Easy Trader Joe’s Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe – FOOD is Four Letter Word (2024)

August 31, 2021Van

Easy Trader Joe’s Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe – FOOD is Four Letter Word (1)

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Prep time: 6 hours

Cook time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4-6

Chicken Tikka Masala is probably the most popular Indian dish worldwide and it’s easy to see why. It’s explosive with flavor, the combination of yogurt marinated chicken cooked in a tandoor or grilled over charcoal with the tangy and creamy masala sauce is the most amazing match. It’s the national dish of the U.K. where a Bangladeshi chef invented it in the 70’s – it’s very similar to butter chicken, a popular dish in northern India. The ingredient list is usually quite long to make it from scratch, but you can cut that list in half if you use Trader Joe’s Masala Simmer Sauce. You’ll be shocked at how delicious it is and how easy it is to make at home.

Easy Trader Joe’s Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe – FOOD is Four Letter Word (2)

Easy Trader Joe’s Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe – FOOD is Four Letter Word (3)

I use Garam Masala in the marinade, you can find this at your local Indian market, or order it here, the chicken is much more flavorful with it. Easy Trader Joe’s Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe – FOOD is Four Letter Word (4)

Easy Trader Joe’s Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe – FOOD is Four Letter Word (5)

Easy Trader Joe’s Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe – FOOD is Four Letter Word (6)

Trader Joe’s Garlic NaanEasy Trader Joe’s Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe – FOOD is Four Letter Word (7)

Trader Joe’s Mango Chutney is fantastic, I enjoyed it withPapadams as an appetizerEasy Trader Joe’s Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe – FOOD is Four Letter Word (8)

Easy Trader Joe’s Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe – FOOD is Four Letter Word (9)

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August 31, 2021Van

  • Prep time: 6 hours
  • Cook time: 25 minutes
  • Serves: 4-6

www.foodisafourletterword.com

Ingredients

  • 2½ Pounds Boneless Skinless Thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 15 oz Trader Joe’s Masala Simmer Sauce
  • 3 Garlic Cloves, pressed
  • ½ Teaspoon Grated Ginger
  • ½ Cup Whole Milk Plain Yogurt, (don’t use Greek)
  • 1½ Teaspoons Fine Sea Salt
  • ½ Cup Heavy Cream
  • 2 Teaspoons Garam Masala

Method

  • 1)

    In a bowl, combine ½ Cup Yogurt, 3 pressed Garlic Cloves, ½ Teaspoon Grated Ginger, 1½ Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt, 2 Teaspoons Garam Masala. Stir the marinade then add the chicken pieces and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or up to 24 hours.

  • 2)

    When you’re ready to cook the chicken, pre-heat your outdoor grill to med-high heat or light an even layer of briquettes in your charcoal grill. Place the chicken pieces on skewers and grilled until they are lightly charred (about 5-6 minutes on each side). You can also brush on melted butter or ghee while grilling to add extra flavor.

    *Oven Method: Using a bbq grill will give you the best flavor, but if that’s not an option, pre-heat oven to 400°F, line a baking sheet with parchment, place chicken pieces on the baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, turn the chicken pieces over half way through. Move them to the top rack and broil for 1-2 minutes to give them a slight char.

  • 3)

    Add 15 oz Trader Joe’s Masala Simmer Sauce into a blender, pour ¼ Cup of Water into the masala jar and shake it up to get the rest of the sauce, pour it into the blender. Blend on high speed for 1 minute, it should look smooth. Pour into a large pot and bring to a simmer, remove the chicken from the skewers and add to the pot, simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes. Add ½ Cup Heavy Cream, stir to combine and continue to cook just until it’s heated through. Taste the sauce and season with more salt if needed. Serve with naan and basmati rice. Enjoy!

↓ Supplies to make this recipe ↓

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2 Comments

  • Lisa B.

    February 5, 2022 at 10:11 am

    I made this last night and it was phenomenal! Thank you so much for sharing. I can’t wait to make it again, perhaps a vegetarian version with cauliflower and peas?

    Reply

    1. Van

      February 5, 2022 at 12:06 pm

      Hi Lisa, I’m so happy you enjoyed it! That sauce would be fantastic with cauliflower and peas

      Reply

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Easy Trader Joe’s Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe – FOOD is Four Letter Word (17)

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Easy Trader Joe’s Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe – FOOD is Four Letter Word (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in Trader Joe's tikka masala simmer sauce? ›

Ingredients. TOMATO PUREE (TOMATO PASTE, WATER), TOMATOES, LIGHT CREAM (MILK), ONIONS, GINGER, GARLIC, CANOLA OIL, LEMON JUICE CONCENTRATE, SEA SALT, CORIANDER CUMIN FENUGREEK LEAVES, TURMERIC, PAPRIKA, RED PEPPER, CINNAMON, CLOVES.

Is it tikka masala or tikka masala? ›

Tikka masala, a popular Indian dish in India and abroad, is made with chicken tikka—pieces of chicken marinated in spices (including chili powder, cumin, coriander), grilled or broiled—that are then stewed in a creamy tomato-based sauce.

What can I add to a jar of tikka masala? ›

Add more spices: Store-bought curry sauces often lack the depth of flavour that homemade sauces have. To remedy this, you can add more spices like cumin, turmeric, coriander, and garam masala. Use fresh ginger and garlic: Fresh ginger and garlic add a lot of flavour to curries.

What is the main flavor in tikka masala? ›

Tikka Masala is a tomato and cream-based sauce that's smoky from the chargrilled chicken, rich and creamy, with a slight sweetness and tanginess with mild heat (although we like it hot!) punctuated by earthy spices, ginger and garlic.

What does tikka masala sauce contain? ›

Tikka masala is a tomato and cream (either in the form of heavy cream, yogurt or cashews) based sauce with lots of traditional Indian spices, including ginger, turmeric and red chili powder (to give it that quintessential orange-hue), garam masala, coriander and cumin. It is slightly sweet and earthy in flavor.

Which is better butter chicken or tikka masala? ›

Tikka Masala is the better option if you are looking for a lower-fat and calorie dish. However, suppose you are looking for a dish that is milder in spiciness and has a sweeter taste. In that case, Butter Chicken is the better choice.

How healthy is tikka masala? ›

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.

Which is hotter chicken tikka or chicken tikka masala? ›

This ingredient is added in abundance to make the tomato sauce creamier and lend a certain sweetness to the palate. Chicken tikka masala is the spicier variant, carrying more nuanced flavors.

What makes tikka masala taste good? ›

An incredible combination of spices are simmered into this creamy, tomato based sauce that tastes so perfect it makes your curry explode with flavour.
  1. Garam Masala.
  2. Cumin.
  3. Ground Coriander.
  4. Turmeric.

What's the difference between chicken tikka masala and curry? ›

Recipes for both use the same seasonings, and appear pretty much interchangeable, except that curry often has coconut-something in it, and tikka masala is heavy on butter and cream.

What do Indians eat tikka masala with? ›

What is traditionally served with chicken tikka masala? Traditionally, chicken tikka masala is served with vegetables, steamed long-grained basmati or white rice, toasted pita, or any type of naan bread.

What side dishes go with chicken tikka masala? ›

Rice
  • Instant Pot Basmati Rice. Indian Instant Pot Basmati Rice comes perfectly every time and only takes 10 minutes start to finish. ...
  • Simple Lemon Rice Recipe. ...
  • Roasted Green Beans and Carrots. ...
  • Aloo Gobi. ...
  • Roasted Spiced Cauliflower. ...
  • Indian Cabbage Recipe. ...
  • Bombay Potatoes Recipe. ...
  • Paneer Jalfrezi.
May 19, 2023

How to make tikka masala more red? ›

Making Chicken Tikka Masala Base

You can start adding spice powders. I am using kashmiri chilli powder for the bright red colour.

Does Trader Joe's have simmer sauce? ›

Yay! Without further adieu, allow us to reintroduce Trader Joe's Thai Green Curry Simmer Sauce. Our Product Innovator went straight to the source in Thailand to create this Thai Green Curry Simmer Sauce. It starts with a base of velvety coconut milk, and an incredibly flavorful, spicy green curry paste.

What is the difference between curry sauce and tikka masala? ›

Recipes for both use the same seasonings, and appear pretty much interchangeable, except that curry often has coconut-something in it, and tikka masala is heavy on butter and cream.

How to use Indian simmer sauce? ›

It is often preferable to cook the meat and vegetables separate from the simmer sauce at high heat first. Then add the sauce, cover, and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes and using the time you saved in preparation to make a salad or even catch up on social media.

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