How to make AMAZING Indian Takeout at home (TIKKA MASALA)

This simple recipe combines the rich, warm Indian takeout flavors you love at home in under 30 minutes. Click here bit.ly/tommyjohn_brianl2 to try Tommy John and get 25% off plus free shipping within the US on orders over $75 when you use my code BRIANL2
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Tikka Masala Spice Blend:
•10g (1T) cumin
•10g (1 1/2T) paprika
•10g (1 1/2T) curry powder
•10g (1 1/3T) garam masala
•3g (2T) Chile flake
Chicken Marinade:
•2.5lb/1kg boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 12)
•Half of the tikka masala spice blend (above)
•Olive oil
•200g (3/4c) plain Greek yogurt
•20g (1T) salt
•Juice of half a lemon (about 20g)
•20g (4 cloves) grated garlic
•20g (1T) grated ginger
Masala Gravy:
•1 large peeled whole onion, grated
•20g (4 cloves) grated garlic
•20g (1T) grated ginger
•1 small serrano chile, diced (about 30-40g)
•30g (2T) ghee or olive/coconut oil
•Strong pinch of salt
•Other half of tikka masala spice blend
•1 can (28 oz/790g) crushed tomatoes
•3g (1/2t) salt
•5-7g (1-2tsp) sugar
•250g (1c) heavy cream
Instructions:
1. Prepare Tikka Masala Spice Blend by combining cumin, paprika, curry powder, garam masala, and chile flake in a bowl. Stir.
2. Place chicken thighs in a medium bowl. Add half of the tikka masala spice blend, a drizzle of olive oil, Greek yogurt, salt, lemon juice, garlic, and ginger. Mix well to coat. Marinate in the fridge for 15 minutes, but ideally 1 hour
3. Grate onion, garlic, and ginger. Dice the serrano Chile.
4. In a heavy-bottomed pot, melt ghee or oil over medium heat.
Add grated onion, garlic, ginger, and diced serrano. Sprinkle with a strong pinch of salt and sauté until fragrant and softened, about 2-3 minutes Add the remaining half of the tikka masala spice blend and toast the spices for about a minute. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 2 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in salt, sugar, and heavy cream
5. Preheat the grill to its highest setting. Oil the grates well to prevent sticking. Grill the marinated chicken thighs for 5-6 minutes. Flip chicken over with a spatula and continue to cook and char for 2-3 minutes on the second side.
6. Chop the grilled chicken into bite-sized pieces. Stir the chopped chicken into the masala gravy. If the gravy is too thick, add a splash of water to achieve the desired consistency.
#chickentikka #tikkamasala

[@BrianLagerstrom]

Here's a link to my butter chicken video that I mentioned: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4TUd2l5jJ5ki7M. And don't forget to check out Tommy John bit.ly/tommyjohn_brianl2 and use my code BRIANL2 to snag that 25% off

[@denys-p]

I just wondered what the difference between them. Looks basically the same for me, with only slight variations. Especially, because I prefer not to blend butter chicken sauce. And yes, my colleagues from India approved that recipe 👍

[@bigneilh]

This linked video made my entire family regulars are the indian restaurant and its by far our entire families favorite food. Thanks for exposing us to great food!

[@Avellin]

I think it'd be really cool to see a video of you going into your recipe development process. Whether it's just a general rundown of what you do for most recipes or a specific "behind the recipe" type video to go with a video you release the same or previous week. Likewise, I think it would be cool to see videos on methods and techniques as well. Particularly ones that you would find in professional kitchens that can be applied in the home kitchen to save time, minimize waste, take that 7/10 dish to a 10/10, etc.

[@eosborne6495]

I’ve tried a LOT of different Tikka Masala recipes off of KZbin, and I think this one strikes the best balance between authentic and accessible. Well done!

[@danielga1097]

I like a lot that your videos are not long but they contain everything you need to know. Congrats and much success! Glad you reached 1 million and counting!

[@matt1988ish]

Brian, I gotta say man. You and Ethan Chlebowski have got to be the 2 best foodtubers right now. Just so much great content without the pretentiousness that you see in certain channels where the youtubers name can be abbreviated to JW. Thanks man. Please keep up these epic vids

[@cindypinto2115]

LOL dude I just knew who you were talking about and then BAM there it was.

[@duh4895]

Josh doesnt seem too bad to me. A little too meme-y and a bit cringe for me but he seems harmless

[@cindypinto2115]

He seems harmless, I agree@@duh4895

[@sidsrivastava6987]

@@duh4895 He's more about being an entertainer and whatever makes the algorithim spike vs making genuinley helpful and thought out content. It's fine, he's making his bag and our opinions are irrelevant. But I appreciate and enjoy guys like Brian and Ethan way way more.

[@MrJ3]

Personally, I think Ethan Chlebowski's videos are too long, and I don't mind long videos in general. It's just that he says things using 100 words that could have been said in 20. I appreciate his A/B testing, but drawing things out unnecessarily *does* come across as a bit pretentious to me.

[@angelicalubrano5443]

This is how cooking videos should be made. It's neat, short, precise, shows ingredients clearly and the way you would see them at home. I can see myself making this dish because you make it look simple and delicious. ¡Gracias!

[@erich6860]

Between you Brian, and Con Claudia, I've been make all kinds of new dishes and loving it. I've always cooked but never really outside my comfort zone, you make it very possible to stretch my knowledge.

[@Bender1138]

I made this recipe the other day. It was the third time I've tried to make Chicken Tikka Masala, and I finally NAILED IT! It took a little prep work up front, but Bri ain't kidding. This is AMAZING. I paired it with some garlic naan from over at ThatDudeCanCook's channel. It was a huge hit. My 15 year old son declared that it was "f**king delicious!" So, thanks, Bri! This one's going in the rotation!

[@nurfacealways]

Good to know... I'ma make that tonight for my family....

[@inthepines329]

I made this last night, and it’s probably the best curry I’ve ever made! Grating the ginger and garlic made a huge difference in the final flavor. I used fresh tomatoes from the garden instead of canned. Since they were fresh, I had to immersion blend them first and simmer the curry for longer to cook them.

[@HolyCrapItsALion]

I make Chicken Tika at home quite a bit and you had a lot of great points about how to make the paste and allow it to "smoke but not burn" in the pan just before adding the tomatoes. I often would use chicken bone broth then a wooden spoon to scrap the brown bits along with my tomatoes.

[@dickdarlington3559]

Tomatoes deglaze everything really well with a little scraping. I usually try to add the spices that are more apt to burn with the tomatoes, while the less heat sensitive stuff goes in at the beginning. A lot of trial and error went into my "Curry in a hurry" recipe, but I always love to try different recipes when I have more time. I will definitely try Bri's version soon.

[@CWRoederer]

SO I DON’T BURN MY WHAT

[@Mike_Greentea]

🍆

[@jackgibsxxx0750]

He said what he said. And I didn't believe it either. 😂😂😂😂

[@Trosgustav]

Ding dong. I think he said ding dong.

[@cheets23]

wee wee

[@NoVACorpsGaming]

Only real ones know the pain

[@mohdjafar720]

Looks delicious and as an Indian, I totally approve! PS: Instead of grating onions, one could also use a food processor. A few quick pulses would do the trick and give you the desired texture. Lots of love!

[@JetstreamGW]

That'd work, but then you gotta clean the food processor, and you weren't using it for anything else.

[@jjhill001]

NGL box grater is more annoying to clean than one of those little mini chopper things. At least in my eyes. @@JetstreamGW

[@JetstreamGW]

@@jjhill001 I just throw mine in the dishwasher.

[@jjhill001]

Ngl, didn't have a dishwasher when I was using my box grater more than I do now so when I do end up pulling it out I don't even think about that lol. @@JetstreamGW

[@justjd911]

@@JetstreamGW I just put a glass of warm water with a drop of dishwashing liquid and vinegar, give a few pulses, rinse, job done!

[@rufusmc3259]

2:30 great advice, Bri 😂

[@caitthegibson]

One of my favorite meals out and to make at home. Thanks, Bri!

[@milesedgeworth132]

Thanks for adding that you can do it in an oven as well. I don't own a grill(I also don't own a backyard and grilling isn't really a thing in my country) so it's always nice to get a recipe for something so delicious that I can feasibly do without having to MacGuyver techniques because I lack a device or something.

[@orbenaim317]

Where are you from? Interesting to know because you mention grilling is not a thing

[@ZAPIZOOLIO]

Between you Brian, and Con Claudia, I've been make all kinds of new dishes and loving it.

[@graefx]

I've been making your previous Indian take out curry basically since the video as a regular meal prep. Is great and look forward to this one

[@feinsteinkazoos]

Tried this the other day, one of my first forays into Indian cuisine. 10/10 I'm not usually one for ginger in savory dishes, but I think this recipe has opened my palate up a bit.

[@CarzorStelatis]

0:08 it's worth pointing out that Chicken Tikka Masala originates from South Asian chefs in the UK (both Glasgow and Birmingham claim to be the original source), rather than from India itself.

[@victoriarobinson3909]

This dish has been doing the rounds on a lot of KZbin chefs this month, and all the Aussie/NZ ones said it's British, and the Americans said it's Indian. XD It's the national dish of Britain, It isn't Indian food. Chicken Tikka is Indian, Chicken Tikka Masala is British.

[@admiralsherlock8403]

@@victoriarobinson3909 CTM is just Chicken Tikka + the gravy base of Butter Chicken. (with the British contribution being the addition of heavy cream)

[@paulk3150]

@@admiralsherlock8403 No it isn't!

[@po72644]

​@@victoriarobinson3909I'd say the national dish of the UK is fish & chips, or a full English breakfast

[@victoriarobinson3909]

@po72644 The most popular dish in the UK is Chicken Tikka Masala. it's everywhere, and everyone cooks it home as well. It's very British and is beloved.

[@rapidrotation]

2:30 I was *not* expecting that little bit of advice XD Man though I love love LOVE Indian cuisine and this makes me wish I had a little more kitchen space so I could do it without feeling cramped.

[@sleepyearth]

Very important piece of life saving advice. lol.

[@Roundbrow]

The timing and cut were very good. Awesome advice haha

[@1Raikage1]

People usually say eyes but I guess Bri has different experiences 😂

[@Mike-pn1wu]

I legit thought he was going to say so we don't burn our eyes. I was very surprised, but it's definitely good advice. Brian always looking out for the boys

[@secretforreddit]

Yum, I love tikka masala! Can't wait to try this one for myself!

[@ChiliPepperMadness]

Looks delicious! Love making my own takeout at home!

[@HolmfridurGests]

I made this three days ago and it was absolutely amazing! I still think about that meal! Appreciate it. ❤️

[@yourdogissilly]

This was by far the best chicken Tikka recipe I've ever made. It's better than the restaurants I've been to! I've been searching for a good recipe that's not ridiculously difficult to execute, and I think I finally found it after 5 years or so of searching. Thanks Brian!

[@Ikiada]

My tip to completely avoid the tears during cutting the onion. Before you start cutting the onion, take 1-2 matches and put them between your lips or teeth. The tip of the wooden part between your teeth and the chemical part of the match outside of your mouth. Keep the match in this position all the way during cutting the onion (without lighting the match, off course). Throw it out, when you have finished cutting the onion. I have no idea, why it works. It is not a joke, try it out.

[@robrector925]

Time after time you come up with recipes that I MUST COOK NOW! Thanks!

[@marksest]

Every time I've seen a recipe for Tikka Masala it has seemed to complicated to be worthwhile until now. Excited to try it!

[@johncrone5465]

Bri!!! Dude, another killer recipe! Incredible flavor! So worth the time and expense(didn't have 2 of the spices). My kids even loved this, huge praise. Thank you brother!

[@darwinngo]

Made this dish last night for my partner and it was a HIT! 10/10 recipe. ❤

[@MicheleDiehl]

We made this last week. It was SO good! We used an oven because we’re in Georgia and it was too hot to grill out. With your pickled red onions, this was the bomb.

[@gracewhackle-cu7ow]

Hey Brian, just wanted to thank you for your killer NY cheesecake recipe. I recently made it for my brother before he heads off to study abroad in Europe and it was a big hit. Also my mom says that you have nice hands.

[@giovanniognio8889]

Trying this out this weekend! Thank you!

[@jesssandhu9432]

That looks so good, I'm for sure going to try this

[@julioccho]

Made this one today and it was a banger. Thanks Bri!

[@erich2649]

Good God this recipe is amazing!! Made it tonight for the family and it was a definite hit.

[@owenthemaker]

Made this tonight and it was aaaaammmmmaaazing the butter chicken is so delicious but this one has a level up in flavor. Yum

[@jamesw7624]

Looks very nice, I’ve seen alot of people use cashews soaked in milk to blended up to add creaminess to the dish

[@Hawk767]

Made this this afternoon, turned out amazing. The rich flavor of the chicken by itself is wild! First time using a yogurt marinade. So damn good.

[@jeffweber8244]

All your recipes I've made so far have been winners, so will be making this. Seeing some great tips in the comments here about prep variations too.

[@kencase2179]

I love Indian food. Your recipe looks really easy. I will be trying it this weekend. Thanks, Brian!

[@kencase2179]

Brian, this turned out perfectly! Delicious and easy to make. Thanks again!

[@JonnyVision88]

Chicken tikka masala is not Indian

[@JonnyVision88]

Just wondering how Indians got tomatoes always thot thay originated from the South America

[@thomaskennedy5728]

​@@JonnyVision88tomato is in india since 1600.

[@thomaskennedy5728]

​​@@JonnyVision88chiken tikka masala's origin is unknown but it is more closer to indian chicken curry dishes like chicken makhani, butter chicken, chicken puree etc. It is a varient of chiken makhani.

[@armelec]

Cooked this yesterday - I've tried maybe a dozen different masala recipes online, searching for the right one. Unfortunately i never made a second batch of any of them. I will be making this one again, it was absolutely devoured by 4 people who all had nothing but good things to say about it. I thoroughly enjoyed it aswel! The texture! The taste! Everything just worked beautifully! So thank you Brian!

[@jonnydobos]

Oooh stoked to try your version out. Joshua’s has been my go to for awhile so time to compare!

[@beezelbuzzel]

Awesome vid dude! Somehow I've literally got everything needed for this recipe in my kitchen right now. It's going down! Also, when I'm grating onions for hotdogs I stick the grater in a big bowl of cold water. Grated onions get instantly submerged. It helps!

[@marksest]

Tried it. It turned out delicious, among the best I've had. Thanks!

[@nylabone8782]

I made this tonight - it was incredible. I'm a new subscriber and I love your channel!

[@lucascady4992]

Looks So Dope!! I gotta try that one! Thanks Bri!

[@sd.2528]

This is much quicker than my current recipe with an easier to find serrano chili. I'm going to give this one a try.

[@lisajako]

I like this recipe sooo much! This is one of my favourite Indian food!🤗

[@Scottgilbert43]

I just sat down at my desk to find a Tika Masala recipe for this weekend. That was easy.

[@1zlach]

Dude, second time you've read my mind. Ordered this last night for the first time in months. I'll cook this Sunday. Well done.

[@kklipp6688]

Made tonight. Excellent!! My grill did flare up! Fantastic taste.

[@jeffreypeters1902]

Getting ready to rock this out right now! Woot!

[@scottanderson3751]

I took what I thought was the best parts/techniques from all the different curries I have made and combined them into one super curry and even if I do say so myself it’s the best curry I have ever tasted by far ✌️

[@ImRmd2]

Good job Brian. You made that recipe doable for me. I was always a little hesitant to tackle it before. 🤘

[@MangoTheRetriever]

I just made it, dude! It is amazing, best Tikka I've ever had. Thank you!

[@jordanfish]

THANK YOU for the Serrano chili advice. It can happen to ANYBODY!!!

[@sc5015]

Yo Bri, the one thing I waited far too long to get was a infrared grill!! Gets stupid hot, can sear the wettest marinated proteins, and easy to clean as everything on the grates eventually turns to ash. You need more offset cooking techniques for lower temp items, but you can also smoke foods using hardwood chips or chunks right on the grate. Not for the beginner griller, but an experienced cooks dream.

[@HenningCA]

Made this for dinner tonight. Awesome, as always!

[@seanszarkowicz2910]

Thanks!

[@larsroth826]

did this yesterday, first time ever an Asian meal done by yours truly really tasting like the real thing. very grateful thanks

[@mattymattffs]

I used to live in the UK. This is pretty good tikka. I didn't have curry powder so I just replaced it with cumin, coriander, and tumeric in equal parts. Close enough. I also chose bone in chicken legs since they're the cheapest and it was easier to butcher them after cooking than worry about it before hand. Broke down into little nuggets and good to go. Would break them down next time first for more surface area to darken. Great flavour profile overall though!

[@alecksweee]

A new Brian video?! AND ITS TIKKA?! Looks like we're weeknighting tonight babe!

[@keeperrr96]

Just made Tikka Masala first time last week (pretty similar recipe as your) and my oh my it turned out great.

[@wattpd0]

You are amazing! Love cooking through these recipes. Making this one tonight. This garam masala from "Spicewalla" is mindblowingly fragrant.

[@PMTcommenter]

I’m 34 years old. Never had Indian food until 3 weeks ago when I went to a new Indian restaurant in my city…. aaaand now tikka masala is my favorite food. Can’t wait to try this recipe

[@stevencgr]

though it is a topic of some debate, I am pleased that this was possibly created in my hometown of Glasgow, it's so delicious and is a great introduction to Indian style food, should be very mild imho, I love spicy curries but sometimes you just want something flavourful and easy to eat, great for families. it's also perfect for sneaking in some extra veg, use less sugar and put in some grated carrot in there for texture and sweetness.

[@jackiehaigh3401]

As a fellow Glaswegian, I do believe you're right about it being invented here 😊

[@thomaskennedy5728]

Sadly shish mahal claim is fabricated,this dish exist before 70s.

[@ldgarnett777]

Couldn’t have posted this in a better time! I’ve been really craving tikka masala lately!! What do you do for your naan bread?

[@julieDJTFP]

YUM! I have some Naan bread in my freezer and this would be perfect to go with it.

[@maclac48]

Lord willing I’m going to try my hand at this seemingly delicious looking dish this Upcoming weekend. Wish ah man luck! 👍🏿

[@chocolateguy8301]

I though about making some Indian food 2 days ago and you come up with this. Love. Will try it tommorow

[@AaronLaye]

Damn I would love to see some of those promo outtakes! Loving leisurewear-Bri!

[@AlexandruCapsa]

Just made this now. It's the BOMB! Thanks,

[@recordman555]

I love it!

[@StuEvans]

Loving the Scottish food.

[@Anarcath]

World class!! But hey Bri, you didn't say, LET'S EAT THIS THIIIIIIING!!! 😢

[@PhilKulak]

Good advice on the hand washing. Gotten myself into trouble with that situation before.

[@bierbrauer11]

One of Scotland’s greatest contributions to the culinary universe. Hard to beat a sausage wrapped, deep fried egg of course…

[@scarlet2836]

Hey Bri, I remember you made a video where you talked about chicken en mole, I’d love to see you make a video on it! Keep up the great work, I’ve been in love with your content lately

[@ZZEEBBRRA]

I wrote this in a different vid’s comment, but my tip for onions is: have a fan blowing over the onions pointed toward your extractor. What you need to do is keep the stuff from wafting freely toward your eyes. Or point it at an unsuspecting victim for more fun😂

[@dimilton3166]

My mom and dad got a tiny food processor as a wedding gift. FROM 1990! It’s still working. It holds about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of food and I just pop onion in it to have that grated texture and ZERO tears! Love it!

[@Virginiafox21]

My hand hurts microplaning and grating that much, so when I made butter chicken a few weeks ago I used a mini food processor for it all. Works great! My ginger was super tough for some reason.

[@monkeygraborange]

Ginger gets tough when it’s old.

[@IDillon0]

Congrats on 1 mil subs dawg, seems like weeds and sardines was so long ago. Amazing videos as always.

[@morbis_]

This is excellent! We have one really good Indian place in town known for their Tika masala and my wife and I can't decide which we like more. Very good job on the recipe.

Great recipe as always, will give this one a go of course! I do find that the best way of avoiding tears when cutting/grating onions is to simply not engage emotionally with the onions terrible fate.

[@TheHam85]

Nice one, invented in Glasgow, Scotland in a restaurant only a few miles away

[@Widderic]

Legit in my top 3 dishes.

[@seanst.ledger8909]

Thanks Bri! I cook my sauce on the side burner of my grill so my house can retain its normal aroma. 😎

[@dennisharrington3874]

Dude, I'm sold. I've made your Butter Chicken recipe a couple of times and it truly shines. (The yogurt sauce garnish is super.) I very much look forward to attempting Tikka Masala. Carry on.

[@swapnanilkar4786]

Awesome!!

[@miaththered]

Very cool!

[@joo_kraus]

Soooooo nice thanks!

[@zebmccollum]

The hand washing tip is golden

[@padders1068]

Looks 😋😋😋

[@kayperkayful]

Made this today….pretty good recipe..!

[@TraceyOfficial]

🎉 I enjoyed this video, thank you

[@Ashleyjohnson397]

Would love some vegetarian Indian recipes! Great video! Thank you!

[@poetrydiva]

You are hilarious 😂 I can't wait to try this recipe!

[@andrewriker5518]

Made this yesterday..... 😋 yum!!

[@HughRogers609]

For the time poorer, I do exactly this, but with a good store-bought paste to replace making up the spice mix. BBQing the chicken really adds flavour.

[@JonnyVision88]

Good job Great British recipes

[@AClaiderman]

Literally gonna make this today.