Easy Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe
I think chicken tikka masala is one of the most popular recipes I see in Indian restaurants or in the ethnic section of the freezer section of my grocery store. With this easy recipe you won’t need either the Indian restaurant or the frozen dinner. Whew. And it tastes better than either, I promise. It’s low carb, naturally gluten-free, and new recipes like this will impress your family. The chicken is juicy, moist, and tender with a richly developed flavor profile thanks to warming spices like garam masala, cumin, coriander, ginger, smoked paprika, and more. The sauce is fragrant, creamy, and I want it on everything! I made the recipe using the a Crock-Pot® Express Crock Multi Cooker. It combines the functions of a pressure cooker (i.e. Instant Pot), as well as slow cooker, steamer, sauté/browning, along with 8 built-in preset buttons that effortlessly cook a variety of great tasting meals. You can choose whatever function you need with the touch of a button. The Crock-Pot® Express Crock Multi Cooker can help prepare meals fast, which is perfect for busy schedules and hectic weeknights. One of the reasons I tend not to use my traditional slow cookers as much is because I don’t enjoy the step of dirtying a pan to sauté things on the stovetop (but you just have to if you want to develop rich flavor or to sear anything). And then after transferring everything to the Crock-Pot, waiting around for many hours isn’t my favorite. Patience is not my virtue. With the Crock-Pot® Express Crock Multi Cooker, all the challenges are solved! <— Love this. If you haven’t already, you’re going to want to jump on the pressure cooking bandwagon and this new multi cooker is going to be your new BFF.
What’s in Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala?
To make the marinade and the chicken tikka masala sauce, you’ll need:
Chicken breasts (or boneless skinless chicken thighs) Plain Greek yogurt Garlic Olive oil Lemon juice Spices Sweet Vidalia onion Unsalted butter Tomato sauce Heavy cream (or half and half) Fresh cilantro
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
Add the tikka masala marinade and chicken breasts to a zip-top bag and allow chicken to marinate in the fridge for at least 1 to 2 hours. Once the chicken has had time to marinate, saute the onions and garlic in the Crock-Pot® Express Crock Multi Cooker on saute mode before adding the marinated chicken. After sautéing, I added the sauce ingredients, and switched over to high pressure cooking mode for 10 minutes, and then sealing the lid so it can cook. Allow the steam to release naturally (as opposed to manual release). I finished it with half-and-half, and this impressive-tasting dish was ready in no time.
Can I Make Chicken Tikka Masala in a Slow Cooker?
Yes! If you’re not in a rush, you can use the slow cooker mode rather than the pressure cooking mode, and let things simmer away for hours like you would with a traditional slow cooker. I’ve given detailed instructions on making slow cooker chicken tikka masala in the recipe card below.
Tips for Making Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe
This is a very saucy dish, which we love. However, if you prefer less sauce, you can halve the amount of butter and/or cream and use 1.50 pounds of chicken. A few readers have asked if they can substitute the cream in the chicken tikka masala sauce. If you can’t have dairy, you may get similar results using full-fat canned coconut milk. Or, look for a dairy-free half and half at your grocery store. Serve this with rice such as jasmine rice, basmati rice, or even cauliflower rice.
More Easy Chicken Dinners:
Indian Butter Chicken – An EASY, ONE-POT recipe for a classic Indian favorite!! Juicy, BUTTERY chicken simmered in a CREAMY tomato-based sauce! Next time you’re craving Indian food, you can make it yourself in 30 minutes!! Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing leftovers of this Instant Pot tikka masala since the sauce contains so much dairy. I worry it could ‘break’ or split during the freezing/thawing process and have a grainy texture upon being thawed. However, there are tons of frozen dinners in every grocer’s freezer case so maybe it will be fine. I haven’t tried. To Reheat: I use my microwave for quickness and ease and reheat my leftovers for about 30 seconds on high, or as needed. Reheat on the stove top or however is easiest for you. Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes!
Yellow Chicken Coconut Curry (Chicken Korma) — An EASY Indian recipe you can make at home in 25 minutes that tastes like it’s from a restaurant!! Chicken, cashews, and spices are simmered in coconut milk for the WIN!!
Sheet Pan Curry Chicken and Vegetables – An EASY Indian-inspired meal that’s ready in 30 minutes, made on ONE pan, and great for meal prep or busy weeknights!! There’s so much CURRY FLAVOR in every bite!!
Grilled Tandoori Chicken — Recreate this Indian favorite QUICKLY and EASILY at home! If you’re looking for a new spin on grilled chicken, this is THE recipe to try. It’s super juicy, flavorful, and you’ll LOVE IT!!
Green Thai Chicken Coconut Curry — An EASY, one-skillet green curry that’s ready in 20 minutes and tastes BETTER than from a Thai restaurant!! It’s healthy comfort food that tastes AMAZING!!
Cauliflower, Chickpea, and Chicken Coconut Curry – An EASY, one-skillet curry that’s ready in 20 minutes and tastes BETTER than a restaurant!! The Thai-inspired coconut milk broth makes this healthy comfort food taste AMAZING!! Post is brought to you by the Crock-Pot® Slow Cooker brand. The recipe, images, text, and opinions expressed are my own.
