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If you often find yourself heading to your favorite local Indian spot for curry, you need to try this Coconut Chicken Tikka Masala. It’s likely healthier, has incredible flavor, and can be made using only a handful of pantry staple ingredients…that you may even have on hand. My secret is to blend up a quick homemade yellow curry, which becomes the base flavor. I also add coconut milk to the chicken, which keeps the masala creamy. It adds a hint of coconut flavor, which I find to be really nice with Indian cuisine. AND…the flavors get even better the next day, meaning leftovers are especially delicious!
We’re less than one week out from the release of Half Baked Harvest Super Simple. And today I’m sharing a recipe straight from the pages of the new cookbook! Some of you might recall, but I asked everyone on Instagram which recipe they’d like to see this week and the Tikka Masala won. It was a very close call between the TIkka Masala and Beef Bourguignon, but Masala won fair and square!
To be 100% honest, I’m not sure I’m really ready for the release of this cookbook. You guys, I am SO NERVOUS. I think even more nervous than the first cookbook, I just really want you all to love this book!! It’s very scary and I’ve had a nervous pit in my stomach for days now. But don’t take that wrong, because I am so excited too! I cannot wait to share this book with you all. My hope is that it brings to you so many new recipes to fall in love with.
And today, a sneak peek at one of my personal favorite recipes, the chicken Tikka Masala!! With homemade naan…of course.
PS. Barnes & Noble is selling signed copies…
The Details.
This recipe is well, Super Simple!
Start with the curry paste. I have a hard time finding a really good yellow curry paste locally, so I decided to make my own. It takes only minutes to put together and you probably already have everything you need in your pantry right now.
I toss an onion, shallots, garlic, plenty of ginger, and a couple of spices into a blender (or food processor). Then I process it all together until a paste forms. No chopping, no weird ingredients, nothing fancy. Just simple and delicious.
The cool thing about this curry paste is that it lasts for up to a month in the fridge. So if you love making curry I’d recommend doubling the recipe and keeping a batch in the fridge for incredibly fast weeknight curries. Perfect for cold and cozy fall/winter days.
Now, onto the chicken.
Since the curry paste adds all the flavor, the chicken just needs to be marinated for thirty minutes in the paste. Oh, and add in some Greek yogurt too. This tenderizes the chicken and makes for a creamy sauce. If you’re really short on time, you can skip marinating and just move right onto cooking.
Tip: Before you start the chicken, make a pot of rice. You can’t have Tikka Masala without rice.
Then simmer the chicken on the stove with coconut milk, and tomatoes paste. Minutes later your Coconut Chicken Tikka Masala will be done. And your kitchen will smell amazing, like deliciously slowly simmered Indian food.
Again, super simple.
So how does it taste?
SO GOOD. I know that the recipe feels simple and the steps are easy, but I promise, this tastes like real deal Chicken Tikka Masala…but with the slightest hint of coconut. It’s rich, creamy, perfectly spiced, and is best served over steamed rice with warm naan for scooping up all that sauce.
I was so excited to have the chance to make this again that I even shot some new photos, fresh for the blog. I filmed a quick Instagram story video as well. That sauce is just so creamy and brightly colored that I had to capture it.
Also? Recreating this recipe from the cookbook was especially well-timed. My oldest brother is in town and this is one of his favorite Indian dishes.
My hope in sharing this book recipe today, is to get you all excited for the book’s upcoming release. And maybe, hopefully, to encourage you all to order it too!
If you’ve yet to preorder your copy, you can order a copy on Amazon, OR order a signed copy from Barnes & Noble. Also, if you order the book before December 20th enter your receipt information here, and immediately receive the bonus pack.
The book is out this Tuesday!! Are you all excited? Will you be making Tikka Masala tonight?!?
One final note, I just want to say thank you all so much for your outpouring of support. It’s the most wonderful thing. It means the world to me that you all are so excited to continue cooking with me daily. Your messages, comments, and emails are all read and heard. Just thank you SO MUCH!! I really can’t thank you enough!!
If you make this coconut chicken tikka masala, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Super Simple Coconut Chicken Tikka Masala
Servings: 6 6
Calories Per Serving: 993 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Curry Paste
- 1 medium yellow onion, quartered
- 1 shallot, halved
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 (1-inch) pieces fresh ginger, peeled
- 3 tablespoons garam masala
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Zest of 1 lemon
Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
- ½ cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 can (14 ounce) full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 can (6 ounce) tomato paste
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- 3 cups cooked rice, for serving
Instructions
- 1. To make the curry paste. In a blender or food processor, combine the onion, shallot, garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, salt, red pepper flakes, and lemon zest. Pulse until a smooth paste forms, about 1 minute.2. To make the chicken. In a gallon-size zip-top bag, combine 2 tablespoons of the curry paste, the chicken, and the yogurt. Seal the bag and massage the mixture into the chicken to cover completely. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate up to overnight.3. Heat a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add ¼ cup to 1/2 cup (use to your taste) of the curry paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the chicken, coconut milk, and tomato paste. Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes more.4. Stir in the cilantro and serve the chicken over rice.
Notes
Curry Paste: You can double the curry paste and store it refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 month, or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Alternately, you can use store-bought yellow curry paste.
This post was originally published on October 23, 2019
I thought this dish was so flavorful and very authentic. My whole family was obsessed with the dish and we had no leftovers sadly…
I am really glad you all enjoyed this though! Thank you Mason! xTieghan
First time trying one of your recipes & I loved it!! Delicious and easy to follow instructions. Thanks 🙂 Trying a Ramen recipe next. Can’t wait!
I hope you love the ramen recipe just as much! Thank you so much Emily! xTieghan
Hi!! Thank you so much for this recipe! I think I accidentally cooked the chicken for too long. Any tips on getting that juicy, tender chicken? Mine ended up being dry. I cooked it as directed but maybe needed to stir it more?
Hi Natasha,
Thanks for trying the recipe, I am sorry the chicken was dried out. Next time I would dice this chicken into larger pieces, my guess is they were too small and cooked much faster than the 15 minutes. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made this and it was AMAZING to say the least!! Definitely go lighter on the crushed red pepper, I added a little less and it was still a little spicy.
Would this recipe hold up with reduced fat yogurt and milk? Thanks!
Hi Sim,
So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Yes you can use reduced fat yogurt and milk. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Another great recipe. I had to add a bit of olive oil to my paste because it wasn’t getting… well, pasty, when I was blending it. Happy that I have extra curry sauce leftover to freeze for next time. This would be nice with a raita on the side with the naan,
Thank you so much Raewyn! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Phenomenal
Thank you Corinne! xTieghan
OMG THIS WAS AMAZING!!!!! My boyfriend and I licked our bowls clean, and can’t wait to finish the leftovers for dinner tonight. For how simple this was the make, the end result is incredible. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!! xx
YES!! That is so amazing to hear! Thank you so much Christine! xTieghan
For some reason, the coconut milk and red sauce are separating rather than becoming a thick sauce. Any ideas why?? Otherwise, this is absolutely delicious!!!
Hi Roxane,
So sorry you are having issues with the sauce, my guess is that your heat is too high. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made it for the first time last night and my family LOVED IT. For extras… I added in 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and a 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
I’ll definitely make it again!!
I am so glad this turned out so well for you Alyssa! Thank you so much! xTieghan
I am out of fresh ginger. Is there a way to replace the fresh ginger with dry ground ginger?
Hi Amy! Yes, you could use about 1/2 teaspoon in its place. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Never ordering take out again! This was so, so good.
Haha YES! That is so great to hear! Thank you Adriana! xTieghan
Made this for dinner last night, both my husband and I loved it! SO good!
Thank you so much! That is so amazing to hear! xTieghan
Can I add sweet potatoes to this?
Hi Austen! Sure! I am sure they would taste great! xTieghan
This was my first time following a recipe from HBH, & it was so simple + delicious!! My husband loved it (& I was so happy when he went back for seconds)!
I am so glad this turned out so well for you, especially as your first one of mine! I hope you continue to enjoy others! Thank you Libby! xTieghan
I made this for a curry cooking contest and won 2nd place. The first place entry was saltier, but similar and I actually didn’t like it so much because of the amount of salt but that does tend to be more popular. Anyway, I love this recipe! It’s not hard to make and it is delicious!!!!
Hi Cathy! That is so amazing! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan