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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.
Would this dish freeze well?
Hey Katie,
Totally, that will work nicely for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
I loved this! The flavors were great and both my toddlers loved this. I had way too much curry paste leftover so I think next time I’ll cut the paste recipe in half and I’ll still have some to save.
I want to make this again but for a low FODMAP diet — would skipping the garlic and onion in the paste be ok?
Hey Hayley,
Wonderful! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, love to hear it turned out well! The garlic and onion add a lot of flavor, but yes, the recipe will still work without them. Xx
This is easy and so packed with flavor. I followed recipe exactly and have made it 4 times. I would say the one time I made it with a HUGE, rather than medium sized, onion in the curry paste, I may have liked it even better. I like to serve it over half rice and half cauliflower rice for a little extra veg for a one dish wonder weeknight meal! Teen approved and picky pre-teen “tolerated”, which feels like a win. IYKYK.
Lol too funny! Thanks so much for making his recipe, Lisa:) So glad to hear it is always enjoyed! xT
I followed the recipe and usually, my meals come out delicious, but this one is not super flavorful, lacking depth, spiciness, creaminess, and complexity of what I expect for an Indian dish. Maybe I would add cumin, and hot chili paste for more spice and complexity… tasted like it was missing a handful of ingredients… I would not make it again. 🙁
Hi Megan,
Thanks for trying this dish and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear the flavors were not enjoyed! xx
I love this recipe!! I’ve made it several times asking with your naan recipe!
I’m now dairy free for my baby, do you have a replacement for yogurt other than a dairy free yogurt? TIA!
Hi Cassidy,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe!! I would use a dairy free yogurt, that will work best for you! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
I try a lot of new recipes all the time. This one really hits the mark. I’ll be making this again and again for my fam!
Thanks so much!! So glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe:) Happy Friday! xT
My toddler who doesn’t like anything LOVES and requests this on a weekly basis. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Tiegs!
Lol love to hear this, Mack!! Thanks for making this recipe so often:)
What would you use if you wanted to substitute the full fat unsweetened coconut milk for those who don’t like coconut? And does less fat coconut milk work?
Hi Akita,
Yes, you could use less fat coconut milk, whole milk and heavy cream are also great options. I hope you love this recipe! xT
I love every HBH recipe I’ve made, but this was SO GOOD! And super easy. I only used half the red pepper flakes and that made it spicy enough for me. Makes a lot of sauce, so perfect for mopping up with naan bread. Yummy!
Thank you so much for trying out the recipe! Always love to hear when a recipe is a success! 🙂 xT
My whole family loved it!
Thank you SO much Hannah! So glad you enjoyed this recipe! xT
SO delicious! I’m a sucker for tolls masala and am never satisfied with the store bought jars! Thank you!! Super simple to make!
Hey there! So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you so much for giving it a try! xT
One of my favorite of your recipes! I love the simplicity of the ingredient list and it tastes SO good. This recipe is on repeat at our house.
Hey Micah! Thanks so much for trying out the recipe! Love to hear you enjoyed it! xT
My partner loves a great curry so thought I would give this a go. I used the stove top method, the aroma of the spices cooking surely got the tastebuds tantalised with anticipation 😋 😀. We both were so impressed with this dish which we had with steamed rice and reheated garlic naan. It was a great hit, with a request for coconut curry chicken more regularly. Thank you.
Thank you so so much for giving this recipe a try! Hope you have an awesome New Year! xT
Way too much Garam masala for the suggested serving size.
Hi there! Thank you for this feedback! xT
Absolutely 10/10! This dish was amazing. I made it for my parents and they both loved it. My dad went back for seconds. Such an easy recipe with so much flavor. I think I could have used more paste, I used 1/2 C, but the texture of the curry and the whole meal was just wonderful! Thank you for another delicious addition to my go to recipes!
Hi! Thank you so much for giving the recipe a try! Hope you have a wonderful New Year! 🙂 xT
Wow!! So good, my teenage son raved about this meal. Followed everything as stated in the recipe and it all turned out perfectly!! It was bursting with so much flavor!! By far my most favorite tikka masala dish I’ve made. I’ll definitely be making this dish again. Love all your recipes!!
Thank you so so much Brittany! xT