Mary Berry Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe

Chicken tikka masala is Britain’s most popular dish — not just its most popular curry, its most popular dish full stop.

And making it at home, properly, from scratch, produces something so much better than the takeaway version that it changes how you think about cooking it.

Mary Berry’s chicken tikka masala recipe takes the classic approach — chicken marinated in yoghurt and spices, cooked until charred and fragrant, then finished in a rich, deeply spiced tomato and cream sauce.

It takes more time than ordering in, but most of that time is marinating and simmering. The active cooking is perhaps 30 minutes.

The result is a curry with proper depth of flavour — not just a sweet, orange-coloured sauce, but something aromatic, complex, and genuinely satisfying. Make it once and the takeaway version will disappoint you permanently.

What Makes a Great Chicken Tikka Masala

The marinade and the char. The chicken must be marinated in spiced yoghurt long enough for the yoghurt to tenderise it — minimum two hours, overnight is better.

And it must be cooked at high heat to develop char and caramelisation on the surface. This charring is where much of the flavour comes from. Poached chicken in sauce is not chicken tikka masala.

Whole spices toasted at the start. Toasting whole cumin seeds and cardamom pods in the oil before anything else goes in releases their essential oils and gives the finished curry a depth that ground spices added directly to liquid cannot match.

Cream added at the end. The cream goes in at the very end — not during the main cooking. This keeps it fresh and bright rather than cooked and flat.

Ingredients for Mary Berry Chicken Tikka Masala

For the Chicken Marinade

• 800g boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks
• 200g full-fat natural yoghurt
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2cm fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp fine salt

For the Masala Sauce

• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3cm fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 150ml double cream
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves to finish

To Serve

• Basmati rice
• Warm naan bread
• Natural yoghurt
• Mango chutney

How to Make Mary Berry Chicken Tikka Masala — Step by Step

Step 1 — Marinate the Chicken

Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat thoroughly. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours — overnight gives the best result.

Step 2 — Cook the Chicken

Remove the chicken from the marinade. Cook in two batches under a hot grill or in a very hot griddle pan or frying pan — the key is high heat to develop char. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side until the chicken has dark, slightly charred spots and is just cooked through. Set aside.

Do not overcrowd the pan. If you do, the chicken steams rather than charring and you lose the flavour that defines this dish.

Step 3 — Make the Masala Sauce

Heat the sunflower oil in a large, heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and cardamom pods. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add the chopped onion and cook for 10 to 12 minutes until very soft and golden. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the tomato purée and cook for 1 minute. Add the garam masala, ground coriander, smoked paprika, turmeric, and cayenne. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes to cook the spices in the oil.

Add the chopped tomatoes and sugar. Season with salt. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened significantly.

Step 4 — Blend the Sauce

For a smooth, restaurant-style sauce, blend the tomato mixture until completely smooth with a stick blender. If you prefer a chunkier texture, leave it as it is or blend only partially.

Step 5 — Add the Chicken and Cream

Add the cooked charred chicken pieces to the sauce and stir to coat. Simmer gently for 10 minutes for the chicken to warm through and absorb the sauce.

Pour in the double cream and stir gently to combine. Warm through for 2 minutes — do not boil after the cream is added. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Step 6 — Serve

Scatter with fresh coriander leaves. Serve with basmati rice, warm naan bread, natural yoghurt, and mango chutney.

My Top Tips For Mary Berry Chicken Tikka Masala

Marinate overnight if you possibly can. Two hours is the minimum but overnight marinade gives chicken that is noticeably more tender, more flavourful, and more deeply spiced all the way through. Make the marinade the night before and refrigerate — it takes five minutes.

Cook the chicken at high heat for real char. Use the grill on its highest setting or a very hot griddle pan. The dark, slightly charred spots are not burning — they are the flavour. If the chicken looks pale and steamed when it comes out, the heat was not high enough.

Cook the onion properly. Ten to twelve minutes of gentle cooking until very soft and golden is the foundation of a great curry sauce. Rushing the onion — leaving it with crunch or without colour — gives a raw, harsh background flavour.

Blend the sauce for a restaurant finish. Blending the tomato-onion base gives you that smooth, silky sauce that characterises a good restaurant tikka masala. If you prefer a chunkier, more home-style curry, skip this step.

Add cream at the very end. Cream cooked for too long loses its freshness and the sauce can split. Add it in the final two minutes of cooking — just long enough to warm through and combine.

Serving Suggestions

With basmati rice and warm naan bread — the classic combination. With a bowl of raita (yoghurt, cucumber, mint) alongside to cool the heat. With mango chutney for sweetness. As a meal for four with a simple salad alongside.

How to Store Mary Berry Chicken Tikka Masala

In the fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the hob, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened. The flavour improves overnight.

In the freezer: Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat gently. The cream can separate slightly — stir well when reheating and it will come back together.

Mary Berry Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe

Mary Berry's chicken tikka masala is rich, deeply spiced, and completely from scratch.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Marinating Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Servings: 4 Portions

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: British, Indian

Calories: 520

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• Chicken Marinade:
• 800 g boneless skinless chicken thighs in large chunks
• 200 g full-fat natural yoghurt
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 3 garlic cloves crushed
• 2 cm fresh ginger grated
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1 tsp each ground cumin ground coriander, smoked paprika
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp fine salt
• Masala Sauce:
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 4 cardamom pods lightly crushed
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves crushed
• 3 cm fresh ginger grated
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1 tsp each ground coriander smoked paprika
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 150 ml double cream
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander to finish

CHECK THIS RECIPE  Mary Berry Salmon Recipe

Method

 

1. Mix all marinade ingredients. Add chicken. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours minimum — overnight is better.
2. Cook marinated chicken in batches under a hot grill or in a very hot griddle pan for 5–6 minutes per side until charred in places and cooked through. Set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large pan. Add cumin seeds and cardamom pods. Stir 30 seconds. Add onion and cook 10–12 minutes until very soft and golden. Add garlic and ginger — cook 2 minutes.
4. Add tomato purée — cook 1 minute. Add all ground spices — stir 1–2 minutes.
5. Add chopped tomatoes and sugar. Season. Simmer uncovered 20–25 minutes until thickened. Blend until smooth if desired.
6. Add cooked chicken. Simmer 10 minutes. Add cream. Warm 2 minutes — do not boil. Adjust seasoning.
7. Scatter fresh coriander. Serve with rice, naan, yoghurt, and chutney.

Notes

Marinate overnight for the most tender, most deeply flavoured chicken.

Cook at high heat for real char — this is where the flavour comes from.

Cook the onion for the full 10–12 minutes — rushing this gives a raw background flavour.

Blend the sauce for a smooth, restaurant-style finish.

Add cream at the very end — do not boil after adding.

Stores in the fridge for up to 3 days — the flavour improves overnight.

Freezes for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?

Yes — but thighs give a much more tender, more flavourful result after marinating and cooking. Breast can become dry and slightly tough. If using breast, reduce the cooking time slightly and do not overcook.

Can I make this less spicy?

Yes — reduce or omit the cayenne pepper entirely. The remaining spices give warmth without significant heat. This recipe as written is mild to medium — suitable for most palates.

Can I make this dairy-free?

Yes — use coconut yoghurt for the marinade and coconut cream instead of double cream in the sauce. The flavour will be slightly different but very good.

Can I make the sauce ahead of time?

Yes — the sauce (without the cream and chicken) keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days or freezes for up to 3 months. Add freshly cooked chicken and the cream when reheating.

Why is my tikka masala sauce orange rather than deep red?

The colour depends on the balance of tomatoes and cream. More cream gives a paler, more orange colour. Less cream gives a deeper red. Both are authentic — the colour varies between restaurants and home cooks.

Can I cook the chicken in the oven instead of grilling?

Yes — place marinated chicken pieces on a baking tray and roast at 220°C for 20 to 25 minutes, turning halfway. You will not get the same char as direct grilling but the result is still very good.