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There’s not an Indian restaurant anywhere near Madison County. That means that when a craving strikes for Indian food, I simply whip up a pot of this healthy Dump-and-Bake Chicken Tikka Masala at home with just 10 minutes of prep! It’s even faster than carry-out!
There’s no shortage of mountains, fresh air, or farmland here in Central Virginia.
And while we may have an abundance of cattle surrounding our fence lines in just about every direction, what we don’t have is ethnic cuisine!
Beautiful pastoral landscapes? Yes! Easy Chicken Tikka Masala carry-out? Definitely not.
That’s why I’ve become very good at perfecting my copy-cat versions of our favorite restaurant dishes. From General Tso Chicken to Chicken Tikka Masala, I’ve found a way to make them tastier and easier with my dump-and-bake method.
Curious? Here’s how it goes:
Stir together all of your ingredients (except the coconut milk) in a large Dutch oven.
That’s it!
I diced the chicken and onion, measured out the spices, and 4-year-old Spencer did the rest. Our meal was ready to bake in about 10 minutes!
The Chicken Tikka Masala simmers (with a lid) in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
Just before serving, stir in a bit of canned coconut milk for a rich, creamy addition to the flavorful broth. I used lite coconut milk here, but the regular version works just as well.
You can stir in some frozen peas at the same time that you stir in the coconut milk, if you’d like to add more veggies to the dish. You don’t even need to thaw the peas first, since they will heat through in seconds.
We love the Chicken Tikka Masala served over basmati rice (that I always cook in my rice cooker), over cauliflower rice for a lighter option, or with Naan bread for dipping.
It’s a healthy and delicious meal that all 3 of my kiddos adore!
So while the Indian dish may seem “exotic” to those of us who don’t have regular access to ethnic restaurants, the flavors are mild and incredibly kid-friendly (even for picky preschool palates).
I hope that you’ll give it a try!
DUMP-AND-BAKE CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA
Dump-and-Bake Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes (about 3 ½ cups total)
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic I use a tube of pre-minced fresh garlic from the produce section for a shortcut
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger I use a tube of fresh ginger paste from the produce section for a shortcut
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons garam masala
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1.5 -2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup canned coconut milk I used lite coconut milk, but regular also works well
- Optional garnish: cilantro
- Optional for serving: cooked rice, cauliflower rice, or Naan bread
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a large Dutch oven, stir together tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, salt, garam masala, brown sugar, cumin, and diced chicken.
- Cover the pot and bake for 30 minutes. Stir, and check to make sure that the chicken is cooked through.
- Once chicken is done, stir in the coconut milk.
- Garnish with cilantro just before serving. Serve over rice, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.
Love the sound of this!
Thanks, Emily!
This is the UK’s national dish! A perfect illustration of our Anglo-American history. Your version is interesting, I’m looking forward to giving it a try!
Oh, cool! I hope that it passes your “test” and that a Brit approves! 🙂
Very good!
Thank you!
What are alternatives to a Dutch Oven? Are there other containers that could be used if we don’t have one?
Any oven-proof skillet with a lid or oven-proof pot will work, Jay. Hope that helps! 🙂
Could this be prepped ahs frozen before cooking?
Hi, Mary Beth! Yes, I think that would work really well. You’ll just want to leave the coconut milk out, since that gets stirred in at the end. Enjoy!
This took 2 hours total, after 40 minutes the chicken was still raw & I found it to be a bit bland tasting.
We’re sorry to hear this didn’t turn out well for you, Christine. Feel free to adjust the spices to suit your preferences! As for the cooking time, the smaller you cut your chicken, the faster it will cook. Also, it’s crucial not to overcrowd the Dutch Oven. If you give this another try, please reach out with any questions you come across while cooking. We’re happy to help make this right!