Chicken tikka masala fakeaway
Creamy, takeaway-style chicken tikka masala you can make at home — smoky spices, velvety sauce and plenty of coriander.
This is your perfect fakeaway: a rich, spoonable chicken tikka masala that tastes like the takeaway but finishes faster and costs far less. Thighs stay juicy, spices are gently bloomed and the cream gives that irresistible glossy sauce.
Make it for a midweek treat or a weekend dinner when you want something comforting but homemade. Serve with steamed basmati and naan for flipping-pleasing results.
Ingredients
- 700 g chicken thigh fillets
- 150 g natural yoghurt
- 15 ml lemon juice
- 4 garlic cloves — crushed or finely chopped
- 30 g fresh ginger — peeled and grated
- 15 ml garam masala
- 10 ml ground turmeric
- 10 ml sweet paprika
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml chilli powder — adjust to taste
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 25 g butter — use half for frying the chicken and half for the sauce
- 1 brown onion — large, finely chopped
- 400 g tinned tomatoes — chopped
- 30 g tomato puree
- 150 ml chicken stock — hot
- 5 ml caster sugar
- 75 ml double cream
- salt — to taste
- 10 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped, to garnish
Equipment
- hand blender
Instructions
Make the marinade: in a large bowl mix natural yoghurt, lemon juice, half the crushed garlic, half the grated fresh ginger, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1/2 tsp ground cumin and a good pinch of salt. Add the chicken thigh fillets, toss to coat, cover and refrigerate for 60 minutes.
Prepare: peel and finely chop the brown onion, grate the remaining garlic and ginger and measure out the remaining spices, stock and tinned tomatoes.
Heat a large frying pan over a medium–high hob. Add the vegetable oil and half the butter. Remove the chicken from the marinade (shake off excess) and fry in batches so pieces have room — browning is more important than speed. Each batch will take about 6–8 minutes until golden and nearly cooked through. Transfer browned chicken to a plate.
Wipe the pan briefly if it’s smoking, then reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining butter. Add the chopped brown onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden — about 8 minutes.
Add the remaining crushed garlic and grated fresh ginger, then the remaining garam masala, ground turmeric, ground cumin, sweet paprika and chilli powder. Fry for about 1 minute to bloom the spices.
Stir in the tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, hot chicken stock and caster sugar. Season with salt, bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 11 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.
Return the browned chicken and any juices to the pan, nestling the pieces into the sauce. Simmer gently for 6 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce clings to the pieces.
Turn the heat to low and stir in the double cream. Heat through for about 2 minutes, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed.
Scatter the chopped fresh coriander over the curry and serve straight away with rice or naan.
Tips
- If short on time, marinate for 30 minutes rather than an hour — you’ll still get flavour, though not as deep.
- Don’t crowd the pan when frying the chicken: brown in batches and keep the fond (browned bits) — they add extra flavour to the sauce.
- Use full-fat natural yoghurt for the marinade; low-fat can make the marinade runnier and give less richness.
- If the sauce looks too sharp after adding tomatoes, a small knob of butter or a pinch more sugar will round the acidity.
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 48 hours and actually taste better the next day; reheat gently on the hob to avoid splitting the cream.
Substitutions
chicken thigh fillets → chicken breast, same weight (noticeably-different — breast will be leaner and can dry out if overcooked)
Noticeably differentdouble cream → full-fat coconut milk, same quantity (stays-close — gives a coconut note and keeps sauce creamy; makes dish dairy-free)
Stays closechicken stock → vegetable stock, same quantity (stays-close — slightly lighter background flavour)
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 560
- Calories
- 37 g
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 650 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this in advance?
Yes — make the curry up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate. Reheat gently on the hob; add a splash of stock if the sauce has thickened too much.
How can I make it spicier or milder?
Increase or reduce the chilli powder and add more garam masala for warmth. Removing the chilli entirely keeps the warm spice without heat.
Can I use tinned chickpeas or paneer to make a vegetarian version?
Yes — replace the chicken with 2 x 400 g tins of chickpeas (drained) or 400 g paneer. Reduce initial frying time and add them at the same stage you return the chicken to the sauce.
Why use thighs, not breast?
Thighs stay juicier and more forgiving to cook, giving a richer texture and better mouthfeel in a saucy curry.
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