Air Fryer Chicken Tikka Masala

Bowl of chicken tikka masala garnished with fresh coriander

5 from 2 votes

Air Fryer Chicken Tikka Masala

Air Fryer Chicken Tikka Masala is quick, easy and insanely delicious! Picture tender and flavor-paked 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 :)

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Marinating time30

Total Time56

Course: Main

Cuisine: British, Indian

Keyword: Air Fryer Chicken Tikka Masala

Servings:

Calories: 669kcal

Author: Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes

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

Video

Notes

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.

Nutrition