Dairy Free Chicken Tikka Masala

This dairy free chicken tikka masala is made with tender chicken, traditional aromatic spices, creamy coconut yogurt, and a rich tomato sauce. It’s the perfect dairy free twist on classic Indian comfort food. Serve with basmati rice and garnish with fresh cilantro for a meal the whole family will love!

Why You’ll Love It

• Incredibly comforting. This dairy free chicken tikka masala is pure Indian comfort food at home.
• Easy to make. Don’t let this seemingly difficult dish deter you. It’s actually super easy to make.
• Versatile. It can be made in an instant pot, on the stovetop, or in a slow cooker.
• Perfect for feeding a crowd. This is one of those meals that yields a lot, it’s the perfect thing to throw in when you’re having company over.
• Whole family will love. This tikka masala is truly a dish that everyone will love.
• Great for meal prep. This is great as meal prep because as the flavors sit they actually get deeper and more robust.
• Fits into most diets and lifestyles. This is dairy free, gluten free, and can easily be made vegan or paleo.
• Weeknight meal. This meal is fairly quick to make which makes it the perfect weeknight dinner.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Chicken breasts. You will need 2 lbs of chicken for this dairy free chicken tikka masala. The chicken breasts can be swapped for thighs for a fattier, more flavorful option.
• Clarified ghee. While butter is traditionally used in tikka masala, I use ghee to keep things dairy free. If you don’t have a problem with dairy feel free to use butter.
• Aromatics. Garlic, yellow onion, and ginger will be used to impart deep flavor into this dish.
• Spices. A traditional blend of spices like garam masala, cumin, chili powder, turmeric, and cayenne are used.
• Tomato sauce. A 14 oz can of no salt added tomato sauce will be used. This is near the other canned tomatoes and is labeled “tomato sauce”. It is not marinara sauce.
• Full fat coconut milk & coconut yogurt. The canned coconut milk and yogurt is what makes this creamy without the dairy. If you don’t have an issue with dairy feel free to use greek yogurt in place of the coconut yogurt.
• Veggies. I love sneaking veggies into recipes when I can so I added cauliflower and sweet potato. They really soak up the flavor in the dish. Feel free to omit if you’d like.

How to Make Dairy Free Chicken Tikka Masala

Roast the veggies.

1. Preheat oven to 400. Season cauliflower and sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Cook the aromatics.

2. Add the ghee to an Instant Pot and set to SAUTE. Once melted, add the onion, garlic, ginger, and seasonings. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and the spices are very fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Add in chicken to cook then add tomato sauce.

3. Add the chicken pieces, stir to coat with the spices and onion, and cook, stirring often, just until the outsides start to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato sauce. Stir to combine.

4. Cover and cook on HIGH pressure for 8 minutes. Vent to immediately release the pressure.

Add in veggies and let thicken.

5. Uncover and stir in the coconut milk. Turn the Instant Pot back to SAUTE. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and let it continue to simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 to 15 minutes.

6. Turn the Instant Pot off, and then stir in sweet potato and cauliflower.

7. Once it has cooled, add in coconut yogurt. Stir until fully combined.

Serve.

8. Serve dairy free chicken tikka masala with basmati rice and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Alternate Cooking Methods

Stove top:

1. Heat a large dutch oven or stockpot over a medium high heat. Add ghee followed by the onion, garlic, ginger, and seasonings. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and the spices are very fragrant, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the chicken pieces, stir to coat with the spices and onion, and cook, stirring often, just until the outsides start to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato sauce. Stir to combine. Cover and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Uncover and stir in the coconut milk. Bring the mixture to back to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and let it continue to simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat then add in the sweet potato and cauliflower. Once cooled, stir in coconut yogurt.
5. Serve dairy free chicken tikka masala with basmati rice and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Slow cooker:

1. Heat ghee in a medium pan at a medium low heat. Add onions, ginger, garlic and spices. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and the spices are very fragrant, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the cooked aromatics to the crockpot / slow cooker and spread it evenly. Add the chicken on top of the onions. Evenly pour the tomato sauce over the chicken. Place the crockpot lid and set the cooking time to Slow Cook (Hi) and adjust the cooking time to 4 hours.
3. After 4 hours, your kitchen will be filled with the beautiful aromas of the tikka masala. Add coconut milk and stir until combined. Then add sweet potato and cauliflower. Once cooled, stir in coconut yogurt.
4. Serve with basmati rice and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Expert Tips

• The longer you let the dairy free chicken tikka masala simmer, the better. Once things are all mixed in I tend to let it all simmer on low heat for about 15-20 minutes to really let the flavors mesh and deepen.
• Use full fat coconut yogurt. Using full fat will make it extra creamy.
• Make sure to slowly cook the onion, garlic, ginger, and spices. You want to cook these slowly at a low heat to release aromatics and impart deep flavor.
• Serve hot with basmati rice and fresh cilantro. It is also delicious with fresh warm naan.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What does tikka masala taste like? Chicken tikka masala is a spiced curry dish made from a tomato sauce base with tender chicken, aromatics and traditional warming spices like garam masala. It is slightly tangy and a little bit spicy.
• Is chicken tikka masala spicy? It can be spicy but is very easily customized. If you don’t like spicy food feel free to leave the cayenne out of this recipe.
• Can I make this on the stovetop? Yes! This dairy free chicken tikka masala recipe can be made on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, or in an instant pot.
• Is is dairy free? Yes! While traditional tikka masala is made with butter and heavy cream, this one is made with coconut yogurt and coconut milk making it dairy free.
• How do I store it? Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• What can I serve it with? Serve this chicken tikka masala with basmatic rice, naan, and fresh cilantro. If you want some extra veggies serve with these “cheesy” roasted broccoli or this avocado herb salad without the salmon..

More curry recipes

• Lemongrass chicken curry
• Turmeric chicken curry
• Pumpkin chicken curry
• Sweet potato, kale, and chickpea curry

Did you make this recipe? Let me know how it turned out for you!

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @happy_balancedlife on Instagram.