comment icon 78 more comments It’s here. It’s a go-to lunch/dinner/bedtime snack. It couldn’t be easier and we simply cannot stop eating it. It’s also absolutely flexible and super easy to throw together, so it is very ready to be your new best friend. This isn’t chicken tikka in the traditional Indian cuisine sense where pieces of marinated chicken are grilled or baked on skewers in a tandoor oven. And it isn’t even full chicken tikka masala, which is a curried version where that chicken tikka then gets simmered in a creamy spiced tomato sauce and served over rice. Instead, we’re borrowing that delicious deeply spiced flavor using our favorite jarred version of masala sauce and giving some easy crispy chicken tenders a little brush and bake. It’s definitely a bit outside the norm, but we are absolutely here for it.
Ingredients You’ll Need To Make These Bowls Happen
The ingredient list is plentiful here, but it’s all bits to add to the flavor parade! And though we’re definitely mixing up that drool-worthy mint sauce from scratch, we’re relying on a lot of pre-made and store-bought for the rest and whoo-boy, you can too! For the bowl-build:
crispy breaded chicken (store-bought) tikka masala sauce (also store-bought) cooked quinoa sliced or diced cucumbers pickled red onion slaw (hi, you guessed it…store-bought mix!)
For the mint sauce:
fresh mint & cilantro mayo or plain Greek yogurt salt juice of a lime garlic jalapeño
There are definitely some homemade options for you on the crispy chicken front, the tikka masala sauce, or the slaw, but if you want to get at your lunch/dinner all fast and furious? Well then, grab those chicken tendies from the freezer, crack that sauce jar, rip open that bag of slaw mix, and let’s get to it, ya? You could even buy a packet of pre-made quinoa and we wouldn’t be mad!
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Let’s Make Chicken Tikka Bowls
We’re gonna keep this version, our favorite version, reeeeeaaaaaal easy. Some slicing and dicing to maximize your bowl chompiness, a quick sauce zip in the blender, but other than that, this is all pretty much a breeze. It’s all going to be so beautiful and colorful when you get it together that for just a teeny tiny second you might want to just admire it for a bit but please, we urge you, do not waste any time staring. GET. AT. IT.
Just Can’t Stop Swooning Over These
Like we said, these bowls are super flexible, so if you don’t want to get on the crispy chicken tender train, that’s totally fine! But we can’t be friends. (Just kidding! Maybe.) Regular skillet-seared chicken breasts totally work, too! We’ve also made it with tofu and sweet potato which were also delicious, so you can swap what you love best. Those crispy little frozen chicken fingies tho…cannot recommend enough. It’s also so wonderful how easy they can be. Lots of pre-made and store-bought options if you’re short on time and patience (us, always), and everything still feels so fresh and flavorful. But there are also ways to really take your time with it and make it your own. Bread and crisp your own chicken? Get at it. Wanna make your own tikka masala sauce? We’ve got a great one here. If you don’t already have some pickled red onions in your fridge, don’t worry. You can super quick toss them in a jar and get them pickling in no time. Then they’re just ready for the other hundred times you’ll inevitably make these bowls this week. It’s just all our favorite food adjectives in one! It’s crispy, salty, spicy, briny, cool, and creamy. How could you go wrong?! You truly can’t.
Looking For More Foods with Big Flavors?
Chicken Tikka Masala (so delicious and made with a homemade masala sauce) Thai Yellow Chicken with Potatoes (over 160 glowing reviews, so you know it’s a good one!) Chopped Thai-Inspired Chicken Salad (healthy, fresh, and full of crunchiness)
4.9 from 40 reviews
4 pieces of crispy breaded chicken (homemade option, or store-bought) 1/2 cup tikka masala sauce (homemade option, or store-bought) 3 cups cooked quinoa 1 cucumber, sliced or diced pickled red onion
Slaw
2 cups shredded coleslaw 3 tablespoons mayo 2 tablespoons vinegar 3/4 teaspoon salt
Mint Sauce
1/4 cup mint leaves 1/4 cup cilantro leaves 1/2 cup mayo or plain Greek yogurt 1/2 teaspoon salt juice of a lime 1 clove garlic 1 hunk of jalapeño water to thin the sauce as needed
