It took me years, but I have finally found a way to make Lighter Chicken Tikka Masala that tastes just as complex and creamy as it does at my favorite Indian restaurant! And even better–I was able to cut back on some of the richer ingredients to make this popular dish a little easier on the waistline.
I’ve tried so many variations of this recipe, but none of them quite get there. The curry either comes out too bland or too heavy on the tomato flavor. After lots of research and tons of failed attempts, I figured out some key steps to a better tikka masala at home.
How to make lighter chicken tikka masala
Step One: Marinate your chicken for at least two hours, but preferably overnight. This will tenderize the chicken breasts and impart a lot of flavor.
Step Two: Broil the chicken until you get a dark char. This will add a layer of flavor that you can’t mimic by just sauteing the pieces. If you must saute them in a skillet, make sure they get very dark around the edges, like this:
Step Three: Caramelize your onions, probably longer than you think you should. Notice all of those browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Those are going to add tons of flavor to the tomato sauce that we add next.
Another important part of this step is to add the ginger, garlic, and spices to the onions towards the end of cooking them. This way the spices will toast and release their flavor before adding the liquid.
I’ve also added an unconventional ingredient to add depth of flavor in a short amount of time–chili powder. The same stuff you’d add into a Mexican dish. It deepens the flavors even more!
Step Four: Reduce your tomato sauce A LOT. It should be almost the consistency of tomato paste before you add in your half and half.
This will make the curry taste like it has been cooking all day, but we’re only cooking it for 45 minutes, tops!
As for lightening up the recipe, I wanted to make sure this tasted as close to the restaurant version as possible, so I decided to use regular half and half instead of something that would cut the calories a lot more, like greek yogurt or fat free and half half. I’ve tried it with those ingredients and just don’t like how it comes out.
I think half and half is a good compromise, though, since most authentic recipes include heavy cream and a lot of butter. Half and half provides just the right amount of richness–I couldn’t even tell the difference without the butter.
This all might sound difficult at first, but I promise this is a very easy recipe to follow. These are just minor steps that will result in one of the best Chicken Tikka Masala dishes you’ve tasted!
Print Recipe
5 from 27 votes
Lighter Chicken Tikka Masala
A slightly lighter version of the classic dish that tastes just as good as any you’d get in an Indian restaurant!
2lbsboneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into one-inch cubes
1cupplain nonfat greek yogurt
3clovesgarlic, minced
1tbspginger paste (I find tubes of this in the produce section of my grocery store)
2tspgaram masala
1tspturmeric
1tspground cumin
1tspchili powder
1tspkosher salt
FOR THE MASALA
1largeonion, diced (about 2 1/2 cups)
3clovesgarlic, minced
1tbspginger paste
1 1/2tspgaram masala
1tspground cumin
1tspturmeric powder
1tspground coriander
1tspchili powder
1/4-1tspcayenne pepper, depending on how spicy you like your curry
15ozcan tomato sauce
1tspkosher salt
1 1/2cupshalf and half
1tspsugar
Instructions
Mix marinade ingredients in a medium bowl, then add chicken and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours, but preferably overnight.
On the day you want to cook, preheat your broiler and place marinated chicken on a lined cookie sheet, greased with nonstick spray. Broil chicken for 10-12 minutes, or until you see some charred bits (see recipes notes).
Spray a large pan with nonstick spray. Cook the onions until soft and lightly browned, about 7-10 minutes. Scrape up any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pan.
Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, then add garam masala, cumin, turmeric, coriander, chili powder, and cayenne. Cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly.
Pour in the tomato sauce and salt. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens and deepens in color. It should be about the consistency of tomato paste.
Stir the half and half and sugar into the tomato reduction. Add the chicken and its juices back into the pan and simmer for an additional 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and bubbling.
Notes
Click hereto determine your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe (if you are logged in to your WW app, it should calculate for you automatically).
WW Green SmartPoints: 7 for 1 1/2 cups, or 5 for 1 1/4 cups
WW Blue SmartPoints: 4 for 1 1/2 cups of the recipe
WW Purple SmartPoints: 4 for 1 1/2 cups of the recipe
It's one of the most-ordered entrees at Indian joints. But like many Indian dishes that were originally low fat, the modern recipe for chicken tikka masala is anything but. An average portion has whopping 1,249 calories and 90.8 grams of fat. A lot of that comes from the ghee and heavy cream.
Depends on what taste you're trying to achieve with yogurt. If it is a sour taste you want, you can use tomatoes instead of yogurt. If you are looking to make the curry mildly spicy and creamy, you may use milk/cream instead. If you like to just make the curry mild, you may use coconut milk.
Is Chicken Tikka good for weight loss? Chicken Tikka's main ingredients are lean meat, spices, and yogurt, making it ideal for consumption even if you're on a weight-loss diet plan. To make it healthier with low-carb content, do away with extra oil and salt, and exclude heavy cream.
Chicken tikka masala is usually made with heavy cream, but I like to use coconut milk instead; its subtle sweetness works beautifully with the spices in the dish.
**Digestive Issues**: Spices used in chicken masala, especially when consumed in large quantities or by individuals not accustomed to spicy foods, can lead to digestive discomfort, heartburn, or indigestion.
While many people assume that this dish originated in India, the most popular origin story places its roots in Scotland when a Bengali chef had to improvise in a jiffy. Today, many consider it to be the national dish of the UK. The dish is celebrated for embracing the diverse and ancient heritage of the islands.
Both of these dishes have a lot of saturated fat—but in general, chicken dishes will be better for you than those made with other meats. Chicken tikka masala has more protein and less fat (7 grams) than chicken curry (4 grams) because chicken curry contains ghee or oil, whereas chicken-tikka masala does not.
Vegetables – there are so many vegetables that go well with tikka masala. Use 2 cups of your favourite fresh or frozen vegetables. I use a mix of knobby cauliflower florets, diced carrot or sweet potato and frozen peas. Spinach leaves are a great addition too, or even a can of lentils or chickpeas for added protein.
Any Indian curries that are tomato-based, like tandoori, madras, jalfrezi, rogan and bhuna, are the lowest in calories. They average around 200-300 calories. If you want an even healthier option, consider a sauce-free dish like fish tikka (which is only 180 calories).
Grilled or tandoor-cooked dishes like tandoori chicken or fish can also be healthier options as they are typically cooked with minimal oil or ghee. Additionally, choosing wholegrain options like tandoori roti or brown rice can add more fiber and nutrients to your meal.
What You'll Need To Make Chicken Tikka Masala. Whole Milk Yogurt: Used for marinating the chicken, the yogurt helps tenderize the meat and adds a subtle tanginess to the flavor. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: The main protein in the dish, marinated in yogurt and apices, then broiled before being added to the sauce.
Chicken tikka is a dry dish, whereas tikka masala is a sauce-based dish. Chicken tikka is typically served as an appetizer or snack, whereas tikka masala is served as a main course. Additionally, the flavour profile of the two dishes is quite distinct.
Ingredients and substitues for the homemade tikka masala
Greek yogurt: If you don't like Greek yogurt, use plain whole milk. For a dairy-free option, you may use almond or coconut milk. Fresh lemon juice: Do not use botteled lemon juice unless you have no other choice. Garlic and ginger: use fresh, not powder.
Protein: Chicken tikka masala is a good source of protein due to the chicken. Protein is essential for muscle health and overall nutrition. Spices: The spices used in Indian cuisine, such as turmeric, cumin, and coriander, can h.
Dietary fiber is in large quantities in several spices used in tikka masala. You can get a fair amount of fiber per serving by blending several high-fiber items. Iron: Tikka masala is a good supply of minerals thanks to spices like cumin and paprika, which are renowned for being excellent sources of the element.
Regarding nutrition, Butter Chicken and Tikka Masala are high in calories, fat, and sodium. Butter Chicken has more fat and calories than Tikka Masala due to the use of cream and butter in the sauce. However, Tikka Masala has more sodium than Butter Chicken due to the use of canned tomato puree.
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