Chicken Tikki Masala (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo)

Name: Chicken Tikki Masala (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo)
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 3
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 Large Skinless Chicken Breasts; 3/4 Cup Unsweetened Coconut Yogurt; 1 Tsp Lemon Juice; Tikki Masala Sauce:; 1 Cup Unsalted Tomato Sauce; 1/2 Cup Lite Culinary Coconut Milk; 1/4 Cup Unsweetened Coconut Yogurt; 2 TB Tomato Paste; 1 Tsp Dried Cilantro; 1 Tsp Garam Masala; 1/2 Tsp Minced Garlic; 1/2 Tsp Pureed Ginger; 1/2 Tsp Turmeric; 1/2 Tsp Onion Powder; 1/4 Tsp Coriander; 1/4 Tsp Cumin; 1/4 Tsp Smoked Paprika; 1/8 Tsp Cardamom; Fresh Cilantro (to top)

March 1, 2017 by Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine 74 Comments

Chicken Tikki Masala is a classic Indian dish now with a gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, and allergy-friendly recipe! With a creamy tomato and coconut yogurt sauce, this comforting dish will make a great healthy weeknight dinner that packs in the flavor!

Really, there’s no one that could turn down tikki masala…no one! My own heart always goes to chana masala, but this…this comes in at a close second for my favorite Indian dish! There are just so many beautiful flavors and dishes to love in Indian cuisine, I just love it all! Have I ever had authentic Indian cuisine? No, I still have not. Do I need to have authentic Indian cuisine to make homemade Indian dishes? No, and neither do you!

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If you’ve never had tikki masala, chicken or otherwise, the tikki masala part is the creamy, tomatoey sauce. It’s typically made with thick yogurt, tomato, and loads of fragrant spices. It can be spicy or mild depending on your preferences (I made it mild!) The chicken is marinated in yogurt before being cooked in the thick tomatoey sauce. You can serve it over a bed of rice some naan, or anything you’d like to soak up all that extra goodness!

Chicken tikki masala is one of those ultra-cozy and comforting, fragrant and mouth-watering recipes you’ll just need to be making at home and not waiting for a rare Indian outing. It’s stunning to look at (I think so!) and those smells…always those smells! And did I tell you? I made this right in that trusty cast iron! There is never a failed dish when you get out that heavy iron pan (even for Indian cooking)! With the coconut yogurt and the magic pan, the chicken comes out so tender, moist, and delicious!

Yes, there are a lot of spices used in this recipe to get that authentic full-flavored dish, but that’s just another reason why I personally love Indian cuisine. Each dish keeps your taste buds guessing and distinguishing between all the spices (i.e. bucket list item #33 stroll through an Indian spice market…and buy everything). You know they sell premade curries, sauces, and spice mixes in the store? Blasphemy! Never take the easy way out when it comes to cooking a cuisine like this! You’re just cheating yourself out of one amazing homemade chicken tikki masala experience!

Chicken Tikki Masala (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo)