The Showroom · about 1 hour (plus marinating)

Chicken Tikka Masala

The takeout favorite, from scratch — chicken marinated in spiced yogurt, charred, then simmered in a velvety tomato-cream masala. Worth the marinate; spooned over basmati with naan to mop up. (Short on time? There's a 35-minute weeknight version too.)

~1 hr active 30 min+ marinate 15 min simmer

Effort ●●●○ Time ●●○○ Some Doing

Gluten-Free

Servingsamounts scale to match

Units

Ingredients

Marinate in yogurt, then char before it simmers. The yogurt-and-spice marinade tenderizes the chicken and is the "tikka" half; charring the pieces (broiler or a screaming-hot pan) before they go into the sauce builds the smoky depth that makes it tikka masala, not just curry. Stir the cream in off a hard boil.

Easier, if you like

Short on time? The Easy Chicken Tikka Masala in the Weeknight Kitchen uses cooked (rotisserie) chicken and skips the marinade and char — about 35 minutes, one pan.
Store-bought tikka or tandoori paste can stand in for the marinade spices in a pinch.
Marinate in the morning so dinner is just sear-and-simmer.

Method

Cook's notes

Two stages make it tikka masala: the yogurt-spice marinade ("tikka") and the charred sear before the sauce. Don't skip the char — broiler, grill, or a very hot pan.

Thighs stay juicier than breast through the simmer. Marinate at least 30 minutes; overnight is better.

Crush the San Marzano tomatoes by hand for a rustic sauce, or blend for smooth.

Garam masala goes in twice — some with the sauce, a final pinch at the end for fragrance.

Make it vegetarian (it's already gluten-free)

Vegetarian: substitute paneer or roasted cauliflower for the chicken — marinate and char it the same way.

Gluten-free: the curry is gluten-free; serve with rice (naan is wheat).