Tandoori Chicken tikka masala is a popular dish worldwide prepared using chicken tikka. Chicken tikka is another famous Indian starter made with boneless chicken marinated in spices and yogurt, then roasted in the tandoor. Typically, restaurants use a clay oven for this purpose. However, using an air fryer here, we will achieve the same flavor and aroma. The chicken tikka is finally cooked in a rich, creamy, spicy gravy with an onion-tomato base.
Learn how to make the best restaurant-quality tandoori chicken tikka masala at home for a fraction of the price. And that too, using only what you probably already have on your kitchen shelf. If not, don’t worry; you will find everything you need at a nearby supermarket.
How Do You Make Tandoori Chicken Tikka Masala?
To make this recipe, we must first marinate the chicken in a mixture of spices and yogurt.
When it comes to marination, it all depends on the type of chicken pieces you’ll be using. If you use chicken breasts, overnight marination will make them moist and flavorful. However, if you plan to use chicken thighs, you can skip this step as it is already tender. This dish is best served using boneless chicken; therefore, I’ll use the same in this recipe.
Next, the marinated chicken is roasted in a preheated air fryer till it is fully cooked. And finally, the chicken tikka is simmered in a spiced gravy. Transfer it to a serving bowl, then garnish with a sprig of coriander leaves before serving.
What To Serve With This Dish?
It usually goes well with plain basmati rice, paratha, tandoori roti, or butter naan.
All right, let’s get started with the recipe:
Tandoori Chicken Tikka Masala using Air Fryer
Course: Main courseCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Beginner4
servings30
minutes1
hour1412
kcalChicken tikka, grilled chicken chunks cooked in a delicious rich creamy onion tomato gravy
Ingredients
- For the chicken marinade
500 gms 500 chicken (preferably boneless)
1 teaspoon 1 ginger garlic paste
Salt to taste
Black salt to taste (optional)*
1/2 teaspoon 1/2 turmeric powder
1 teaspoon 1 red chili powder
1 teaspoon 1 Kashmiri red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon 1/2 coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon 1/4 Homemade Garam Masala
1/4 teaspoon 1/4 roasted cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon 1/2 black pepper powder
1 1 pinch food color (orange red food color)(optional)*
2 teaspoon 2 chaat masala
1/2 teaspoon 1/2 Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
2 teaspoon 2 vinegar or lemon juice
2 teaspoon 2 vegetable oil
4 tablespoon 4 yogurt
- For the sauce or gravy
1 cup 1 chopped onion (2 medium sized)
1 cup 1 tomato paste or purée (2 medium sized)
1/2 tablespoon 1/2 ginger garlic paste
1 1/2 teaspoon 1 1/2 red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon 1/2 turmeric powder
1 teaspoon 1 coriander powder
1 teaspoon 1 roasted cumin powder
1 teaspoon 1 Kashmiri red chili powder
1/3 cup 1/3 fresh cream/milk cream
1 teaspoon 1 Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
1/2 cup 1/2 vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon 1/4 Homemade Garam Masala
Salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon 1/4 chicken masala (optional)*
1 teaspoon 1 salted butter
Directions
- Prepare chicken tikka:
Wash the chicken pieces. Pat dry using a kitchen towel.
Add salt, black salt (optional)*, turmeric powder, red chili powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, roasted cumin powder, homemade garam masala, black pepper powder, food color (optional)*, chaat masala, and kasoori methi.
Add ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, oil and yogurt.
Mix all the ingredients together and marinate the chicken for at least 2 hrs or leave it overnight for the best result.
- Roast the chicken pieces:
Since I’ll be using an air-fryer here, we’ll first preheat it for at least 5 minutes at 200°C.
Add aluminum foil so that the pieces do not stick to the tray of the air fryer.
Brush some oil on the aluminum foil paper before placing the chicken.
Place the marinated chicken.
Now, set the timer for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, brush some oil on top of the chicken and flip it. Set the timer for another 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, brush the chicken again with some oil, flip it to the other side, do the same, and set the timer for another 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, remove the chicken from the air fryer.
And the chicken tikka is ready!
FOR EXTRA SMOKY FLAVOR:
Place the roasted chicken on a mini tandoor or steel roaster as shown in the picture.
To make it taste like tandoori chicken, lightly roast all the pieces directly over the flame.
For the final touch, brush on some butter or oil.
- Prepare masala for gravy:
Add ginger-garlic paste, salt to taste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, roasted cumin powder, homemade garam masala, and kasoori methi.
To this mixture, add a little water, around 1/3 cup. Mix well and set aside.
- Prepare the onion-tomato gravy:
Heat a pan at medium-high heat, and add oil.
To that, add chopped onion and fry until it turns slightly brown.
Add the masala mixture that we’ve prepared earlier. Stir well and fry it for around 4-5 mins until the raw smell disappears.
Add leftover marinade from chicken tikka that we’ve prepared already. (optional)*
Tip: Adding the leftover marinade will make this gravy taste even better than the original recipe.
Add tomato paste to it. Fry this for another 4-5 minutes or until the oil separates from the mixture.
After around 5 minutes, lower the flame and add fresh cream. Mix it well.
Add the grilled chicken to the gravy and stir well.
Close the lid and cook for another 5-7 minutes or according to the consistency of the gravy.
For enhancing the dish, add chicken masala (optional)* and butter.
Switch off the flame and cover the lid for 1-2 minutes.
After 2 minutes, dish out the curry to a serving bowl.
Garnish it with a sprig of coriander leaves.
Serve hot with plain basmati rice, naan or paratha.
Notes
- Instead of lemon juice, you can also use vinegar. But if your curd is already too sour in taste, just skip it altogether.
- Check the quantity of salt as it is used several times during the dish preparation.
- Avoid adding fresh cream into the gravy at high flame. Always lower the flame first, then add the fresh cream as it tends to get curdled up, and we definitely don’t want that.
AND IT’S DONE!
YOUR DELICIOUS HOMEMADE TANDOORI CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA IS READY!
ENJOY!
Nutrition Facts
4 servings per container
Serving Size944 servings
- Amount Per ServingCalories1412
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat
88g
136%
- Saturated Fat 48g 240%
- Trans Fat 0.4g
- Cholesterol 668mg 223%
- Sodium 8288mg 346%
- Potassium 2992mg 86%
- Total Carbohydrate
37.6g
13%
- Dietary Fiber 7.6g 29%
- Sugars 22.8g
- Protein 132g 264%
- Vitamin A 128%
- Vitamin C 52%
- Calcium 56%
- Iron 52%
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
