Chicken Tikka Masala


This Keto Chicken Tikka Masala is my most favourite recipe I have made.
So simple and so delicious! Even with what looks like a lot of ingredients this is mostly a recipe that any of us can make with what we have in the pantry.
All ingredients are simple to source from the local supermarket. Most of what is included in this recipe you could very well have in your pantry right now.
Related Recipes: Easy Homemade Tandoori Paste / Saffron Chicken Korma
Chicken Tikka Masala
What is keto chicken tikka masala? A chicken tikka masala is basically chunks of chicken meat marinated in spices and cooked or baked with a creamy spiced sauce. Making this a keto dish was not hard as it really is naturally so.
As mentioned above I personally love this dish. The use of a marinade and cooking in the sauce gives you a deliciously soft and juicy chicken that is made all the more perfect served with a dollop of greek yoghurt, a heap of fresh coriander leaves (yes I am team coriander 👊) and some delicious keto flat bread.

The Ingredieents
There are just a few spices in the keto tikka masala recipe. Most of them I am sure you will have in the pantry already if not all of them. All ingredients are super easy to source as well. If you are missing any leave them out if you wish.
- chicken breast – you can use any cut of chicken you prefer. On the bone is also delicious.
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
- garlic
- ginger paste, I love having a tube of ginger paste in the fridge to add to my cooking. I find it convenient and I never waste any.
- turmeric
- ground cumin
- coriander
- paprika
- ground nutmeg
- cloves
- ground cinnamon
- sambal oelek
How To Make It
In the below recipe I have included steps for a how to cook a Thermomix Chicken Tikka Masala as well as conventional method. Either way of cooking results in a delicious chicken curry.
I totally recommend leaving the chicken to marinate overnight. This helps to really deliver a truly tasty curry. After marinating, fry the chicken in batches. Frying in batches allows the room for the cooking juices to be cooked out so you aren’t stewing the chicken. This makes the chicken a lot more tender.
In the ingredients and method I have mentioned I prefer to use The Best Enchilada Sauce rather than tinned tomatoes. It may seem a weird pairing of Mexican and Indian flavours but trust me on this one.
What To Serve with Chicken Tikka Masala
For me I always love a good spoonful of Greek yoghurt and any of the follow sides and garnishes.

More Recipes To Try
Here are just a few of my favourite keto curry recipes. If you are wondering what the bread is that is shown in the images it is my very popular Hemp Share Bread. If you have my Keto Breads eBook you will not only have access to it but also to a Stuffed Hemp Naan as well. It is the best keto bread I know of by far!

Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients
CHICKEN MARINADE
- 800 g chicken breast cut into 3cm cubes
- 125 g Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon tandoori red colour optional
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon sambal oelek
- 1 teaspoon salt flakes
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
TO SERVE
- Fresh coriander leaves
- Extra Greek yoghurt
SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 40 g butter
- ½ large onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon ginger finely grated
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon ground chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon tandoori red colour optional
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 400 g crushed tomatoes – for full disclosure I substituted Enchilada Sauce – aaahhhmazing!
- 1 teaspoon salt flakes
- 50 g thickened cream
Instructions
CONVENTIONAL METHOD
- Combine chicken and all the marinade ingredients in a large non-reactive bowl. Marinate for 1 hour (or overnight).
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frypan over medium-high heat. Fry chicken pieces in batches making sure not to crowd the pan. Fry until lightly brown on each side. Remove from pan. Reserve.
- Heat remaining oil and butter in pan. Fry onion until translucent.
- Add garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, chilli powder, coriander, tandoori colour (if using) paprika, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon. Fry until fragrant, while stirring continuously.
- Add tinned tomato (or Enchilada Sauce) and salt. Simmer stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
- Add the marinated chicken, marinade and cream. Cook 7 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
- Serve with coriander and yoghurt.
THERMOMIX® METHOD
- Combine chicken and all the marinade ingredients in a large non-reactive bowl. Marinate for 1 hour (or overnight).
- Place olive oil, butter, onion, garlic and ginger into bowl and mix 20 seconds/speed 5.
- Scrape sides of bowl. Add all dry spices and cook 2 minutes/110℃/stir.
- Insert butterfly. Add tinned tomato (or Enchilada Sauce) and salt. Cook 10 minutes/100℃/reverse/stir. Basket on top to stop splattering.
- Add the marinated chicken, marinade and cream. Cook 10 minutes/100℃/reverse/stir. Basket on top to stop splattering. Serve with coriander leaves and yoghurt.
Notes
Your Own Notes
Nutrition
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20 Comments
Tikka masala is one of my favorite dishes, and this one is no different. Such amazing flavors!
Awesome! Thanks Danielle. So glad you enjoyed it.
This turned out so delicious! Even my picky kids gobbled it up!
That is so awesome Kim. I love it when the kids enjoy it too!
Tikka Masala is a family favorite around here! Great recipe, that was enjoyed by all!
Yay! So happy Ashley!
You can never go wrong with curry! Love this recipe and will be sure to try it for my dinner party soon!
Thanks Tania.
This is such a delicious dish and my family absolutely loved it. I will definitely be making it again. Also, thank you for all of your cooking tips in this article – I’ve bookmarked it for future use.
I am so glad your family loved it Joanie. Thanks for trying one of our recipes.
“You should open a restaurant with food like this” was the comments made when I served this to 12 friends. Amazing recipe Megan. Thankyou x
Do it Carolyn! Haha! So happy you were a cooking star for the night x
This looks so delish! It’s definitely on my list to try. Where would I find the tandoori red colour please?
Hi Kristy, you can get the red colour from most Asian grocers. It isn’t needed as it does not change the flavour, I just seem to have a slight addiction to colouring food. 😂
Hi just wondering is the calories youve noted on the recipe per serve?
HI Naomi, yes every recipe is calories per serve.
We love curries in this house and make them often. Love this recipe and marinating the chicken for 4 hours and will cook for dinner tonight. Also make your naan to do with it and it is proving as I write. Our adult kids were going out tonight but they’ve “changed their minds” and will stay for dinner….no surprise there!! Thanks Megan for another successful cook and we love your spicy curries for sure.
Woohoo! I love this recipe too!
Wow wow wow, best tikka recipe ever. If you love curries as much as we do then you will love this recipe. Made Megan’s naan bread too and was a great accompaniment to the dish. Even my non keto son love this meal. Thanks Megan this is my fav recipe so far.
That is awesome to hear Tracy!