There’s nothing quite like a steaming bowl of chicken tikka masala, with tender chicken simmered in a rich, spiced tomato sauce that hits the perfect balance of creaminess and heat. It’s one of those dishes that feels restaurant-worthy but is surprisingly doable at home, especially if you’re looking for a recipe you can batch cook and portion out for meal prep.
The best part is that you can prep it ahead of time and freeze portions, so you always have a convenient, flavorful meal ready to cook. Paired with rice and naan, this chicken tikka masala meal prep brings bold flavor to your weekly routine and proves that comfort food can be as practical as it is delicious.
Where Does Chicken Tikka Masala Come From?
Chicken tikka masala is often thought of as an Indian classic, but its origins are a little more complicated. The dish is believed to have been inspired by popular recipes from northern India, most likely a close cousin of butter chicken. Many food historians suggest it was adapted in Britain, where chefs modified traditional butter chicken recipes to work with the ingredients they had on hand and to suit local tastes.
The truth is, there’s still some debate about the exact origin of chicken tikka masala, but one thing is clear: wherever it came from, it’s become a global favorite. The best part is you don’t need to settle the history to enjoy it, you can make this bold, flavorful dish right at home.
Butter Chicken vs Chicken Tikka Masala
Butter chicken and chicken tikka masala are often confused because they share a lot of similarities. Both dishes use chicken marinated in yogurt and cooked in a rich tomato-based sauce layered with spices. Where they differ is in the balance of flavor. Butter chicken leans more toward creaminess and a rich, buttery tomato profile, while chicken tikka masala is more spice-forward, with bolder seasonings that give it that iconic kick.
There are also traditional differences in how the chicken itself is cooked, but since most of us don’t have access to specialized tandoor ovens at home, that part doesn’t matter here. What does matter is that both are comforting, flavorful dishes, and today we’re putting the spotlight on chicken tikka masala.
How to Reheat Chicken Tikka Masala
Reheating this dish couldn’t be easier. The microwave works perfectly, just pop the masala and rice into a microwave-safe dish and heat until hot, giving it a quick stir halfway through so everything warms evenly. Once that’s ready, place your naan over the top and let the residual heat and steam soften it so it stays warm and fluffy without turning rubbery.
If you’d rather skip the microwave, the stovetop works well too — just warm the chicken and sauce in a skillet with a splash of water until hot. For bigger portions, you can also reheat the masala and rice in the oven at 350°F, covered with foil, until heated through, adding the naan on top for the last few minutes.
Chicken Tikka Masala
Easy Chicken Tikka Masala meal prep recipe with bold flavors, creamy sauce, and balanced portions perfect for lunches or dinners.
10
servings1
hour30
minutes1
hour1,079
kcalIngredients
- Chicken Marinade
5 LBS Chicken Breast
1 2/3 Cup Non-Fat Greek Yogurt
1 TBSP Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
1 TBSP Garam Masala
1 tsp Turmeric
1 1/2 TBSP Whole Corriander, toasted and ground fine
2 1/4 TBSP Whole Cumin, toasted and ground fine
1 TBSP Salt, Kosher
3 1/3 TBSP Lemon Juice
3 1/3 TBSP Kasuri Methi
1 1/2 TBSP Grated Garlic
1 1/2 TBSP Grated Ginger
3 TBSP Mustard Oil
2 Yellow Onions, Medium and Julienned
2 Bell Peppers, Julienned (any color)
- Tikka Masala Sauce
5 TBSP Butter
4 Bay Leaves
10-13 Green Cardamom Pods
1 tsp Whole Clove
2 inch Cinnamon, crushed
500 g Yellow Onions, roughly chopped
2 Jalapenos, deseeded and chopped
2 Seranos, deseeded and chopped
2 Habaneros, deseeded and chopped
1 1/2 TBSP Grated Garlic
1 1/2 TBSP Grated Ginger
1 TBSP Salt
1 TBSP Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
2 TBSP Garam Masala
1 1/2 TBSP Whole Corriander, toasted and ground fine
2 TBSP Whole Cumin, toasted and ground fine
2 TBSP Sugar
1,666 g Tomatoes, chopped
3 1/3 Cup Water
3 1/3 TBSP Kasuri Methi
143 g Cashews
- Rice
4 Cups Basmati Rice, steamed
- Naan
8 g Instant dry yeast
250 g Warm Water (105 F)
30 g White Sugar
60 g Milk (I used whole milk)
54 g Whisked Egg (roughly one egg)
1 tsp Salt
540 g Bread Flour
60 g Butter
- Garnish for Naan
3.3 TBSP Butter
Nigella Seeds
Cilantro Leaves, chopped
Directions
- Marinate the Chicken
- Cube the chicken into bite size pieces, typically 1 inch cubes. Set aside in marinade container
- Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium high heat until fragrant. Transfer to a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder
- Add everything, except the onion and bell pepper, to a mixing bowl and mix together until the spices are evenly distributed and the chicken is fully coated with the marinade.
*The onion and bell pepper will be added right before cooking, I will mention this again later so you don’t forget - Let marinade in the fridge overnight.
- Making the Sauce
- In a dry skillet, toast the coriander and cumin until fragrant. Grind until a fine powder and set aside.
- Melt butter in a pot over medium-low heat. Once melted, toast the bay leaf, green cardamom, cloves and cinnamon for 3-5 min. Remove all spices after toasting.
- Saute the onions in the butter until golden brown.
- Add in the minced garlic, ginger and peppers, saute for 30-60 seconds
- Add in your spice mixture (minus the kasuri methi), stirring to make sure it’s fully incorporated
- Add in your tomatoes and cook over medium high heat until all tomatoes are softened and the sauce has started to thicken.
- Add in the water and blend sauce into a smooth puree. Keep simmering until desired consistency is achieved.
- In a blender, blend the cashews until powdered. Add in ~½ cup of water until the mixture is a smooth, slightly thick consistency. Set aside as you will finish the cause with this
*Note you can freeze this if planning on making this throughout the week. - Day 2: Rice & Nan
- Rinse your rice until the water runs clear. Add the manufacturer recommended amount of water and cook until fully cooked. Set aside and keep warm to serve day-of eating, or let cool for meal preparation.
- Combine the yeast, water and sugar in a bowl and let rest for 10 minutes until the yeast is foamy.
- Add in the milk, egg, salt, flour and butter and knead until a cohesive dough has formed.
- Let rest for 30-90 minutes until the dough has doubled in size.
- Divide the dough into 10 equal sized balls. Cover with a towel and let the gluten relax for ~15 minutes
- On a floured surface roll out the dough into thin circles. Approximately ⅛ inch thk, or 3-4mm.
- In a dry skillet over medium high heat, cook the naan on each side until golden brown.
- After cooking, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with nigella seeds and chopped cilantro.
- Set aside and keep warm for day of eating. Otherwise, let cool for meal prep.
- Cooking the Chicken
- In a skillet, over medium high heat, place some of the marinated chicken with some sliced onion and bell pepper. Don’t worry about fully cooking the chicken as it will simmer in the sauce for a bit to assure it’s done
- Cook in batches and then transfer to the sauce to finish cooking.
- After searing the chicken, add in your cashew cream and kasuri methi near the end of the simmering process
- Assembly
- Cut the naan into desired shape (I prefer to cut into sixths)
- Plate the chicken tikka masala over the rice (~1.2 cups cooked rice), paired with the naan and garnished with some fresh chopped cilantro
- Enjoy
Recipe Video
Nutrition Facts
- Total number of serves: 10
- Calories: 1079kcal
- Fat: 31g
- Carbohydrates: 133g
- Protein: 76g