Chicken Tikka Masala with Vegetables

a bowl of tikka masala and rice on a table.

5 from 7 votes

This easy chicken tikka masala with vegetables is rich, creamy and delicious – and comes together in around 30 minutes! It features a creamy, mild tomato-based sauce, tender chunks of marinated chicken and hearty vegetables. Make it when you’re craving comfort food or need a quick weeknight meal; the whole family will love it!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Marinating time (optional)2

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Servings:

Calories: 640kcal

Author: Andrea Geddes

Ingredients

For the marinated chicken

750 grams chicken thigh fillets cut into thick chunks
½ cup Greek yoghurt unsweetened
4 cloves garlic crushed
1 teaspoon fresh ginger finely grated. Or, use ginger paste in equal quantities.
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon turmeric ground
½ teaspoon salt
black pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice

For the tikka masala sauce

3-4 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
2 cups vegetables of choice cauliflower florets, frozen peas and cubed sweet potato (or add your favourites from the list above)
2 garlic cloves crushed
6 teaspoon ground cumin
6 teaspoon ground paprika sweet Hungarian paprika, not hot or smoked
½-1 teaspoon salt or to taste
pepper
3 cups canned tomatoes crushed or diced tomatoes
1 ½ cups cream 375ml cooking cream or thickened cream. You can use low fat cream or regular coconut milk, if preferred.
chilli powder or flakes (optional) optional, to taste

To serve

steamed basmati or white rice
roti or naan bread
lemon or lime wedges

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Marinate the chicken

Place the yoghurt and other marinade ingredients into a small bowl and stir. Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Marinating overnight is best for the most flavourful and tender chicken, but let it marinate for as much time as you have. At least 2 hours is recommended where possible.

Cook the chicken

Heat a large pan/wok (or BBQ grill) until smoking hot. Add 2 tbs of the ghee or oil (if using a pan, omit for BBQ) and cook the chicken on all sides until lightly charred and cooked through. You may have to do this in batches to prevent the marinade from stewing the chicken.
Remove the chicken from the pan and place on a plate to rest.

For the tikka masala sauce

In the same wok or frying pan, heat the remaining ghee (or oil) over medium heat. Add the vegetables and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.
Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper (and chilli powder if desired) and stir for a further 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
Stir in the tomatoes and cream. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat. Gently simmer over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring until the sauce has reduced and thickened. **Don't cook on high heat or the cream may split.
Add the cooked chicken to the thickened sauce and stir to combine. Simmer for a further 1-2 minutes.
Serve immediately over steamed rice with naan or roti bread and lemon or lime wedges. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Cut the chicken as uniformly as possible, to ensure it cooks evenly.
Marinate the chicken overnight, if possible. The longer the chicken sits in the tikka masala marinade, the more flavour is able to soak in. This dish is perfect for meal prep, because it can marinate and sit covered in the fridge for 1-2 days before cooking.
While the chicken is cooked at a high heat to get a lovely charred flavour, the sauce should be cooked over medium-low heat. Because the sauce contains cream, it can split if cooked too high too quickly.
Want it spicy? Add some hot chilli flakes, fresh chillies or chilli powder, to taste. To keep it mild for some, serve it up and add pinch of chilli flakes at the end for those who prefer a little kick.
In a rush? Add some leftover shredded chicken or even a BBQ rotisserie chicken to the curry sauce instead of marinating, if required. While the flavours won’t be as full, it still makes a tasty dinner in a hurry!
While this recipe uses a wok or frying pan for convenience, grilling or barbequing the chicken will give an even better flavour.
Customise with any fresh or frozen vegetables that you have sitting in your fridge.
How to serve; serve tikka masala with vegetables, steamed basmati or white rice, toasted pita or pan-fried naan bread. Top it with chopped coriander and serve with lemon or lime wedges on the side. Garlic naan or roti bread is perfect for mopping up the extra curry sauce!
Storage; Once the leftovers have cooled to room temperature, transfer them to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can reheat leftovers on the stovetop or in the microwave until steaming hot.
Please note that the nutrition information is based on the tikka masala being divided into 6 serves. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings or sides served with the tikka masala.
This recipe is made using Australian metric cups and spoon measurements. Any reference to cups or spoons in this recipe is in Australian metric. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.

Nutrition