
    • While the sauce is cooling begin making the rice as per the package instructions
    • Transfer it to a blender filling no more than halfway. (Work in batches if required or alternatively use an immersion blender.)  Place the lid on the blender and remove the center cap. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel, and blend starting low, and work speed up slowly, until smooth.  Add cream and blend to incorporate. Pour into the cleaned pan and bring to a simmer. Season with salt.

    Grill the Chicken

    • Meanwhile, preheat the grill or grill pan on medium-high. Cook the chicken (without overcrowding) until the chicken gets some charred spots, 4-5 minutes per side (raise heat slightly if needed to char) Note: chicken will not be fully cooked at this point. Remove from the grill and cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces.
    • Add the chicken to the simmering sauce, cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 10-12 minutes.

    Serve and Enjoy

    • Serve over fragrant basmati rice, garnish with cilantro, and enjoy this delicious dish with warm naan for an authentic and delightful dining experience.

    Notes

    Recipe Tips:

    Marinating: Allow the chicken to marinate for the full recommended time (12 to 24 hours) to enhance its flavour and tenderness. The longer marination time allows the spices to penetrate the meat, resulting in a more flavourful dish.
    Grilling Perfection: Preheat your grill or grill pan adequately before cooking the chicken. Aim for medium-high heat, and do not overcrowd the grill to ensure each piece gets those desirable charred spots.
    Caramelized Onions: Take your time caramelizing the onions; it adds a rich sweetness to the sauce. Patience here will pay off in depth of flavour.
    Blending the Sauce: When blending the sauce, allow it to cool slightly before blending to avoid any accidents due to hot liquid. Blend in batches if needed and ensure a smooth consistency for a velvety texture.
    Creamy Consistency: Add the cream after blending to maintain a smooth and creamy consistency. Blend again briefly to incorporate the cream evenly into the sauce.
    Chicken Simmering: Let the chicken simmer in the sauce after grilling to absorb the flavours fully. Covering the pan during this step ensures the chicken cooks through while staying tender.
    Keyword bbq chicken tikka recipe, chicken thighs tikka masala, curry recipe chicken tikka masala, grilled chicken tikka masala recipe, ingredients for chicken tikka masala curry, recipes tikka masala
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!


    More Chicken & Poultry

    • Chicken Teriyaki Sliders with Pickled Asian Slaw and grilled pineapple.
      Chicken Teriyaki Sliders with Pickled Asian Slaw
    • Two trays each with a smoked duck leg, served with a Charred Scallion Chimichurri, mac & cheese, and a cucumber salad.
      Smoked Duck Legs with Charred Scallion Chimichurri
    • A close up of a plate of Butterflied Chicken Drumsticks with Sweet & Spicy Herb Sauce.
      Butterflied Chicken Drumsticks with Sweet & Spicy Herb Sauce
    • A board with Crispy Smashed Potato Tacos (or Tostadas) Topped with spiced rotisserie chicken, cheese, and fresh toppings like guacamole and Pico de Gallo,
      Crispy Smashed Potato Tacos / Tostadas

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Zimmy's Nook bio

    Hi, I’m James (aka Zimmy), a home chef who loves to grill year-round. In partnership with my wife Elaine, we work with and passionately promote the stories of local farmers, food producers/purveyors, as well as the products of companies who share our passion for quality, innovation and design.

    More about us →

    Grilling in the Nook 🔥

    • A double patty shawarma spiced lamb smash slider topped with onions, peppers and toum. The lid is being placed on the burger.
      Shawarma-Spiced Lamb Smash Sliders with Garlic Toum
    • A serving tray with Espresso Bacon Jam Burgers with toppings, fries and a pot of smoked Gouda Sauce.
      Bacon Jam Burgers with Smoked Gouda Sauce
    • A platter of lil smokies skewered with lime wedges and coated with an elote topping.
      Grilled Lil Smokies with Elote-Inspired Topping
    • Slices of smoked char siu pork with a pineapple relish overtop and served with a cucumber salad and sweet potatoes.
      Smoked Char Siu Pork Collar with Grilled Pineapple Relish
    See more Grilling in the Nook →

    Follow us!

    Join our mailing list

    Hestan Culinary – Save 20% off use code: ZIMMY20

    Hestan Culinary - Shop Now
    Click the image to shop. *Discount not available during promotional periods.

    Ooni

    Ooni Koda 16
    Ooni Koda 16

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    JOIN OUR MAILING LIST

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Services

    As an Amazon, Hestan Culinary and Ooni Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Zimmy's Nook