Chicken Tikka Chilli Masala Recipe

Chicken Tikka Chilli Masala is the perfect choice if you enjoy the richness of a Chicken Tikka Masala but want more depth and a little more heat. Made with pre-cooked chicken tikka using the Matt Cooper Bites Tikka Spice Blend, the chicken carries a smoky, spiced coating that holds its own against the sauce.

This curry delivers the same rich, creamy, sweet, velvety feel that makes tikka masala such a popular dish, but it comes with an added kick from green chillies. It’s a balance of comfort and spice: smooth and slightly indulgent, but with enough heat to keep every bite interesting.

My good friend and curry aficionado Matt Hutson has kindly put this recipe together for you and he’s done a serious job on this one as usual!

Unlike many restaurant versions, you don’t need a base gravy here. The sauce is built directly in the pan, starting with onions, garlic, ginger, and chillies, then layered with spices, tomato, and stock. Ground almonds and coconut flour add natural thickness and give the curry body, while a spoon of mango chutney rounds out the flavour with gentle sweetness. Cream is stirred in at the end to bring everything together, creating that signature masala texture – silky, bold, and satisfying.

Depending on where you order, similar curries can go by different names in British curry houses. You might find it called Chicken Tikka Chilli Masala, Chicken Tikka Tarka, Tarka Tikka Masala or even Hot Tikka Masala. The details change slightly, but the style is the same: tikka in a spiced tomato-based sauce, finished with cream, and lifted by extra chilli heat.

I get A LOT of stick for this, but this is my go to whenever I eat out. I tend to ask for a Chicken Tikka Masala medium hot to avoid confusion but I absolutely love a sweet curry but also enjoy a spicier number so this is the perfect combination.

This recipe is straightforward to prepare at home, and once your tikka is cooked, the sauce comes together quickly. It’s designed to give you restaurant-style flavour without the complexity, and it’s versatile enough to serve with rice, naan, or even plastered all over a jacket potato. Do not judge me!

Whether you know it as Chicken Tikka Chilli Masala, Tarka, or Hot Masala, the result is unmistakable: a curry that combines the creamy, velvety comfort of tikka masala with a spicier edge.

Key Points

• If you don’t want to use tikka, you can replace this with plain cooked chicken. If you need a super simple Chicken Tikka marinade, check out our webstore.
• Do not use desiccated coconut as it will make the curry bitty.
• Food colouring is optional but you won’t get that radioactive red glow without it.
• This cannot be done in the slow cooker – it must be done in a pan so that the sauce can caramelise.
• If you want a milder version, follow this chicken tikka masala recipe