No need for takeout with this Coconut Chicken Tikka Masala...it's healthier, has incredible flavor, and is made with only a few pantry staple ingredients!
Prep time: PT15M
Cook time: PT30M
Total time: PT45M
Rating
4.4 stars (1012 reviews)
Ingredients
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
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
Steps
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.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 993 kcal
Reviews
Jess on 2026-09-23 (4 stars): This was good, but I was not a fan of the raw garlic. I will probably roast it before I do this again.
Emely on 2026-09-14 (5 stars): SO GOOD! I did let this simmer on low for longer because we love a very, very thick sauce. I added a little heavy cream, a tad more tomato paste and a teaspoon of sugar. The take away was the lemon! Wow, did it add so much, best chicken tikka recipe I've tried, no need to try anymore!
Janette Lopez on 2026-08-30 (5 stars): Hi Tieghan.
This recipe is spot on!! I’ve been making this dish for years!! It is so simple to make and full of flavor. I triple the curry paste and freein portions for later on. Thank you for share our recipe.
Kris on 2026-08-30 (5 stars): Tried this for Sunday dinner. Turned out great.. even though it did not get to marinate for very long, and I didn't read to only add 2T of the paste.....and I didn't have a lemon to zest. (Should have read first....oh well!) So....added about 1T of lemon juice to the blender. Added all the paste to the gallon size bag..oops....and used 1/2 mayo / 1/2 Greek yogurt as hubby is not a fan. When I realized my error.... I needed some to start the sauce, I dug some out of the bag ...and continued on my way. Only let it sit about 15 minutes and added to sauce. Sauce may have not been as thick, but still very good! Served with naan bread and homemade samosa. Delish! Will make it in crock pot next time as I love good food on a busy night! Thank you!!
MR on 2026-08-08 (4 stars): Would it be possible to make this in a crockpot and if so, how long would it need to cook?
Chiho on 2026-01-27 (5 stars): My husband cannot tolerate yogurt so I had to replace it with mayonnaise in the marinade. It still came out so delicious. I was proud that I made this restaurant-like dish at home. Thank you so much for the great recipe!
Rachel on 2026-01-02 (5 stars): Excellent, just the right spicy for me and very easy to make. My young adult kids loved it too!
Amy Gutierrez on 2025-12-12 (5 stars): Delicious! Served with Jasmine rice and store bought garlic roasted nahn that I warmed up. We loved it!
Valerie on 2025-12-01 (5 stars): We loved this dish. My husband said it's his favorite of all the recipes I've made of this flavor profile. A good quality garam masala is key. I needed to add a little oil to the curry paste to help it bind in the food processor. I also let it simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes to thicken the sauce and added a little lemon juice at the end to bring out the flavors. Served it with sauteed broccoli. Took an hour to get it on the table, but it was worth it!
