Chicken Tikka Masala: 42 Grams of Protein, Zero Takeout Guilt

Friday-night takeout has my heart, but the sodium and the price tag? Not so much. This light chicken tikka masala scratches the exact same itch — creamy, tomatoey, warming spice — and quietly delivers 42 grams of protein per bowl thanks to Greek yogurt doing the heavy lifting in the sauce.

Why it works

The yogurt pulls double duty. Half of it marinates the chicken with tikka spices for 15 minutes so the meat stays juicy through a hard sear, and the rest gets stirred in at the end with light coconut milk for that signature silky sauce — no heavy cream needed. Onion, garlic, and ginger go in with the remaining spices first so they bloom in the oil, then tomato sauce simmers into something rich before the coconut milk finishes it. It's the kind of dinner that makes the whole kitchen smell incredible for about 35 minutes and leaves zero leftovers to argue over.

The recipe

Ingredients

• 1½ lb chicken thighs, cubed
• ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt, divided
• 2 tbsp tikka masala spice or curry powder, divided
• 1 onion, diced · 3 cloves garlic · 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
• ½ cup light coconut milk
• 1 tbsp oil · cilantro
• 2 cups cooked basmati rice, to serve

Steps

1. Marinate the chicken in half the yogurt and half the spices for at least 15 minutes.
2. Sear the chicken in the oil over high heat until browned; set aside.
3. Sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger with the remaining spices for 2–3 minutes; add the tomato sauce and simmer 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the coconut milk and remaining yogurt; return the chicken and simmer 10 minutes.
5. Serve over basmati rice with fresh cilantro.

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Here's the card — save it for next time:

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Credit: lighter chicken tikka masala reel

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— Dad