Air Fryer Chicken Tikka Masala
, Updated Mar 06, 2026
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Air Fryer Chicken Tikka Masala is quick, easy and insanely delicious! Picture tender and flavor-packed chunks of chicken in a creamy tomato-based sauce… simply divine! This better-than-takeout Chicken Tikka Masala is cooked entirely in the air fryer 🙂
What is Chicken Tikka Masala?
Meet the UK’s favorite curry… Chicken Tikka Masala is a mouthwatering combo of tender char-grilled chicken in a fragrant and creamy onion and tomato sauce.
Tikka translates as small chunks – and in this case diced chicken that is first marinated in spiced yogurt then cooked in a tandoor until wonderfully tender.
Masala refers to the sauce made with tomatoes, onions, spices and finished with cream.
Marry the two elements and you have Chicken Tikka Masala, a dish with roots in India and Anglo-Indian influences – the Masala sauce having been added to satisfy the British palate by an Indian chef in Glasgow.
MAKING CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA IN AN AIR FRYER
Making tandoori chicken in the air fryer is a no-brainer – it is so quick, easy and you even get the nicely charred edges that make this dish so special.
I am thrilled to report that the masala gravy is ALSO cooked in the air fyer and mega yummy it is too! And super easy… are you ready for it?
WHAT GOES INTO CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA
I use my Ninja Dual Zone air fryer to cook the chicken and sauce at the same time (so convenient!). But you can just as easily prepare the sauce while the chicken is marinating and air fry the chicken after before combining the two.
FOR THE CHICKEN
- Skinless and boneless chicken thighs
- Greek yogurt or plain yogurt
- Lemon juice
- Ghee (clarified butter) or vegetable oil
- Minced garlic and freshly grated
- Ground turmeric, sweet paprika (or Kashmiri red chili powder if you can find it), cumin, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, Garam Masala
- Salt and pepper
FOR THE SAUCE
- Onion or shallots
- Garlic and ginger
- Crushed tomatoes, San Marzano plum tomatoes, or even fresh tomatoes
- Garam masala, ground fenugreek, Tikka curry powder, brown sugar
- Cream or evaporated milk
- Coriander (cilantro) to serve
HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA
Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!
Make the marinade
Heat the ghee in a saucepan (or do this in the air fryer at 180°C/350°F) add the spices and stir until fragrant. Set aside to cool. Add all the marinade ingredients in a bowl (or a lidded glass container) and stir to combine.
Marinate the chicken
Add the chicken to the bowl, turning it over so that is covered with the marinade all over. Leave for a minimum of 30 minutes or a maximum of 6 hours, covered, in the fridge.
Prepare the sauce
Preheat the air fryer to 200°C/ 400°F. Place the oil or ghee, shallots, ginger and garlic in an air fryer cake barrel or similar (I used my Tefal Ingenio cookware that comes with detachable lids). Cook for 2-3 minutes then add spices, seasoning, tomatoes and water.
Cook in the air fryer for 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway. Use an immersion blender to blitz the sauce until it is mostly smooth (be careful as it can splatter!).
Cook the chicken
Preheat the air fryer to 200°C/ 400°F (note: if your air fryer can cook at a higher temperature, you can increase it to max) for five minutes.
Mist the basket with oil and add the chicken. Cook for 20 minutes, flipping the chicken over halfway through. The chicken should be juicy with nicely charred edges. Any leftover marinade should be discarded.
Add chicken to the sauce
Slice the chicken into chunks and mix into the sauce. Stir in the cream and heat through for five minutes in the fryer.
Serve and enjoy
Serve the curry garnished with coriander leaves with pilau rice and naan bread. Simply and seriously DELICIOUS!
RECIPE NOTES AND FAQs
- Is chicken tikka masala spicy? This is a relatively mild to moderately hot curry and you can always adjust the spice levels to suit. My kids who avoid most spicy foods LOVED it! You can add some crushed chili flakes to garnish for an extra bit of heat.
- I once used evaporated milk instead of cream in this curry and actually prefer it! You can add more or less depending on how creamy you like it.
- For extra charred crispiness, air fry the diced chicken chunks for a few minutes at high heat before adding to the sauce.
- Prep ahead: you can make the chicken and / or masala sauce in advance and combine the two when you are ready.
STORING AND FREEZING
All curries taste better the day AFTER they are cooked – store any leftovers in a glass container in the refrigerator for up to four days. You might need to add a splash of water when reheating to loosen the sauce.
You can also freeze the curry for up to three months. Cool completely and portion into suitable containers, allowing a little space for the curry to expand as it freezes. Reheat until piping hot throughout before serving.
Have you made my Air Fryer Chicken Tikka Masala recipe? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day!
Air Fryer Chicken Tikka Masala
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp Garam Masala
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp cayenne
- 1 cup (250g) plain yogurt or Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 4 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger , minced
For the Chicken
- 8 chicken thighs , boneless and skinless
For the Masala
- 1 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
- 1 onion or three shallots
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ½ tbsp gresh ginger minced
- 2 tsp Tikka curry powder
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 1 tsp ground fenugreek
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 800 g (2x 14oz) crushed or plum tomatoes I used San Marzano
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) water or passata
- 240 ml (1 cup) cream or evaporated milk
- fresh coriander to serve
Instructions
Make the marinade
- Heat the ghee in a saucepan (or do this in the air fryer at 180°C/350°F) add the spices and stir until fragrant. Set aside to cool. Add all the marinade ingredients in a bowl (or a lidded glass container) and stir to combine.1 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee, 2 tsp sweet paprika , 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp Garam Masala, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp cayenne, 1 cup (250g) plain yogurt, 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 4 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp fresh ginger
Marinate the chicken
- Add the chicken to the bowl, turning it over so that is covered with the marinade all over. Leave for a minimum of 30 minutes or a maximum of 6 hours, covered, in the fridge.8 chicken thighs
Prepare the sauce
- Preheat the air fryer to 200°C/ 400°F. Place the oil or ghee, shallots, ginger and garlic in an air fryer cake barrel or similar. Cook for 2-3 minutes then add spices, seasoning, tomatoes and water.1 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil, 1 onion, 3 garlic cloves, ½ tbsp gresh ginger, 2 tsp Tikka curry powder, 1 tsp Garam Masala, 1 tsp ground fenugreek, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 tsp salt
- Cook in the air fryer for 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway. Use an immersion blender to blitz the sauce until is mostly smooth.
Cook the chicken
- Preheat the air fryer to 200°C/ 400°F (note: if your air fryer can cook at a higher temperature you can increase it to max) for five minutes.
- Mist the basket with oil and add the chicken. Cook for 20 minutes, flipping the chicken over halfway through. The chicken should be juicy with nicely charred edges. Any leftover marinade should be discarded.
Add chicken to the sauce
- Slice the chicken into chunks and mix into the sauce. Stir in the cream and heat through for five minutes in the fryer.240 ml (1 cup) cream
Serve and enjoy
- Serve the curry garnished with coriander leaves with pilau rice and naan bread. Simply and seriously DELICIOUS!fresh coriander
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
Best curry I’ve ever made! Thank you 😁🙏🏻 Gemini x