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    Home » Ninja Foodi Recipes

    Chicken Tikka Masala in the Ninja Foodi

    Published: July 28, 2019Updated: February 20, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking a link, I may earn a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See Our Full Disclosure Policy for More Information

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    Cooking Methods
    • Ninja Foodi
    Recipe Time :1 hour hr 8 minutes mins
    Servings: 6

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    chicken tikka masala in a serving bowl with a bowl of rice

    Chicken tikka masala in a serving dish with a bowl of rice

    You can make a delicious Chicken Tikka Masala right at home and it is so easy and flavorful, thanks to a few simple ingredients and the Ninja Foodi!

    Chicken Tikka Masala is so easy to make in the Ninja Foodi! I can't thank everyone enough for asking for this recipe. It was a joy to create, test and, of course, EAT! I especially want to thank my friend, Amber, for agreeing to test this recipe for me!

    I asked Amber to test my version of Chicken Tikka Masala because I have never eaten it out at a restaurant; in fact, I had only made it once before! While my husband and I loved it, I had no idea if it even remotely resembled Chicken Tikka Masala... Amber to the rescue!

    This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking a link, I may earn a small commission. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. 

    I was pretty nervous to hand over a recipe that I had no idea if it even resembled the traditional dish, but Amber loves Chicken Tikka Masala and I knew I couldn't hit publish on this recipe until I had her feedback. Thanks again Amber!

    I go over all of Amber's feedback and suggestions below, but first let's talk about Chicken Tikka Masala!

    Find The Information You Need Quickly

    Toggle
    • What is Chicken Tikka Masala?
    • Is the Garam Masala important to use in this recipe?
    • Amber's feedback on this recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala
    • Let's get to making some delicious Chicken Tikka Masala
    • Chicken Tikka Masala
    • ABOUT THE RECIPE AUTHOR, LOUISE LONG
    • BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE SALTED PEPPER RIGHT HERE ⇓⇓⇓⇓⇓

    What is Chicken Tikka Masala?

    I thought I'd discuss this first because I am sure not everyone has heard of Chicken Tikka Masala. I'm no expert on it for sure... remember, I've never even eaten it out at a restaurant!

    Chicken Tikka Masala is a type of a curry dish similar to butter chicken, but less (or no) butter and more complex flavors and spices. I wish I could talk about this more in depth, but the truth is: I haven't had butter chicken, either! I know, I know, it's crazy! I need to get out more.

    There is some question if Chicken Tikka Masala originated in India or in the UK. I was surprised a bit that this dish is one of the most popular dishes in the United Kingdom.

    As far as ingredients go for Chicken Tikka Masala, they run the gamut for sure. The only ingredient you are sure to find in a Chicken Tikka Masala is the chicken!

    While I fully admit to having no experience with other recipes for chicken tikka masala, I quickly fell in love with it and I bet you will too! It's a wonderful blend of warm spices, rich flavors, and it's so EASY to make!

    Is the Garam Masala important to use in this recipe?

    Yes, I think so. I also think you could obtain a very similar flavor by adding in various spices and creating your own type of garam masala, but it's a bit easier to buy it already made.

    When making your own garam masala spice blend, the spices are usually whole. You then roast them and grind them. See what I mean? Much easier to buy it. Most grocery stores carry it in the spice aisle, but I had a little trouble finding it in our neck of the woods. It's pretty rural around here and I have trouble finding a lot of things. I was able to buy it on Amazon and here is the brand I purchased: Simply Organic Garam Masala

    Garam Masala is often made differently and there is no "one" recipe that is the best. If you are adventurous and want to make your own, here is a recipe I found that you might find interesting: Easy Garam Masala

    What about turmeric? 

    Turmeric is responsible (in part) for the beautiful color of chicken tikka masala, so I'd use it if you can. Will it ruin the recipe if you don't? Probably not. I don't use turmeric too much, but I always have it on hand and I was glad I did when I started developing this recipe!

    You hear about a lot of health benefits with turmeric. As with anything, I urge you to do your own research because everyone's health requirements are different. Here is an article that I found that is interesting (I am not promoting the use of turmeric in any way except for a spice in this recipe): Everything You Need to Know About Turmeric

    Let's get into things I do know with 100% certainty and that is the fact that Amber helped me a ton with this recipe!

    Amber's feedback on this recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala

    Yogurt verses Buttermilk

    Originally, I marinated the chicken pieces in buttermilk, mostly because I was out of yogurt and I wrote the original recipe that way. Amber suggested that I switch the

    Homemade yogurt in the Ninja Foodi finishedbuttermilk to the more traditional yogurt. I agreed wholeheartedly and whipped up a batch of yogurt in the Ninja Foodi. Did you know you can make yogurt in the Ninja Foodi? It's easy and delicious, here is the recipe: Homemade Yogurt in the Ninja Foodi

    You can certainly make this recipe with buttermilk, but I have to give this one to Amber... it's better with yogurt!

    Fire Roasted Tomatoes versus Plain Diced Tomatoes

    If you have been around me for a while, you probably already know that  I LOVE using Fire Roasted Tomatoes in many of my recipes! There is something about the flavor that adds so much to a dish. I almost always use them instead of plain diced tomatoes and they are certainly featured in my most popular recipe: Ninja Foodi Spaghetti Recipe.

    Amber thought that it might be adding to the sweetness (it's not a sweet dish) and recommended using regular diced tomatoes. I definitely see her point, but I decided to leave them in the recipe because it is the type of canned tomatoes that I stock. You can certainly use either kind and the recipe will be delicious.

    More Garam Masala please... tumeric too!

    Yes, Amber, I agree 100%! I doubled the amounts in the final recipe and the flavor is so much better. Thanks, Amber!

    I will talk about these two spices in just a bit.

    Lose the Sugar

    I have to admit that adding a bit of sugar was a last minute decision because I felt the sauce was a touch too acidic. I tested the recipe again, with Amber's suggestions, and I still felt like it was too acidic.

    I decided to try brown sugar instead of white sugar and in my opinion this was the BEST version of Chicken Tikka Masala!

    Sugar is definitely optional and if you aren't sure if you want to add it in, don't. You can always add a touch at the very end if you think it is a touch acidic. That's the beauty of a recipe, use it as a map or a guideline and make the changes you want so you end up with a dish you LOVE!

    I can't thank Amber enough and I'm excited that she has agreed to test more of my recipes! If you are interested in being a recipe tester, please email me: Louise@thesaltedpepper.com.

    Let's get to making some delicious Chicken Tikka Masala

    It might not be the quickest recipe, but it sure doesn't take hours of active time either! You can always watch me make the recipe in my step-by-step video right here ⇒ Chicken Tikka Masala in the Ninja Foodi

    Chicken Marinade

    The first thing you want to do is get the chicken cut up and in the marinade. You can marinate the chicken for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. I did both, a quick marinade and a longer one. The short marinating time worked fine and the dish was super delicious. The long marinating time was even better, but I don't know if that was because of the time or because I also implemented Amber's suggestions.

    chicken in marinade in a glass bowl

    If you are using chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs, I recommend cutting them into 2" pieces so they don't overcook during the broiling process. I really recommend using fresh ginger, but if you are using ginger powder instead, then use about ½ tsp.

    • Dice chicken thighs into 1½ inch cubes
    • In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for marinade and place chicken cubes so they are submerged in the marinade. Put in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes up to 24 hours

    Cooking the Chicken

    browned chicken for chicken tikka masalaThis is one of the most important steps of all and is key to flavor development, so don't skip it. Use the BROIL function for the best results.

    • Place the steam/fry basket in the inner pot of the Ninja Foodi. Dump the chicken and the marinade in the basket. No preheating needed.
    • Turn on the broil function and broil the chicken in the basket for about 30-40 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces with tongs 2-3 times during the cook time, bringing the bottom pieces up to the top for browning.
    • The chicken is done when all the marinade has been cooked into the chicken and the chicken is a nice golden brown color. Remove the basket with chicken and set aside.

    Tikki Masala Sauce

    While the chicken is cooking, it's a great time to get all the rest of the ingredients prepped. Dice the onion into ¼"

    • Keep the marinade in the bottom of the inner pot. Turn the Ninja Foodi on high sear/saute, add the diced onion for 2 minutes. You can use some oil if needed.
    • Add the grated ginger and the diced and crushed garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add in the chicken stock and make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom of the inner pot.
    • Add in the remaining ingredients for the sauce, except the tomato paste, butter, and the garnishes. Stir to combine. *The chicken does not get added now*
      chicken tikka masala sauce in pot

    Basmatti Rice

    You can use a different size pan as long as it fits on the rack. You can also turn the rack to the low position, just know it will probably be a little messier. If you want to use a different kind of rice, just make sure to adjust the liquid and cooking times accordingly. I have not tested this recipe with different types of rice and do not know the cook times. If you make it with a different rice, let me know what time and liquid you used and I'll update the post!

    • Rinse 1½ cups of basmati rice and place in an 6" cake pan or other pressure safe container.
    • Add 1½ cups of water to the rice and stir.
    • Place the rack, in the high position, over the sauce in the inner pot and place the container of rice on top. No need to cover.
      rice in pan on top rack

    Pressure cooking

    • Put the pressure lid on the Ninja Foodi and make sure the valve is to seal. Set the pressure to high for 8 minutes. When the time is up, immediately release the pressure.
    • Fluff the rice and cover. Set aside.
    • Add the chicken to the sauce in the inner pot along with the tomato paste, cilantro and butter. Add in peas or zucchini if using. Stir to combine and close the TenderCrisp lid. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. You can also turn on the sear sauté to heat it up a bit if needed.
    • Serve the Tikka Masala over the basmati rice. Enjoy
      spooning out chicken tikka masala from the inner pot of the Ninja Foodi

    Chicken Tikka Masala

    Recipe By: Louise
    Chicken Tikka Masala is a perfectly spiced and flavorful dish that you can make at home in about an hour!
    4.93 from 27 votes
    Add to My Favorites Saved! Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 40 minutes mins
    Time to Pressure 8 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 8 minutes mins
    Course Entree
    Cuisine British, Indian
    Servings 6
    Calories 798 kcal

    Equipment

    • Ninja Foodi
    Turn this on when cooking to prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    Chicken Marinade

    • 2 lbs chicken thighs boneless skinless
    • 1 cup Yogurt Greek or plain regular
    • 3 cloves garlic minced, about 1.5 tsp
    • 2 teaspoon ginger freshly grated (about 2 inch root) or ½-3/4 teaspoon ginger powder
    • 1 tablespoon garam masala
    • ½ teaspoon turmeric
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional, but suggested
    • 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon cumin ground
    • 1 Tbsp Lemon juice juice ½ lemon

    Tikka Masala Sauce

    • 6 cloves garlic 3 minced and 3 crushed
    • 1 tablespoon ginger freshly grated (3-4" root)
    • 1 onion diced (about 1 ½ cups)
    • 14.5 ounces fire roasted tomatoes
    • 13.5 ounce coconut milk
    • ¼ cup cilantro stems
    • 1 tablespoon garam masala
    • 1 teaspoon turmeric
    • 1 teaspoon coriander
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • 2 teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional, but recommended
    • 1 cup Chicken Stock
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar optional, but reduces acidity of sauce
    • 2 tablespoon butter
    • 6 ounce tomato paste

    Rice

    • 1 ½ cups water
    • 1 ½ cups Basmati Rice rinsed

    Garnishes

    • ½ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
    • 1 cup peas or diced zucchini

    Would you like to save this recipe?

    I will email this recipe page to you, so you can come back to it later!

    Instructions
     

    Chicken Marinade

    • Dice chicken thighs into 1 ½ inch cubes
    • In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for marinade and place chicken cubes so they are submerged in the marinade. Put in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes up to 24 hours

    Chicken

    • Place the steam/fry basket in the inner pot of the Ninja Foodi. Dump the chicken and the marinade in the basket. No preheating needed.
    • Turn on the broil function and broil the chicken in the basket for about 30-40 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces with tongs 2-3 times during the cook time, bringing the bottom pieces up to the top for browning.
    • The chicken is done when all the marinade has been cooked into the chicken and the chicken is a nice golden color. Remove the chicken and set aside.

    Tikki Masala Sauce

    • Keep the marinade in the bottom of the inner pot. Turn the Ninja Foodi on high sear/saute, add the diced onion for 2 minutes. You can use some oil if needed.
    • Add the grated ginger and the diced and crushed garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add in the chicken stock and make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom of the inner pot.
    • Add in the remaining ingredients for the sauce, except the tomato paste, butter, and the garnishes. Stir to combine. *The chicken does not get added now*

    Basmatti Rice

    • Rinse 1 ½ cups of basmatti rice and place in an 6" cake pan or other pressure safe container.
    • Add 1 ½ cups of water to the rice and stir.
    • Place the rack, in the high position, over the sauce in the inner pot and place the container of rice on top. No need to cover.

    Pressure cooking

    • Put the pressure lid on the Ninja Foodi and make sure the valve is to seal. Set the pressure to high for 8 minutes. When the time is up, immediately release the pressure.
    • Fluff the rice and cover. Set aside.
    • Add the chicken to the sauce in the inner pot along with the tomato paste, cilantro and butter. Add in peas or zucchini if using. Stir to combine and close the TenderCrisp lid. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. You can also turn on the sear saute to heat it up a bit if needed.
    • Serve the Tikka Masala over the basmati rice. Enjoy

    Video

    https://youtu.be/HNzyIX0NbhI

    Nutrition

    Calories: 798kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 36gFat: 46gSaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 165mgSodium: 1250mgPotassium: 1048mgFiber: 5gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 1649IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 121mgIron: 6mg
    Keyword Chicken Tikka Masala, Easy Tikka Masala in the Ninja Foodi, Ninja Foodi Tikka Masala
    Course Entree
    Cuisine British, Indian
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    ABOUT THE RECIPE AUTHOR, LOUISE LONG

    Louise is a full-time recipe creator and food blogger @ The Salted Pepper. She has over 30 years of The Salted Pepperexperience with cooking and recipe development. She owned a restaurant for several years and was a full-time RN until retiring to blog full-time.

    Louise has several very active Facebook groups that help people with the basics of cooking and getting the most out of the Ninja Foodi.

    Ninja Foodi 101

    Ninja Foodi Fresh & Healthy Meals

    Simply Cooking with Louise

    Seeing the need for easy, delicious, and high quality recipes, she is focusing all of her efforts creating recipes specifically for the Ninja Foodi. Her recipes are easy for the home cook to follow and provide step-by-step instructions.

    Louise is also a YouTube creator and you can find most of her recipes in video format on The Salted Pepper YouTube channel.

    She is very responsive to messages and eager to help in any way she can.

    I WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHAT YOU ARE COOKING UP IN YOUR NINJA FOODI! TAG ME @THESALTEDPEPPER ON YOUR FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM WHEN YOU MAKE A DISH!

    BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE SALTED PEPPER RIGHT HERE ⇓⇓⇓⇓⇓

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    Comments

    1. Cody Jack Young

      July 28, 2024 at 2:43 pm

      5 stars
      How spicy is this dish on an Indian restaurant scale? I see no peppers other than paprika.

      No spicy
      Mild
      Medium
      Hot
      Extra Hot
      Indian local villager HOT

      Reply
      • Louise

        July 30, 2024 at 4:03 pm

        There is 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes in the recipe and I would say it is mild in spiciness, but that is so subjective. It definitely isn't hot in spice level, so if you like spicy, increase the red pepper flakes.

        Reply
    2. Becky

      July 03, 2024 at 11:18 pm

      I LOVE this recipe and have made it numerous times. Tonight I didn't have fresh garlic... just some minced in a jar, but I DID have roasted garlic powder that I made in my freeze dryer. I put about a tablespoon in as my second garlic flavor and WOW. Somehow this made the flavors all blend together even more. Hubby commented that it tasted like it came from a restaurant!

      Thinking outside the box a bit- I'm having a party tomorrow so I took the leftovers and pulverized them in my Vitamix. Tikka Masala dip that will be served with homemade Naan from the pizza oven! Not something you see often at parties! THANK YOU for such a great recipe!

      Reply
      • Louise

        July 04, 2024 at 8:51 am

        That sounds amazing! Please let me know what people think of the dip! I'm definitely trying that next time I have leftovers.

        Reply
        • Becky

          July 06, 2024 at 2:56 pm

          The dip was a HUGE hit! Fresh Naan from my grill and finished up in the pizza oven since we had it going, (the non was too warm to launch without sticking so I put a small crust on it with the grill) and folks just raved about it. Said I should open a restaurant so that tells you right there that your recipe is spot on! I'm eating the leftovers and since it got a little dried out having been warmed up on the grill, I'm just adding a little heavy cream for moisture and that doesn't change the flavor one bit. Thanks again.. this is something I crave!

          I am also aware that we may be facing some upcoming food shortages during a time when our monetary system is being transitioned to a new gold backed one between now and the end of the year, so I had already made a bunch of this chicken and freeze dried it. That works great as well!

          Reply
          • Louise

            July 08, 2024 at 9:14 am

            I'm so glad you and your guests loved it! I can't wait to try it!

            Reply
    3. Gaby

      March 09, 2023 at 3:42 pm

      Can I cook this in the ninja foodi 9-1? It doesn’t have the broil function. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Louise

        March 11, 2023 at 4:02 pm

        If your model doesn't have broil (also called grill on some models) then use the AC function on the hottest setting and it will be fine. You shouldn't need to make any other changes. Enjoy!

        Reply
    4. David

      January 08, 2023 at 6:40 am

      5 stars
      We made this last night , our first since buying our foodi.
      It tastes amazing ,better than we have had . it is so easy to follow your video and prepare.
      Thank you,looking forward to trying more of your recipes.

      Reply
      • Louise

        January 08, 2023 at 9:18 am

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    5. Sarah

      December 26, 2022 at 10:56 am

      Can I marinate and substitute ready cooked turkey into this recipe by skipping the chicken cooking stage?
      Thanks in advance

      Reply
      • Louise

        December 29, 2022 at 10:44 am

        You can, but you won't have the same flavor on the chicken as when it is marinated.

        Reply
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    4.93 from 27 votes (15 ratings without comment)

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