Tandoori Chicken Curry

Chicken curry in a bowl with a serving spoon on top of off white napkin.

4.75 from 4 votes

This tandoori chicken curry is delicious and much quicker to make (just 30 minutes of cooking time) than the traditional version. Plus, it's dairy-free!

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Lunch/Dinner

Cuisine: Pakistani, Indian, South Asian

Servings:

Calories: 361kcal

Author: Zeeshan Shah

Ingredients

2 tablespoons ghee or neutral oil. I use avocado oil
2 lbs. chicken tenders or boneless skinless thighs cubed into 1 “ pieces
2 teaspoons garlic minced
1 teaspoons ginger minced
1 teaspoon red chili powder
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon tandoori masala * See note
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce * See note
1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons Himalayan pink salt or to taste
1 cup coconut milk or 1/2 cup half and half

Instructions

Dry the chicken pieces of any moisture and place in a medium bowl. Add the spices and toss to combine. Set aside.
On medium-high heat, add ghee/oil to a large wok or cast iron pan and once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken pieces in a single layer and do not crowd the pan so that we can get a good sear. Let the chicken cook undisturbed for 3 minutes and then flip on the other side and let cook for another 2 minutes. Do this in batches if your pan is not big enough.
Take the chicken out into a bowl and in the same pan, add the ginger and garlic and stir till aromatic, about 30 seconds. Next, add the tomato sauce and the milk. Stir to combine and then add the chicken back into the pan.
Lower the heat to medium-low and cover the pan and let cook for about 10 minutes. This will give the chicken and the curry to meld flavors. Once the oil has risen to the top, the chicken is ready to eat!
Garnish with chopped cilantro, a drizzle of lime/lemon juice. Enjoy!

Notes

You can substitute the ghee with neutral oil like avocado oil, and even split half ghee and half avocado oil.
Make a batch of my Easy Tandoori Masala. If you do use store-bought masala, check whether yours contains additional salt and adjust accordingly.
In the U.S., tomato sauce refers to a puree rather than ketchup. It is also called passata.

Nutrition