Leftover Chicken Tikka Masala - My Gorgeous Recipes (2024)

Indian Leftover Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe, a delicious chicken curry that is super easy to make, yet aromatic and so comforting. This homemade version easily beats any take-away. A delicious family dinner that is ready in about 20 minutes.

To say that British people like curry is definitely an understatement. They absolutely love it; to such extent, that curry has been adopted as a national dish. That makes it a favourite when it comes to having a take-away too.

My personal favourite is chicken curry, but l wouldn't say no to a simple beef curry, fish curry or vegetable coconut and chickpea curry either. As l might have mentioned before, lamb is not quite my thing, so l would just politely say no to it. But anything else, yes, please, one big portion for me.

It was actually in London where l first tried curry, and, although my first impression was, nope, that's not for me, l got to appreciate a good curry. I guess the strong spices can be a bit overwhelming for someone used to kind of plain food.

Now I do appreciate these fantastic Indian spices, although I don't go crazy about too much heat. My curries tend to be mild, in this way the whole family gets to enjoy them too. But, of course, these homemade curries recipes can be tweaked to one's liking, and more heat can be added to them.

We've all been guilty of throwing away leftovers at some point, so how about we get to transform this leftover roast chicken into a fabulous leftover chicken tikka masala that will have you lick your fingers clean?

Step-by-step photos and instructions

My chicken tikka masala is by no means an authentic Indian recipe, but it tastes like the real deal, and l'm quite proud of it. It is pretty mild, but the spices used plus the ginger give this dish that particularly fragrant taste one expects from a good curry.

And if a chicken tikka masala cooked from scratch is easy to make, this leftover chicken tikka masala is even easier, and quicker to make too. Let's see how it's made:

• in a pan, fry the onions gently until lightly brown
• add the garlic, ginger and red chilli, and cook for a further 30 seconds or so until fragrant
• add the spices, and give it a good stir, so that the full flavours can be released
• in go the chopped tomatoes and water, and leave to cook for about 10 minutes or until the water is reduced and you get a thicker sauce
• add the Greek yogurt and tomato puree, and give it a good stir

Make sure the yogurt is at room temperature, otherwise it will curdle when added to the hot curry. Alternatively, add a few tablespoons of the hot sauce to it, mixing well after each addition, then add it to the pan.

• throw in the leftover chicken pieces, leave to simmer for 2-3 minutes, then remove from the heat
• garnish with fresh coriander (cilantro) or parsley

Can I swap leftover chicken for other leftover meat?

Absolutely, any kind of meat goes: leftover turkey, beef, lamb, pork, or a combination of any of it. As long as the meat is already cooked, the cooking time for this curry does not change at all.

Can I freeze the leftover chicken tikka masala?

Yes, curries make a perfect dish to be frozen and enjoyed at any other time. Just make sure you add it to a tupperware with a good air-tight lid, and it's ready to go in the freezer.

I don't usually freeze rice, since it's so easy to make it fresh before every meal, in this tutorial I show you how to make basmati rice at home easily. It's the best basmati you can get, and it's done on the stove top.

Other chicken curry recipes

Easy Butter Chicken Recipe (Indian Style)

Indian Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk

Chicken Dhanzak

Chicken Rogan Josh

Chicken Balti

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