Chicken Tikka Masala

Restaurant-style, extra saucy — tender marinated chicken in a rich tomato cream sauce built for a crowd

About This Recipe

This is restaurant-style Chicken Tikka Masala done right — deeply flavored, generously saucy, and built to serve over rice for a crowd. The sauce uses two full 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes with plenty of cream, so every plate gets that rich, velvety coating that makes this dish so irresistible.

Scaled for a 13×9 inch half-size food pan, it serves 10–12 guests as a main. The sauce holds beautifully in a chafing dish for up to three hours — in fact, it tastes even better after it has had time to sit.

Method

1. Marinate the chicken: combine yogurt, tikka masala paste, and salt in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or overnight for best flavor.
   
2. Brown the chicken: heat a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook the chicken until lightly charred and mostly cooked through, 4–5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.
   
3. Build the sauce: reduce heat to medium and add oil if needed. Cook onions until softened and golden, 8–10 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger; cook 1 minute. Add tikka masala paste; cook 30 seconds.
   
4. Simmer: pour in crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
   
5. Finish the curry: stir in heavy cream and return the chicken (and any juices) to the pot. Simmer 10–15 minutes until chicken is fully cooked through. If the sauce is too thick, add water or chicken stock a little at a time to reach your desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt.
   
6. Transfer to your 13×9 inch food pan. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve with basmati rice and naan.
   

Pro Tip
For extra smoky flavor, broil the marinated chicken for 3–4 minutes before adding it to the sauce — it mimics the tandoor char you get in a restaurant. The sauce also tastes noticeably better the next day, making this perfect for prepping ahead for an event.

Chafing Dish Setup

• Set the food pan on top over two lit fuel cans per rack
  
• Stir gently every 30–45 minutes to prevent the cream sauce from sticking
  
• Add a fresh sprinkle of cilantro just before guests arrive

Make-Ahead Tips
Make the full curry up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate — the flavor deepens significantly overnight. Reheat gently on the stovetop before transferring to the chafing pan. Freezes well for up to 3 months.

Scaling This Recipe

For larger events, bake two pans and stagger them — rotate in the second fresh tray halfway through service to keep the salmon at its best.

Complete Your Spread

Pair this dish with:

• BBQ Pulled Pork
  
• Thai Green Vegetable Curry
• Moroccan Lamb Tagine