This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala is the epitome of good Indian food! It starts with a simple marinade, and you can cook it entirely in the instant pot or on the stovetop! Serve with steamed basmati rice or my personal favorite, garlic naan!
This is the mic drop of all instant pot meals!
Chicken Tikka Masala in the instant pot is my go-to recipe when I want a flavorful Indian dish in a flash without putting in a ton of effort!
So after months of recipe testing, I’m pleased to be bringing this meal to the blog. I love serving homemade chicken tikka masala with basmati rice. But if I’m feeling extra indulgent, I’ll also make a batch of homemade garlic naan. This is the perfect meal to make when it’s cold out or when you want good comfort food that’ll warm your soul.
Initially, when I shared this recipe, it was just the instant pot version. I received a ton of requests for directions on how to make it on a stovetop, so I tested the recipe, and now you have instructions for both, and no excuses not to try it.
Meals that are easy on the cook are my favorite kind.
This is delicious! Next time, we will double the recipe so we can have more!
What’s the difference between butter chicken and tikka masala?
Murgh makhani and butter chicken are the same thing! Literally translated, ‘murgh’ means chicken, and ‘makhani’ means butter. It always makes me crack up when I hear people arguing that a recipe tasted more like murgh makhani than butter chicken!
Now, let’s talk about the difference between murgh makhani/ butter chicken and chicken tikka masala. So as we know, butter chicken contains butter. This isn’t always in the form of butter as we know it. Sometimes, it’s in the way of clarified butter or ghee, which is what I prefer to use in my butter chicken recipe. Butter chicken is also a tad bit sweeter (because of either sugar or sauteed onions) and milder concerning spices than chicken tikka masala. Chicken tikka masala packs more of a punch with a spicy marinade. It also may or may not contain any butter. I reserve the ghee for my butter chicken and opt for oil when I’m making chicken tikka masala. However, ghee would work lovely in place of the oil in this recipe should you choose to use it.
Ingredients for chicken tikka masala recipe
- Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken tender or chicken breasts for this recipe. Chop chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes so they cook evenly. For those who like dark meat chicken, the boneless chicken thighs are a great option as they’re more flavorful and more traditionally used.
- Yogurt: acts as a tenderizer in this recipe to marinate the chicken. This recipe typically uses plain yogurt, but Greek yogurt will also work.
- Lemon juice: used as a tenderizer in this recipe to marinate the chicken
- Fresh Ginger: the heart and soul of Indian food! You can use grated ginger or ginger paste for this recipe; both will work.
- Garlic: the other heart of Indian food? What I’m trying to say is that both garlic and ginger are starting points for so many Indian and Pakistani recipes. You can use grated garlic cloves or garlic paste for this recipe; both work.
- Seasonings and spices: both ground white or black pepper and garam masala are used to flavor the chicken. You’ll need a teaspoon salt for the seasoning. We’ll also use ground cumin, coriander, paprika, garam masala, fenugreek leaves, ground turmeric, and cayenne pepper for the gravy portion of this recipe. The spice levels in this recipe can be adjusted by using more/less cayenne pepper.
- Olive oil: we’ll use it to brown the chicken before simmering the sauce. We do use a bit more oil in the stovetop version than the one for the instant pot.
- Tomato Puree: you want to use a tomato puree that doesn’t contain anything but pureed tomatoes. Italian passata or tomato sauce works really well! You don’t want to use whole tomatoes, diced, tomato paste or crushed here. If you’d still like to use them, run them through the blender so it’s a puree before adding them to the instant pot. It’s important to do this so our cream sauce doesn’t have chunks of whole tomatoes in it at the end.
- Heavy cream: be sure to use heavy cream for this recipe. I’ve tested it with half and half as well, and though it does work, I find the heavy cream balances and mellows out the spices better because of the higher fat content.
- Fresh Cilantro: Just for a little color on top of the dish once the masala is done simmering.
How to make the best chicken tikka masala
- Start by marinating the chicken: this is the same for the stovetop and instant pot. Add the yogurt, lemon juice, ginger paste, garlic paste, pepper, salt, and 1 teaspoon garam masala in a small bowl. Whisk it together then add the chunks of chicken. Marinate for as long as you can. The more hours it marinates, the tastier it will be!
- Sauté the chicken. You can do this in the instant pot or a skillet or pan if you’re making this on the stovetop. If you’re making this on the stove, you’ll want to remove the chicken before you saute the masala portion of this recipe over medium heat.
- Add all the remaining ingredients: if you’re making this in the instant pot, just add everything but the cream. Place the lid on top, seal, dial in the cooking time, and cook on high pressure. For the stove-top version, you’ll want to saute the aromatics with the spices and continue to cook with the passata. Lower from medium-high heat. You want the sauce to simmer and reduce a bit. Once the sauce is ready, add the chicken back to the pan.
- Add the cream and serve warm! Once the instant pot goes off, do a quick pressure release and pour in the cream. For the stovetop version, kick the heat up to medium and drizzle in the cream. Turn off the stove or the instant pot. Taste and adjust the quantity of salt or garam masala. You’ll also want to have some fluffy basmati rice prepared to serve this with.
FAQs about this recipe
I like serving anything with a masala sauce with basmati rice that I usually just boil. Basmati rice is cooked differently than traditional rice, and my recipe explains all of that in full detail! You could also make something like my chana masalaor 30-minute brown lentil dal to serve alongside the chicken tikka masala. Homemade naan or garlic naan are a must with this!
I’ve only tested the recipe as written. Though many recipes call for the chicken to be cooked on a rack in the oven, my family has always prepared chicken tikka masala the way I’ve written this recipe.
They are not. Though there are many spices that overlap between the two seasonings, they are very different in terms of flavor. Garam masala contains ingredients like black pepper, cinnamon, and cloves. Whereas curry powder contains mustard seeds, and curry leaves, amongst many other ingredients.
For this recipe, I give a range for the amount of garam masala. Authentic brands are more potent, and you’ll need one 1- 1½ teaspoons garam masala, whereas mainstream brands will require a bit more to get that same flavor punch.
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
- Finger Lickin’ Butter Chicken
- Garlicky Palak Paneer (Saag Paneer)
- Indian Vegetable Fritters (Pakoras)
- My Mom’s Beef Samosas
- Creamy Sweet Mango Lassi
Chicken Tikka Masala (Stovetop + Instant Pot)
Ingredients
chicken marinade:
- 1½ pound boneless skinless chicken breasts tenders or thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic grated or minced
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger or paste
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
tikka masala:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1½ teaspoon grated ginger or paste
- 8 cloves garlic grated or minced
- 2 teaspoons dried fenugreek leaves
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garam masala see notes
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼-½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 (15-ounce) jar passata or tomato sauce or puree
- ½ cup heavy cream
- cilantro for serving
- Prepared Basmati Rice for serving
- Homemade Garlic Naan
Instructions
- MARINATE THE CHICKEN: In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, ginger paste, garlic paste, ground white pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and garam masala. Add the diced chicken and mix; set aside for at least 20 minutes. If you’ve got time, I suggest covering with plastic wrap and letting it hang out in the refrigerator for 1-10 hours.
Cook:
- STOVE TOP: Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a large dutch oven or sauté pan. When heated, add the marinated chicken (along with the marinade) and let saute for 5-7 minutes so the chicken cooks through, stirring as needed to cook chicken evenly on all sides. Remove the cooked chicken to a bowl. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet along with the grated ginger and garlic and cook for 1-minute scraping and removing any stuck-on bits. Then, add all the spices (including the fenugreek leaves,) and give it 30 seconds before adding the passata. Season with ½ teaspoon of salt and allow the sauce to reach a simmer, once simmering, add ¼ cup of water, lower the heat to low and allow the sauce to continue cooking for 14-18 minutes. Then, add the chicken back into the pan, stir to combine.
- INSTANT POT: Select the sauté mode on your instant pot when it’s hot, add the oil followed by the marinated chicken (along with the marinade) and let sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring so nothing sticks to the bottom. Add all of the remaining ingredients for the sauce (except the cream) along with ½ teaspoon salt and stir everything well. Cover with the lid, make sure it is set to ‘seal’, and let cook on manual high pressure for 9 minutes. Use the quick release lever to release the steam as soon as the timer goes off.
- FINISH IP + STOVE: Hit the sauté button on the instant pot or just kick the heat up to medium on the stove and drizzle in the cream; stir to combine. When the tikka masala reaches a gentle simmer. Turn off the stove/IP and taste. Adjust with additional salt or garam masala as desired. Serve warm with naan and cooked rice.
Notes
-
- For the garam masala in the gravy or tikka masala portion of the recipe, you’ll need 1-2 teaspoons based on the type of garam masala you used. For authentic Indian brands, you’ll want to start with 1 – 1 ½ teaspoon, for all other brands, I suggest using 1 ½ – 2 teaspoons. Keep in mind that you can always adjust with additional garam masala at the end if it isn’t spicy enough for you!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This? Leave a comment & rating below!
I make your butter chicken recipe all the time and when my husband gifted me an instant pot I immediately went to your page because I remember you had instant pot recipes. Sooo excited to try this. My husband would be so happy
Do you have nutritional info on this?
Can this be made in a crockpot?
Where can I buy fenugreek leaves? If I can’t find it, can I skip it or substitute it with something else?
Hi Veronica! You can find them in some grocery stores in the bulk spice aisle. They’re also sold at Indian grocery stores in the spice aisle. You can also purchase them online here.
This is seriously so freaking good!! And incredibly easy to make!! Highly recommended. In case you can’t find it, I learned that you don’t have to have the fenugreek leaves. However- amazing with it included! I also used nut pods instead of heavy cream to keep it dairy free and it worked great!! Amazing flavor in this dish!!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Leslie! I so appreciate you taking the time to come back and comment 🙂
Your Butter Chicken is so delicious so thought I would try this lovely looking dish. Unlike the Butter Chicken where ginger paste is used, this recipe you suggest fresh ginger and paste as an option. Obviously paste is easier but don’t won’t it to alter the flavour if fresh is better. Have you tried it with both and had the same result?
Hi Nikki! I’m so glad you’ve made and enjoyed my butter chicken recipe! You can swap the grated ginger for paste here, I just suggested a knob of ginger as its much cheaper than having to buy a jar of paste (or having to make it!) I’ve tried it with both and couldn’t find a difference between the two, feel free to make the swap!
Well the mystery is solved…I couldn’t figure out why my old link to your Instant Pot Tikka Masala recipe wasn’t working. Thanks for brining it back.
Hi Debbie! Hahah, yes, just took it off to update it a bit 🙂
Hi, my husband and I are making it for the first time. Our instant pot keeps going off saying it’s burning. We’ve been adding chicken broth. I used thin sliced chicken breast. Is that why it keeps saying it’s burning?
Hi there! If you’re getting the burn notice, it’s probably because of the yogurt marinade. You might have some stuck to the bottom of the pot. If you get this notice again, I suggest adding a splash of water or stock and scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen up any stuck-on bits. Once you do this, you should be able to proceed without the notifications popping up. Hope that helps!
This is delicious! Next time, we will double the recipe so we can have more!
This is delightful! I always worry about overcooking chicken in the IP, so I used chicken thighs and they turned out great! Very flavorful even though I couldn’t find fenugreek at my grocery store. Will make again!
If you double the recipe for a larger crowd do you double the cook time? Looks delish, so excited to make it! Thanks!
Hello! Thank you so much for sharing! If the recipe calls for Fenugreek Leaves, what conversion would you recommend for ground Fenugreek? Also…how much do you think the flavor profile would be affected by using Greek yogurt instead of plain yogurt? Thank you so much!
Make this recipe!
I’ve always been intimidated about cooking Indian food fearing it just wouldn’t be ‘as good’, or worse. Well, I’m so glad I tried because this is amazing! I followed it exactly, putting a little extra cayenne on mine because the kids don’t like it as spicy, plus a dab of yogurt on top. I can’t wait to try more of your recipes. Thanx!
I’m so glad to hear you decided to give it a try, Kimberly! Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment 🙂
your recipes are awesome I like all recipe and try at home.
This looks SO yummy! How many people does this serve?
Hi there! This recipe will easily serve 5-6 people. This information can always be found on the recipe card, just above the title 🙂
Hi Marzia,
This recipes sounds so good! But I’m a vegetarian, do yo think I could use extra-firm tofu to make it veggie-friendly? Thank you.
Hmm.. that’s a tricky one! I would suggest pan-frying the tofu separately, maybe with a dusting of cornstarch, salt, and garam masala and then adding that to tikka masala sauce at the end. I don’t have much experience with cooking tofu in the IP so not sure if it’ll be able to stand up to the cooking time!
I want to try this so bad but I don’t have an instant pot – would there be a way to make this via stove top using your recipe?
Hi Aubrey! I haven’t tried a stove-top version yet (planning on it in the next couple weeks.) I think you should be able to heat the oil, saute the chicken, remove it to a bowl. And then add the ingredients for the sauce (minus the cream) and let it simmer for a good 15 minutes or so so that the flavors combine. You may need to add a little bit or water to keep the sauce from sticking or splattering. Once it’s done, you’d add the chicken and the cream and let it come to a boil before it’s ready to serve. But again, I haven’t tested this, so it’s all guesswork, but this is what I’ll be doing when I do test it! 🙂
Can you cook this on the hobb cooker slowly if you don’t have an instant pot?
Can you please let us know how you would make the sauce portion on the stove if you don’t own an Instant Pot? I love that you don’t use a stick of butter like other recipes! Your butter chicken recipe was FANTASTIC and so doable during a weekday as a gourmet meal so I CANNOT WAIT to try this one!!
Loved it! ? Thank you Marzia! Can’t wait to try it as a leftover!
Soo happy to hear that! Leftovers were even better IMO!