One of my favorite dishes is a savory Chicken Tikka Masala. YUMM!
This is a better-for-you, low carb Chicken Tikka Masala, so you can enjoy this yummy Indian dish, even if you’re losing weight with a low carb diet.
I featured this yummy low carb Chicken Tikka Masala in a previous 17 Day Diet Cycle 1 Challenge and it was a huge hit!
In previous years, I’ve always relied on jarred sauces and flavor packets to help me make dinner.
It wasn’t until I started paying attention to the ingredients that I decided I wanted to feed my family healthier.
In this healthy Chicken Tikka Masala, I wanted to create my own blend of spices. Hints of cinnamon, cumin and coriander bring in a combination of warm and bright flavors.
Ingredients for Chicken Tikka Masala
This recipe is fairly simple to make, even though the ingredient list seems very long. Part of it includes blending your own Garam Masala Spice Blend, most of which you should already have stocked in your kitchen.
Here are a few of the ingredients needed:
- Spices such as cumin, coriander and cinnamon to make your Garam Masala Spice Blend (or you can purchase pre-made Garam Masala Spice Blend)
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Onion
- Chicken
- Tomato Paste
- Crushed Tomatoes
- Greek yogurt
What To Serve With Low Carb Chicken Tikka Masala
If you’re keeping this dish low carb, here are a few ways to serve this dish:
- Over roasted veggies such as carrots and cauliflower
- Riced Cauliflower
- Roasted Spaghetti Squash
- Basmati Rice (if you’re not low carb)
- Naan (if you’re not low carb)
Chicken Tikka Masala for the 17 Day Diet
If you’re eating low carb on the 17 Day Diet, you can certainly have this low carb Chicken Tikka Masala on all cycles of the diet.
If you’re on cycle 2 or 3, you can add in some carbs such as spaghetti squash or Naan (cycle 3).
If you’re not sure which foods are allowed when, make sure you check out my 17 Day Diet Cycle 1 Food List for all the info!
You can also check out my book on Amazon called Fast Track Your Weight Loss With the 17 Day Diet which has all the food lists (and a 7 day meal plan, too!).
Can I have Chicken Tikka Masala on the Kickstart Diet?
Yes, you can definitely have this Chicken Tikka Masala while on the 17 Day Kickstart Diet. You can have this dish starting on the 10-Day Stabilize Phase when Greek Yogurt is allowed.
However, if you want to enjoy this recipe starting from day 1, you can simply omit the Greek Yogurt and you’ll be good to go.
If you’re not sure which foods are allowed during each phase, make sure you take a look at my 17 Day Kickstart Diet Food List.
Is Chicken Tikka Masala Keto Friendly?
If you’re on the Keto Diet, this dish can be eaten as is. Depending on your macros, you may want to limit your portions (this is due to the tomatoes).
Other Low Carb Recipes
If you enjoy this Chicken Tikka Masala, make sure you check out these other amazing dishes:
- Chicken Mushroom & Broccoli Casserole
- Chicken Meatball Stroganoff
- Ground Turkey & Broccoli Bowls
- Bang Bang Salmon & Broccoli Bowls
- Chicken Paprikash
- Cool Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Green Chili Chicken Enchilada with Cauliflower
- Chicken Lombardy
If you enjoyed this Low Carb Chicken Tikka Masala, please consider coming back to review the recipe below. If you’re on social media, make sure you tag me @17ddblog so I can see your yummy creation!
Chicken Tikka Masala
Say goodbye to jarred sauces and say hello to warm and bright flavors with this homemade dish.
Ingredients
For the Garam Masala Spice Blend:
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/3 teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the ginger, onion and garlic mixture:
- 1 1/2-inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated OR 3 teaspoons ground ginger
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1/2 large yellow onion, finely diced
For the Remaining Recipe:
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch cubes
- Garam Masala spice blend, divided (see above)
- Salt
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Cilantro or Parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Mix all Garam Masala spices together and set aside.
- Combine ginger, garlic and onion in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add chicken, 1 ½ teaspoons of the Garam Masala spice blend and 1 teaspoon salt and thoroughly coat chicken.
- Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in large pan on medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook on all sides until thoroughly cooked, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Transfer chicken to plate and cover with foil. Set aside.
- In the same pan, add remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil on medium-high heat. Add ginger, garlic and onion mixture to pan and cook until onions are soft.
- Next, add tomato paste, remaining Garam Masala spice blend, paprika and cayenne pepper to onion mixture and cook until well combined. Add crushed tomatoes and season with salt.
- Bring tomato mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes uncovered. If mixture is too thin, simmer until it reaches a desired consistency. Add water if it’s too thick.
- Add chicken to tomato mixture and heat through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add in Greek yogurt and lemon juice and stir until well combined. Garnish with cilantro or parsley.
Notes
Approved for:
17 Day Diet - all cycles
17 Day Kickstart Diet - 10 Day Stabilize Phase (omit Greek Yogurt for all other phases)
Keto Diet - limit portions based on your own individual macros
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I’ve been loving the 17 Day Diet since 2011. I love sharing my favorite healthy recipes and meal plans to keep you motivated and on the right path to success!
When I’m not hanging out here, I enjoy quick trips to the Oregon Coast, designing my jewelry line and watching Outlander!
Are you new to the 17 Day Diet? Check out my latest book, Fast Track Your Weight Loss With The 17 Day Diet on Amazon! (aff link)
I used Garam Masala from the spice rack instead of making it with all of these ingredients and it made the recipe much easier and still tastes great. The individual ingredients above add up to 4.5 tsp.
That’s great to hear, Chad!!
Hi Torey. In the recipe above, can you add a divider between the ingredients used for the Garam Masala mix and the rest of the recipe? It would make it easier to read. Thanks!
Hi Chad, thanks for the suggestion. I actually had the Garam Masala ingredients in their own section, but for some reason the recipe card I use decided to completely mix up the order. I’ve gone ahead and fixed it up (I’m somewhat limited on the way it looks), so hopefully it’s easier to read now.
Thanks Torey! Very helpful and still a great recipe!