If you would like to learn how to reproduce a fantastic Chicken Tikka Chilli Masala at home, then this is the post for you.

Chicken Tikka Chilli Masala is what the name suggests, a hotter version of Chicken Tikka Masala which is a milder dish in terms of heat. If you love a sweet curry with a bit of heat as well, then you will love this recipe.

Chicken Tikka Chilli Masala Recipe in 5 Easy Steps

Chicken Tikka Chilli Masala Recipe

Chilli Masala Ingredients

For the marinade:

• 1 kg of chicken pieces cut into small bite-sized pieces
• Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice from 2 Lemons
• 1 tablespoon finely ground salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 250ml or 1 cup of plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon of chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 finely sliced green finger chillies (leave the seeds in for extra heat)
• Handful of finely chopped coriander leaves 

Place all of the ingredients in a ziplock bag (or a bowl which you will cover with clingfilm) and marinate in the fridge for at least an hour, preferably overnight.

For the Chilli Masala Sauce

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee (Indian clarified butter)
• 3-4 ladles of Curry Base Gravy
• 1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste (equal amounts of peeled fresh ginger and garlic blended in the food processor with a little water
• 1 finely sliced green finger chilli
• 1 tablespoon of coconut flour
• 1 tablespoon of ground almonds
• 70ml or 1/4 cup of tomato puree mixed with a little water
• 1 tablespoon of tandoori masala (I like to use East End spices for this and other dishes)
• 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar – more if you like it sweeter
• 100ml or 1/3 cup of single cream (you can also substitute creme fraiche or half fat creme fraiche)
• 1 teaspoon red food colouring powder (adds colour but no taste)
• Juice of 1 lemon 
• 1 teaspoon of salt or to taste
• A sprinkle of dried methi leaves 
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 2 tablespoon chopped coriander 
• 1 Tablespoon of Mix Powder (Every Indian Restaurant has their own version)
• Optional – if you like heat add a little Extra Hot Chilli Powder  

Make the Mix powder by combining the following spices in a bowl – 4 Tablespoons Ground Coriander, 2 Tablespoons Ground Cumin, 4 Tablespoons Turmeric, 1 Teaspoon of Kashmiri Chilli Powder, 1 Teaspoon Garam Masala, 1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper, 3 Tablespoons of Smoked Paprika.

Use 1 tablespoon for this recipe and keep the rest for other British Indian restaurant (BIR) curries.

Chilli Masala Method

1. Heat the vegetable oil or ghee in a frying pan over a medium heat
2. Add the garlic and ginger paste and fry for around a minute, then add in the chopped chilli and cook for another minute or so
3. Now stir in the mix powder, sugar, ground almonds, coconut flour, tandoori masala, and smoked paprika
4. Add the tomato puree and water paste and bring the heat down to a simmer. At this point you can add the first ladle of base curry, and your chicken tikka pieces.
5. Bring your pan to the boil to infuse the flavours and then turn down to a simmer. Stir to coat your chicken pieces in the sauce, add the red food colouring and a ladle of base gravy curry sauce
6. Now pour in your single cream. If your sauce isn’t as thick as you would like add a little more base gravy 
7. Finally add in freshly chopped coriander, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a sprinkle of methi leaves and 1/2 teaspoon of Garam Masala. Add a teaspoon of salt or to taste

Serve with pilau rice and optionally naan bread.

If you want to cook the chicken in a similar way to a Tandoori oven, place the chicken tikka pieces on metal skewers and cook over hot coals on the BBQ for around 12-15 minutes, turning halfway through. This will give your chicken tikka a lovely charred barbecue flavour. You can also cook the chicken pieces under a grill to get a similar (although not as smoky) effect.

Chicken Tikka Chilli Masala FAQ’s

What is Chicken Chilli Masala?

Chicken Chilli Masala is a hotter version of the the classic Chicken Tikka Masala, which is milder dish in terms of chilli heat. It is sweet, spicy, and creamy with a tomato taste and texture.

Is Chicken Tikka Masala Supposed to be Spicy?

Chicken Tikka Masala is not supposed to be spicy in terms of heat, it is traditionally a mildly spiced curry. If you want a similar curry to Chicken Tikka Masala that is hotter, try a Chicken Tikka Chilli Masala which contains more fresh chillies and chilli powder.

Is Tikka Masala more Spicy than Butter Chicken?

Both Butter Chicken and Tikka Masala are mildly spiced curry dishes. Tikka Masala is generally a little more spicy than Butter Chicken but there is not a great deal of difference between them in terms of heat.

Bear in mind that most curry restaurants will be willing to adjust the heat of any curry you order to suit your tastes.

If you enjoyed this article you should also have a look at my chicken tikka masala recipe. If you are feeling brave enough to tackle a hotter curry again, check out my lamb vindaloo restaurant style recipe. For a much milder curry option you could also try out my BIR chicken korma recipe.

What’s the Difference Between Chicken Tikka Masala and Marsala?

There is a great deal of difference between Chicken Tikka Masala and Marsala. Chicken Tikka Masala is a British Indian Restaurant style mildly spiced curry and Marsala is actually an Italian fortified wine produced in the region which includes the city of Marsala in Sicily.