Chicken Tikka Masala is an Indian-restaurant favorite rich-creamy tomato-based chicken curry. Made with tender cooked chicken marinated in yogurt, red chili powder, turmeric, and garam masala, this EASY recipe is cooked in just 30 minutes using the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker.
This Recipe originally published in 2018 has been updated with new photos, a video, and tips.
This homemade Chicken Tikka Masala uses just a few basic Indian spices and is so easy and flavorful that you will love it over the restaurant takeout option. It's cooked in under 30 minutes using the Instant Pot and best of all there is only one pot to clean. If you enjoy tender cooked chicken that is full of flavor and easy to make you have to try this recipe along with my Achari Chicken, Doro Wot, Chicken Massama Curry, Red Curry Chicken, and Panang Curry Chicken recipes.
What is Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken Tikka Masala is a curry with marinated chicken that is cooked in the tandoor clay oven (chicken tikka) and simmered in an onion and tomato-based creamy tangy sauce. Many places like Northern India, Scotland, and the United Kingdom claim to be the birthplace of this curry. It has also been declared Britain's National Dish and is popularly known as Tiki or Tikki Masala in the USA.
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Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts - Boneless skinless chicken breasts are traditionally used. You can also use chicken thighs instead with the same pressure cooking time as that for the chicken breasts
- Ground Spices - Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, and salt for marinating the chicken as well as in the sauce. These basic Indian spices add the perfect amount of heat, flavor, and a beautiful red hue to the dish
- Ginger and Garlic - fresh ginger and garlic are used for both the chicken marinade and the sauce
- Lemon Juice - adds brightness and helps with marination
- Yogurt - unsweetened plain yogurt is traditionally used to marinade. You can also use plain greek yogurt
- Onion - I use yellow onions for most Indian curries as it lends to a mildly sweet flavor when cooked, you can also use red onion instead
- Tomatoes - Ripe plum tomatoes are perfect to make the gravy or you can substitute them with good quality boxed chopped/diced/pureed tomatoes. Storebought diced or pureed tomatoes will add more vibrant color to the curry
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
Marinate the Chicken
- Using paper towels dry any excess moisture on the chicken. Make 2 to 3 slits in the chicken breasts and apply salt and lemon juice (photo 1)
- Mix yogurt, red chili powder, garam masala, ginger, and garlic. Apply evenly to the chicken breasts and allow them to marinate for at least 20 minutes or refrigerate overnight if marinating ahead of time. Marinating chicken for 4-5 hours or overnight is recommended (photo 2)
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and melt butter or oil (photo 3)
- Add onions and saute for 2 minutes (photo 4)
- Next, add ginger, and garlic and mix well, followed by tomatoes, turmeric, salt red chili powder, and garam masala (photo 5)
- Mix well, and then press Cancel. Add 2 tablespoons of water. Deglaze the pot if needed (photo 6)
- Place the tall trivet in the main pot and the marinated chicken over the trivet (photo 7)
- Baste the chicken with oil. Close the Instant Pot with the pressure valve to sealing. Pressure cook for 8 minutes followed by 10 minutes of natural pressure release (photo 8)
- Open the Instant Pot and take the chicken and the trivet out. Optional step - broil the cooked chicken in a preheated oven for 5 minutes to get some char marks. Cut the chicken into 2-inch chunks (photo 9)
- Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce until smooth and bring the sauce to a boil on saute mode. Stir in cream and fenugreek leaves (photo 10)
- Add the chicken to the sauce (photo 11)
- Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and bring the sauce to a gentle boil. The sauce will thicken further as it cools down. Garnish with cilantro (photo 12)
Serving
Serve with roti, Parathas, or naan (love trader joes and whole foods naan). For a gluten-free Indian meal, serve it with Cumin Rice, Steamed Basmati rice, or Brown rice. Pair it with cooling Beet Raita or cucumber raita to make a complete meal. And don't forget the super-easy Mango Lassi drink to make it a 5-star meal!
How to Store
Chicken Tikka Masala is a perfect dish to make ahead as the flavors continue to develop. Any leftovers can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days or can be frozen for 2 months. I would also recommend making a double batch of the sauce and freezing half of it for later.
Tips for Best Chicken Tikka Masala
- Use plain, full-fat, or greek yogurt to marinate the chicken
- Pat dry the chicken to avoid extra liquids in the marinade
- Marinate for 4 hours or overnight
- Discard any leftover marinade or brush it on the chicken for a spicier curry
- Can substitute 1.5 cups of pureed or diced tomatoes for fresh tomatoes
- Homemade garam masala brings out the authentic flavors
- Can substitute any mild red chili powder for Kashmiri red chili powder
Why Make Chicken Tikka Masala In Instant Pot
✔️ Cooked in under 30 minutes
✔️ Juicy tender cooked chicken every single time
✔️ No more multiple steps or pots and pans
✔️ Cook the sauce and the chicken at the same time using the pot-in-pot method! HUGE TIME SAVER!!
✔️ Puree the sauce directly in the main pot using an immersion blender. No need to transfer the hot curry into a blender
✔️ Miss the smoky char-grilled marks? Go ahead and broil the cooked chicken in the oven for a few minutes
Don't have an Instant Pot?
If you don't own an Instant Pot I've got you covered with stove top and slow cooker recipe
Stove Top
- Marinate the chicken and then cook it in the oven (400 F for 15 to 20 minutes) or an air fryer (380 F for 10 to 15 minutes). Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes and then cut it into 2-inch chunks.
- In a large skillet or dutch oven heat oil. Add onions and saute for 10 minutes. Add ginger, and garlic and mix well. Add tomatoes, turmeric, salt red chili powder, and garam masala. Mix well. Add ½ cup of water and cook covered for 15 minutes. Puree the sauce.
- Add the cooked chicken to the sauce. Stir in cream and fenugreek leaves. Mix well and cook until everything is heated through. Garnish with cilantro.
Slow Cooker
Here's my easy Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe.
More Indian Curry Recipes You'll Love
- Butter Chicken
- Prawn Masala
- Chicken Korma
- Mom's Chicken Curry
- Fish Curry
- Kheema Curry
- Mughlai Chicken Korma
- Homestyle Chicken Karahi
Looking for vegetarian options or trying to include more plant-based meals in your diet? Then check out my easy vegetarian recipes for dinner.
Recipe
Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe
Ingredients
Marinate
- 1½ pounds chicken breasts
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoons ginger grated
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon oil for basting
Sauce/Curry
- 2 tablespoons butter or oil
- 2 medium yellow onions diced
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 3 plum tomatoes chopped or 1.5 cups diced or pureed tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 to 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ to 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Garnish
- 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves kasoori methi
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Make 2 to 3 slits in the chicken breasts. Apply salt and lemon juice to the chicken breasts. Mix yogurt, red chili powder, garam masala, ginger, and garlic. Apply evenly to the chicken breasts and allow to marinate for 20 minutes or refrigerate if marinating ahead of time. Marinating chicken for 4-5 hours or overnight works well.
- Set the Instant Pot to Saute mode and heat butter or oil. Add onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add ginger, garlic and mix well. Add tomatoes, turmeric, salt red chili powder, and garam masala. Mix well. Press Cancel. Add 2 tablespoons of water. Deglaze the pot if needed.
- Place the tall trivet in the main pot. Place the marinated chicken over the trivet. Baste the chicken with oil. Close the Instant Pot with the pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook for 8 minutes followed by 10-minute natural pressure release.
- Open the Instant Pot. Take the chicken and the trivet out. Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce until smooth.
- Stir in cream and fenugreek leaves.
- Broil the cooked chicken in a preheated oven for 5 minutes to get some char marks (Optional). Cut the chicken into 2-inch pieces and add them to the sauce.
- Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and bring the curry to a gentle boil. The sauce will thicken further as it cools down. Garnish with cilantro.
Video
Notes
- Use plain full-fat or greek yogurt for the marinade. You can also use dairy-free yogurt if you like
- Pat dry the chicken to avoid extra liquids in the marinade
- Discard any leftover marinade or brush it on the chicken for a spicier curry
- 1 cup of pureed tomatoes can be substituted for fresh tomatoes
- Homemade garam masala brings out the best flavors
- Any mild red chili powder can be substituted for Kashmiri red chili powder
- Dair free cream can be used in place of heavy whipping cream
Nutrition
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Tamara says
Is it ok to use a short trivet or will that cause the chicken to be too soft?
Archana says
yes! except it will get a bit messy in the sauce.
Sana says
Loved this easy recipe. I used cashew cream instead of heavy cream and it was still great.
Betsy Meyer says
My Tika Masala turned out beautifully. Your recipes are so easy to follow. I’ve not had a single fail! How long can the leftovers for this or any of the other tomato based recipes be safely stored in the refrigerator?
Archana says
Thank you! You can safely refrigerate most curries for 5 days
YY says
This is my family’s favorite chicken tikka masala recipe - thank you! What is the red cabbage/yogurt dish you have pictured with it. Do you have a recipe for this?
Archana says
Its Beet raita - https://ministryofcurry.com/roasted-beetroot-and-cucumber-salad/
Nicola Scott says
I am picky about indian curries (I mean, I love all Indian food, but sometimes recipes are the letdown) and this one was amazing! My husband and I were so impressed. We have both spent long periods in India and this curry just took us back! ☺️
Rekha says
Two questions:
1) Have you tried this with chicken thighs and if so, is the cook time the same?
2) Can the chicken pieces be laid directly on top of the vegetables or is the trivet necessary? Thanks!
Archana says
Yes you can use Thighs. Same cook time and you can place the chicken over the veggies.
Ankita says
I followed this recipe exactly and got a burn notice...any suggestions?
Archana says
Add extra 1/4 cup of water and deglaze the pot! The newer instant pots are a lot more sensitive
Ankita says
Ah, yes, I have the new Instant Pot Duo and have heard it's more sensitive. I will definitely extra water next time! I ended up transferring to a pot on the stove. The chicken tikka turned out phenomenal and the flavor was amazing. Thanks for another great recipe and clear directions!
cindy says
if i double the recipe do i have to add 1/2 cup of water instead of 1/4 cup? i'm afraid to get the burn notice. please advise. thanks
Archana says
Yes please add 1/2 cup of water
Kecia Dunlap says
Archana,
I followed your recipe exactly and had excellent results. Your directions and your serving calculator to adjust for number of people you are feeding is so helpful. You are such an amazing lady. I love that you are so generous and share tips and your Mother’s Garam Masala recipe. Truly a wealth of sharing! In my humble opinion you are the “Julia Child” for Indian Cuisine. You are helping teach Americans how to make your wonderful and delicious Indian Food with amazing results and to do it with ease. Thank you so much! Keep on with your wonderful Ministry of Curry! I made your Chicken Tikka Masala and had 20 guests who thought you were there cooking in my kitchen for me. It made me feel so good to be able to cook your recipe and have it come out THAT good! Thank you!
K.D.
Archana says
OMG! Happy tears!! Thank you! Thank you!! I am blessed to have readers and followers like you.
Sima Mehta says
Hi Archana, my son likes the dry chicken breast without sauce, I was going to follow your recipe exactly but put an extra marinated chicken breast in the instapot. Would this be fine? Should I adjust the marinade at all? Should adjust cooking times?
Archana says
You can just cut up the cooked chicken on top for him. You can add more marinade and chicken if you like
Archana says
Same cook time will work
Madeline Price says
I was in the middle of making it but did not get cream because it is not included in the ingredients list 🙁 we were so excited about their recipe, so I would like to get cream and make it tomorrow. Can the chicken be marinated overnight?
Archana says
Hi Madeline, cream is in the sauce ingredients list and yes chicken can be marinated up to 24 hours.
Jamie says
I loved this recipe! It was so easy to make and the chicken was so tender and juicy. I omitted the cream (trying to reduce fat content for me 🙂 ) and added red pepper flakes for an extra kick. Will definitely be a repeat!
Vandy says
Hi,
Your recipe looks amazing! Can I make the chicken tikka masala on a stove top instant of the slow cooker?
Thanks.
Archana says
yes! You can make the sauce on the stovetop. Bake or grill the marinated chicken
Jeannie Sisson says
I've made this recipe many times and it always comes out perfect. My husband says it is better than the restaurant.
Archana says
Thank you so much for the lovely feedback!
susan says
I am cooking this now! For canned pureeed tomatoes is 1 or 1.5 cups better? I see 1.5 in the recipe but 1 in the notes. Thanks.
Archana says
Sorry, I am probably replying too late. You can add 1 or 1.5 it will just make the curry more vibrant red and a hint tangy.
PATRICIA Quenville Young says
enjoyed this and was easy to follow
Archana says
Thank you!
Laurie says
This is a delicious tried and true recipe. I have failed so many times trying to make palatable Indian food. This was my first success. I make it all of the time. It’s so delicious! Thank you so much. Now if only the naan gods would smile on me.
Archana says
Thank you Laurie!
Penny says
Hello,
Can I make this without lemon juice? Will the yogurt in the marinade provide enough acidity?
Thank you in advance!
Archana says
Yes you can make it without lemon juice
Sarah says
I am new to instant pot cooking. If I just make the sauce with no chicken, how long do I have to cook it for? And if I substitute chicken for tofu, how long will it brake and under what settings?
Archana says
Just sauce will be perfect in 8 mins. I would recommend cooking the tofu on stove top and then adding to the sauce.
Will says
Made this tonight using a can of napolini tomatoes that I’d blended. It gave me about 1.5 cups of tomato sauce and II added the water but still got the burn message, however I just figured it would save me the trouble of charring the meat. I simply deglazed the pot again with extra water.
It was really nice. Full of flavour and just the right level of spice and heat. I’m going to make this again and again and definitely when I have people round for dinner. I made your mum’s garam masala a few weeks ago so everything was as it should be according to the recipe. Although I cook a lot of Indian and Pakistani food, this was the first time I’d made Chicken Tikka Masala. I’m glad I did.
Archana says
Thank you for the feedback!
Tiana says
Do you see any major issues substituting yoghurt for the cream in the curry? Recipe looks great, excited to try this week 🙂
Archana says
Yogurt will add a bit of a sour taste and will not be as easy, but a good healthier substitute.
Maneesha says
Great recipe, Archana! Loved it! Thanks so much for all your amazing recipes!
Archana says
Thank you for the feedback!