Easy Chicken Tikka Masala
10000x better (and faster) than take-out! And the chicken is perfectly tender with the creamiest, most flavor-packed sauce ever!
When Ben was out of town last week, two very important things happened.
One. Butters was sulking hardcore, waiting for his dad. Even though I’m the one that has been feeding him, walking him, clothing him and loving him every single second.
Two. I had no one to share this chicken tikka masala with! So I had all four servings in one whole day. Oh, and I also had maybe 5 pieces of garlic naan to sop up all that creamy sauciness.
So here are my tips.
Chicken breasts can be substituted, but chicken thighs are highly recommended here.
Make sure you have plenty of naan for serving, preferably garlic naan.
Be sure to make this when your husband is out of town. Because you won’t want to share this.
Easy Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1 ½ tablespoons canola oil
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ medium sweet onion, diced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 cup chicken stock
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- In a large saucepan of 2 cups water, cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.
- Heat canola oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Add chicken and onion to the stockpot and cook until golden, about 4-5 minutes.
- Stir in tomato paste, garlic, ginger, garam masala, chili powder and turmeric until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in tomato sauce and chicken stock; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in heavy cream until heated through, about 1 minute.
- Serve immediately with rice, garnished with cilantro, if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
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We have made this recipe multiple times within the last year because it is so simple and delicious. We’re obsessed!
This was amazing, and such a beginner friendly recipe. I was able to use the chicken breasts I already had in my freezer and they were still so tender! I’m excited to make this again using chicken thighs. This was a last minute dinner idea so I also couldn’t find Garam masala, so I had to use curry powder instead. I can’t wait to make this with no changes, I’m sure it’s going to be even better 🙂
Thanks so much; this recipe is great! I’ve made it twice now, and I’m obsessed. I have two small suggestions. The first is to add in 1/4 tsp of baking soda after adding the tomato sauce. This can reduce some of the brightness and acid of the tomatos for a mellower flavor. Just add it and keep stirring until the bubbling has stopped. The second would be to wait to add the onions until after the chicken has got a nice char on it. I found the onions released a lot of water that made it hard for the chicken to brown.
My hubby love it
Love this recipe!! I wondered if I could use a slow cooker for it?
so easy and quickly became a family favorite
Al the tomato sauce I can find has garlic and onion powder some have basil or oregano. Is this okay?
Can you freeze the sauce? Thanks
Great recipe, can’t wait to try your other recipes! I made a big batch tonight and was wondering if I could freeze the rest? If so how long will it last in the freezer?
Thanks!
This recipe is really easy and it tastes amazing!
I am brand new to Indian cuisine. I want to make some recipes to go with Basmati rice. This one sounds interesting.
Can you substitute the Canola oil with another oil, e.g. grape seed oil or olive oil? Also, is the heavy cream really necessary? Can you substitute something else for the heavy cream?
I have never cooked with ginger before. How do you prepare fresh ginger? Do you have to peel and grate it? Would ground ginger in a jar work just as well? Is there a specific type of chilli powder or flakes you recommend?
I’m not a pro but I do often use olive oil. Have never tried with anything but heavy cream but maybe coconut milk would do. It’s a very small amount of heavy cream but it help the tomato mellow out some in my opinion. Also what gives the beautiful orange color.
I would say the fresh ginger will make a difference. Just scrape off the peel and grate it finely.
Just plain ground chili powder is what I use form McCormick.
We love adding fresh cilantro and warm naan bread. Hope you enjoy!
Hi misty, I didn’t have heavy cream, so I used a cup of greek yogurt and half a cup of milk.
I felt like something in my curry was off, but couldn’t put my finger on it. It might have been this. But I didn’t feel like it wasn’t creamy enough. I bet this recipe would have been a 5 star at my table if I had followed the directions.
My husband and I love this recipe and we make it about every other week! There is absolutely no need for us to go to an Indian restaurant ever again. The only tweak I make is to add one tablespoon of sriracha sauce, just for more spice. I also like it with tortillas instead of naan because I always have tortillas on hand. But again, LOVE this recipe!
This was simply perfect! I can never get enough Indian takeout this however might fix that!
We do Christmas around the world every year. This year was Indian Food. My daughter loves Chicken Tikka Masala so I followed this recipe. It turned out delicious and my family wants this dish as part of our Christmas dinner every year! Thank you for sharing this easy recipe.
This is literally my husband’s favorite dinner and it’s a regular in our dinner rotation. It’s been a hit for meal trains and potlucks. We love making a double recipe and freezing half (just leaving out the cream). Thank you for this!!
Do you think I could make the sauce as directed and then add cubed rotisserie chicken? I know it would not be quite the same but hopefully acceptable
Not too bad, I didn’t have garam masala so I had to improvise . I think I used too much ginger the spices were a bit too heavy.
I loved this (and so many of your recipes!)!!! Thanks for another hit 🙂
We loved this recipe, easy and full of flavour. My husband has been raving about it for days
This is absolutely delicious! My husband says it is better than take out from a restaurant!!
Soo good! Ready to follow instructions and simple ingredients… most of which I already had on hand.
Thanks for sharing your recipe. Is the chili powder you mention chili powder like the southern western mix including cumin and chile powder or is it pure chile powder like Kashmiri chile powder?
Made it last night and it was wonderful. I have a Pinterest board of my husband’s favorite meals and he said to please add this recipe to his board. Easy to make and packed with flavor. Thank you.
Hello I’m from Australia what is a can of tomato sauce please?
I believe Australians call Ketchup tomato sauce. Is that right? Tomato sauce is crushed tomatoes with seasoning in a can. I couldn’t find what it is called for you though.
Tinned tomato sauce is made from fresh tomatoes that have been pureed into a sauce sans the seeds. Name brands here in the U.S. include Hunts for example. You can also buy tinned crushed tomatoes. I have not made this recipe, although I plan to do, but I would add some crushed tomatoes to it to give it more texture. Any time you see “canned tomatoes” or “canned beans” or “canned carrots,” etc., it just means they come in tins, but in the U.S., they call them cans instead of tins. Hope this helps.
In Australia, you would call this passata, I believe. Definitely not not not what you call tomato sauce! Totally different things.
I’ve made this a few times and it is sooooo tasty, and easy/fast. I only add half a tsp chili powder since I have toddlers, and it still has a kick!
So simple but has rich flavors. My son and I love it!
Huge fan of your blog for a while now. Many of your recipes are a staple in my house.
This one joined the rotation. Simply amazing and BETTER then take-out.
Thank you! 🙂
Delicious, quick with straightforward recipe. Instantly applauded by family. Thank you
Made this exactly as instructed and it came out fantastic!
Yes, this recipe rocked! Easy, quick, really tasty.
We did marinade the chicken in yogurt, lemon, & spices, not sure if it made a big difference. Perhaps the lemon was noticeable; there was a little tang in the background.
We also added a little mint at the end with the cilantro; that was really nice.
Will definitely use this recipe again!
It tastes like I got it at a restaurant! I only used 1tsp of garam masala, as I don’t prefer those “sweet” spices & added an additional 1/2 teaspoon of the chili. Used freshly grated ginger, I was worried the ginger would be too strong but it was fine. I have a lactose intolerant eater so initially I left off the cream. It was great (& even better when I added the cream to my own bowl)! My try coconut milk next time for the lactose issue.
Made this times in a huge batch (9lbs of chicken thigh) and calorie counted across 18 servings to freeze.
Overall, pretty good!
I ended up only using 1/2 of the tomato sauce called for.
I used the chili powder asked for, but used real Indian chili powder which is quite spicy. I would reduce the chili powder to 2/3’s if you want a more typical Indian “buffett” style. (Maybe even 1/3 — I like it spicy though!).
I reduced the turmeric to 2/3’s as well since it looked a little heavy handed in comparision to my garam masala.
For Garam Masala have a big bag I made from Madhur Jaffrey (https://www.masterclass.com/articles/garam-masala-recipe-by-madhur-jaffrey).
For the garlic & ginger, I used 1 tsp of garlic ginger paste for 1 clove of the stated garlic and ginger (usually garlic / ginger paste is 50/50 ratio for Indian dishes).
—
I have some experience cooking authentic Indian and this mostly came together as expected.
I used a huge 15 qt brazzier and my stove couldn’t sear all the chicken so I ended up having to drain a bunch of chicken liquid to try to get some sear on the chicken thigh.
I added some oil at the start, and browned the onions. Then I salted the chicken (1 tsp per lb of chicken) and seared it. Once the chicken was 2/3’s cooked, I threw in the Indian spices and garlic ginger and cooked for 2 minutes. Then I added in the tomato paste and cooked for 1 minute. And then added the rest of the liquid and boiled and simmered until ready. Once the tomato sauce cooks down, add the cream and heat and stir for a few minutes until you get the consistency you want.
I love all of your recipes, and this recipe was no different! I couldn’t find garam masala anywhere locally, so I subbed it out for curry powder and added 1/4 tsp each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove to give it the warmth and it was a great substitution! Definitely going to become a staple in my house for easy weekday dinners.
this was amazing! i’m indian and it was so flavorful. This one is going into my recipe book.
Love this recipe, I’ve made it so many times and never get tired of it. We are dairy-free so I use coconut milk or cream instead, doesn’t taste “coconuty” at all, it’s wonderful!
I made some modifications, less chili powder for my young children and more veggies ( sweet peppers, carrots, spinach, but this a seriously delicious quick and easy weeknight dinner that more than fulfills an Indian cravings! Thank you for this great recipe!
I made this recipe tonight for my Hubbie with a couple modifications-I used chicken breasts (that’s all I had), and didn’t have Garam Marsala, do I made some out of all spice and cumin. Also put a dash of cinnamon and a tad more tomato paste. Finally, didn’t have heavy cream so used sour cream. (I know these are a lot of changes☺️) My Hubbie who lives in Koala Lumpur said the flavor was fantastic! I have never made anything like this and am so happy it turned out so good. Thank you for sharing.
This was very good. Took more than 30 minutes, though. Made a couple of adjustments based on what we had on hand: only had a small can of tomato paste, so used the 3 tablespoons & then made sauce out of the rest – it was just right after adding a small amount of salt. Didn’t have heavy cream, so mixed 1/2 & 1/2 with plain yogurt (also better for you). Finally, discovered too late that the garam marsala I thought I had was actually tikka marsala, so I ended up with extra garlic & ginger. But who can have too much garlic & ginger? I would definitely do this one again. Thank you!
This is an outstanding recipe suitable for a dinner party or a midweek delicious meal with very little effort, especially if all ingredients are laid out before you start.
The taste is there !!!
Yesssssss! I made this and took some to work for one of my coworkers. She ran over to my desk and told me than any time I made this I HAD TO bring her some. This was easy, flavorful, and made enough to share (although I didn’t really want to :-)). I have just saved 3 more of your recipes!!!
Fantastic dish & needed no amendments, this will be a regular in our home
Outstanding! Very easy and delicious. My whole family loved it.
On it’s own, it does taste too tomato-y.I doubled the spice and it was perfect. Will make this again and again.
great flavor, super easy
Definately the best homemade curry I have ever made. I do not buy a take-away anymore just freeze what I do not eat. I have also used prawns instead of chicken and it is equally delicious. My wife loves it too and she is not a great curry lover. I would highly recommend.
Made this twice before with thighs. This time I used Chicken tenders—talk about easy! I laid the tenders on the cutting board, sliced across all of them at once with a cleaver—cutting any long portions one more time, and seconds later cooking them with the onions. Wonderful flavor. Thanks so much for this easy recipe.
A slight twist on this is to marinate the chicken in yoghurt and spices prior to cooking it. I’ve cooked this both ways and either way it’s delicious. Thank you 🙂
This is a good base recipe, but mine turned out quite tomato-y tasting. So I doubled the spices, and added some coriander, cumin and cinnamon, a little brown sugar and it tasted a lot better. Next time I would reduce the tomato sauce and chicken broth, as there was too much sauce. I also added some peas so there were some veg.
My entire family of 7 love this dish! I served with diced cherry tomatoes and green onion mixture on top (mixed with olive oil and salt and pepper) and it was amazing!
Okay- I’m literally only 16 and this was so easy to make for my entire family! I was craving food form one of my favorite Indian restaurants, but the restaurant we love is 50 minutes away. So what did I do? Look for a great chicken tikka masala recipe… and boy did I find it!
Oh my WORD this is delicious. Damn Delicious. My changes: I only had chicken breast, red onion, and half and half. I cut the chili powder in half because of kiddos, and it still had just enough spice. It’s not even time to put in the half and half yet and I am in love. I doubt my poor fiancé will even have leftovers for lunch.
Obsessed with this Tikka Masala recipe. I’ve made the slightest variations of it here and there (especially when I’m out of something and need a sub) but this is my go-to recipe! Love the spice, it’s for sure a comfort food for my family. Thanks for sharing this one 🙂
This was soooo good! We bribed the chicken thighs and added chickpeas the next day to it to bulk it up for leftovers. I know it makes it inauthentic but we used curry powder in place of garam masala since we don’t like garam masala. Great recipe!
OK, what is ‘bribed’ (the chicken thighs)? It’s not a cooking term I’ve ever heard before (from the UK). Marinated possibly? Thanks
brined, I believe was the intent.
Although I liked the simplicity of this recipe, it did not taste like the tiki Marsala that is typically marinated in yogurt. In addition, the chicken and onion produced a lot of liquid during the cooking process which made the chicken taste like boiled chicken which is not as desirable. I think the marinating process gives richer flavor. It also is helpful when the chicken is grilled instead of pan fried. Thank you for the recipe but I think that I have to stick to the old recipe that I follow to satisfy my family. I appreciate the efforts and I am glad a lot of other people liked it.
Love this, it has become a go-to, I’m-out-of-time dinner that I crave. Popular around the table too, thank you!
Made this last night and it is delicious!!! Can’t wait to have the leftovers tonight! My sixteen-year-old son also loved it. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe it really is incredible!
Absolutely delicious
I lowered the garam marsala and added cumin and cayenne. I also switched to tomatoe puree to make thicker.
Had my doubts about this recipe. We live fairly close to a world-class Indian restaurant in DC but it has been closed because of COVID and we haven’t ventured into takeout yet. Wow! It turned out great. After reading some of the reviews, I made some minor adjustments. I used only about 10 oz of tomato sauce (15 seemed too much for our taste), used white meat chicken (my husband doesn’t eat dark meat), and added a few dashed of paprika and coriander seed. It was so incredibly easy and terrifically tasty. It will definitely be a permanent part of my dinner rotation.
Another one of your delicious recipes. I was sad to find that it is not in you cook book.
This was excellent! My package of chicken thighs was 2.4 lbs, so I doubled the sauce. My 8- and 10-year-old sons were already fighting over who lets leftovers for lunch! I used light cream, might try half-and-half next time.
So easy to follow and tastes just like what I order at the restaurant. Thank you!
This was AMAZING!! So much better than ordering takeout. Does this recipe freeze well? I would love to make a big batch and freeze some.
This was spot on!! I’ll be making this weekly now. I don’t understand the comments about it tasting like tomato sauce. Did they not add the spices, or let it simmer long enough? Thank you for sharing your amazing recipes!!!
Laurie
Turned out Delicious. Vegetaians: Smash up jackfruit for a good substitute. Possibly tofu or tempeh. Shrimp? I added peas and chopped asparagus near the end. It was yummy. I’m going to freeze some and eat later sine I made a double batch.
Loved the flavors, mine turned out very thick. Maybe I should have added more chicken stock. My husband does not like spicy so deleted the chili powder. I used half and half.
This was good, but I felt like something was still missing. The sauce tasted more like tomato sauce to me than Tikka Masala.
Made this bc cant find in any restaurants here, next time I make im going to tweek it a bit. By lowering the garam marsala by 1/2 tsp. And add 1 tsp cumin
Best chicken tikka recipes and literally I have tried many!
A good base recipe, but if you eat & cook Indian food regularly, you will want to double the spice in the recipe and add more spices (cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne) for it to really taste like tikka masala. Otherwise as-is this recipe just tastes like tomato sauce. Delicious after doctoring it though!
Totally agree. But it’s a wonderful base like you said.
First time that I have done this dish and it does taste better than a takeaway it is the best I have had.
The taste is so delicious and the chicken is so tender, this is the one give the guest.
Made this recipe last night… holy smokes this is fantastic! Better than take out! Great blend of flavors, not too heavy and just delicious. Very quick and easy recipe for a week night. Definitely putting it in our regular dinner ideas.
I added a dash of cayenne pepper. The recipe was delicious; I love all your dishes, especially the garlic noodles!
Delicious; I love every one of your recipes.
So good. Followed the recipe exactly, but added extra heat with cayenne pepper in my own bowl.
Came out awesome i loved it thank you for the recipe.
Made this tonight and it was delicious!
This was oh so delicious !! Will be making it many times in the future. I think somewhere i read that it freezes well?
it tastes great but i followed this to a TEE twice and it’s so soupy!! i can’t possibly understand what’s happening
Did you miss the “simmer until thickened” part?
I have a question! I am using this recipe for a dietetics/nutrition assignment and I was wondering, approximately how large is the serving size? Ounces per serving would be amazing but cups would also be helpful. I’m making this recipe for a taste test at a nursing home, and I’ll be sure to let you know how it turns out.
Loved this recipe! I subbed cream for coconut milk. My family really enjoyed it. I’d also mentioned I’ve never had tikka masala, so I can telll you if it taste like it or not.
Very tasty, instantly became a family favorite ! also very fast to prepare. Thanks!
Now a question: item 12 on the ingredient list is “1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce” What is that? are we talking pasta sauce in a jar? Pasata? Crushed tomatoes? Ketchup (just kidding) … I used crushed tomato in a carton (17 oz) Can you clarify?
Thanks again and hallo from the Chicago burbs 🙂
P.S. Half my family cannot tolerate *any* level of spicy, so I substituted the Chilli powder with Spanish Paprika – worked out great!
Crushed tomatoes with peel removed is tomato “sauce”.
I believe that’s actually tomato puree. Tomato sauce is lightly seasoned with garlic and onion and is slightly thicker.
This recipe is amazing! Our daughter-in-law is from India and I think she would be very impressed with this dish! We will definitely make this again. We did use chicken breast this time. Will make again and try with the thighs. I have yet to be disappointed with any of your recipes. You have a great team experimenting with all kinds of wonderful foods. Keep them coming! Damn DELICIOUS recipe!
Simply delicious and easy and quick to make!
Very, very good. I like to make mine with coconut cream instead of standard cream- adds a new depth to it to me. Thank you for the recipe.
I’m a college student and just started to experiment with cooking. I have little to no experience in cooking and this recipe was so easy to make and delicious! My housemates were crazy about it. Definitely recommend! 🙂
Wow! I followed the recipe exactly and it was amazing. Very easy to follow/prepare. Perfect amount of heat and tons of flavor. Reminds me of this dish from Gulzar’s in Richmond Indiana… a 4 hour drive from me. Now I can enjoy it at home!
Made this for dinner and everyone has been raving about it. They said it tastes way better than any Indian restaurant we’ve ordered. It’s easy and quick. Will definitely make it again. Thank you!
BUTTER CHICKEN , yum yum
I made this as soon as it’s so good! Better than the Indian restaurant we usually go to on a Sunday and cheaper since I have everything here. My bf is loving your recipes!
Oh my GOSH. I just made this for a late dinner and it was absolutely fantastic. Even my “I would eat steak and potatoes everyday until I die” boyfriend enjoyed it. Making this again soon!
AMAZING recipe! and super easy for a young 20-somethign like me to do. I make this recipe at least once every couple of weeks!
Delicious!!! Substituted with coconut cream and added a pinch of cumin. I was surprised how delicious it turned out. It is a restaurant quality recipe. I made a pasta sauce and did not use the tomato sauce. Would definitely make it again!!!
This recipe is straight forward and easy to follow and the outcome is delicious. My husband and I love it, but can’t make it too often because it is so rich. Thank you for posting!
I have made this twice in about 6 weeks. The first time I made this my ten-year-old daughter actually did most of the work on her own. After eating this for the first time, my husband said it was his new favorite meal prep lunch and asked when I planned to make it again. I made it again this week for lunches and have been asked by several co-workers for the recipe, all because it smells fantastic coming out of the microwave. I am a huge fan of Damn Delicious and while I have never been disappointed with your recipes, this one has to be my favorite.
Delicious and easy- thank you for sharing this amazing dish.
This was so amazing. I was hesitant because of some reviews that said there was too much sauce, but obviously they didn’t have enough garlic naan.
This is spot on.The best curry I’ve ever made.
Thanks.
Fabulous! I used shrimp instead of chicken. Will use chicken next time.
Easy, even though there are more ingredients than I normally cook with, it came together well. Definitely a keeper.
I made this for the first time and it was delicious. I served it with basmati rice flavored with cumin seeds and it was better than the restaurant! My husband ate 3 bowls!
I have made this, the traditional way. It is so easy and tastes rich and flavorful –
BUT, I’m here today to ask if there are any adaptations to make this in the instant pot on slow cooker setting? Sauté the onion then just add everything else? I’m trying to encourage my husband to cook more and he wants to make this dish… in the slow cooker!
I made this for lunch today! Used coconut milk instead of heavy cream. My family loved it so much! thank you for this recipe. Will definitely make it again in the future
Maybe something went wrong with mine, but it ended up tasting more like chicken in tomato sauce. Kinda liquidity.
That being said due to lack of supplied (COVID-19) I had to substitute the heavy cream for half and half since the store had none.
Not sure if I would make it again. I am desperate for a good Chicken Tikka Masala and all business are closed so I have no other choice. But I’d 100% just get takeout once things open up.
Hi, just to say that unless you meant to type it the way you did, it actually does call for 1/2 cup of heavy cream.
It is a very forgiving sort of recipe, delicious with heavy cream, which I don’t usually use, or 1/2, and/or coconut creamer and/or canned coconut milk. Best wishes.
Really good.
Quick and easy recipe but the results rival restaurant quality.
Just made this for dinner and it tasted great!
This recipe is so out of the box for husband and children, but… WE LOVED IT!! Very easy, great instruction and it is absolutely DELICIOUS!
Made this for dinner and it was incredible! Used a pound of chicken breast and cut the cream in half and was blown away by the flavor. This recipe is a huge winner!
This was delicious! We are vegan so I made some substitutions: chickpeas and carrots for the chicken, veggie broth instead of chicken broth and coconut milk for the cream. Still turned out great. Your spice profiles are bang on. Entire family can’t wait to have it again (no leftovers) and the entire thing came together in less than 30 minutes.
We aren’t even a little vegan, but I’ve made chickpea masala with coconut milk too and my carnivorous family loves it. I’ve served it many times and my cavemen all eat multiple servings. 🙂
Chungah, I made this tonight and it was delicious! We are vegan so I made some substitutions: chickpeas and carrots instead of chicken, veggie broth instead of chicken broth and coconut milk for the cream. It turned out perfect! Your spice profile was bang on and the family can’t wait to have this again. Thanks!
I am a lover of Tikka Masala. If we are out at an Indian restaurant, it’s what I get. SonI have had many variations. I found this one to be surprisingly delicious. It tastes like some of the versions I have had out at restaurants. I did not have onions or fresh ginger. Used powdered ginger, and seasoned the chicken with Onion Poser, salt and Pepper. I’ll be making this again as it was quick and easy.
Perfect
I added a little more garam masala and substituted a mix of cayenne and red chili pepper flakes for the chili powder. I also made a roux at first with some butter/ghee and flour before adding my onion and garlic to make more sauce. My family loved it!
I thought it would taste good considering how it looked from the recipe but it was the most tasteless tikka masala I’ve ever had. Even thought it had all of the spices, it didn’t taste like anything. It was terrible. I won’t be making this again.
I’m sorry to hear that. One thing I have noticed with recipies that call for spices is that the quality of the spices either make or break the recipe. Especially Garam Masala. There are some versions that are full of flavorless fillers like paprika. I recommend trying a different brand of spices and maybe give it another try.
Also, if your spices are over 6 months old they begin to lose flavor. If your spices are 2-3 years old, they can be next to flavorless in a dish. Try toasting some fresh whole spices and grinding them in a spice grinder. This should punch up your flavors.
You can also breathe a little life into older spices by blooming them in oil. Basically sprinkle them into the oil for a few before sauteeing the onion and chicken. Much more flavor comes out. Also, you really can’t forget the salt in this dish. It needs some to really make the spices shine and the flavors come together
This was the best easiest recipe that is beyond delicious !!Thank you for sharing. My husband loved it !!
This was amazing. Will definitely be making this recipe again.
I’ve made this three or four times now, and it always works out great. It’s super easy, and I’ve never had problems with it. My friends always enjoy it. I only increase some of the spices to really get the flavor, and most recently I had to substitute ground ginger over fresh ginger, and not surprisingly the ginger aroma and flavor was lower. It still tasted amazing. Great work on this recipe!
This is delicious and very flavorful. We often order Tikka Masala at a nearby Indian restaurant, but they shut down so I have been on the hunt to recreate it.
One question – if I want to make this more spicy should I add more chili powder or another spice?
Thank you for the great recipe!
Yup, more chili Powder – you could also add finely diced scotch bonnet, jalapeno or serrano peppers when you sautee the chicken and onions. It is not quite “authentic” tikka masala but it would add a good kick and get the job done.
I love restaurant chicken tikka, so I was a little wary about such an easy recipe for it, but it turned out great! I had to use chicken breasts because that’s all I could find at the store with the coronavirus stockpiling, but the dish was delicious with those anyway! I thought there was a fantastic amount of creamy liquid, which I was worried about because of another review that said the sauce was watery. It wasn’t, so not sure what hey did wrong! Really happy to have found a recipe that results in a good chicken tikka in less than 30 minutes with only one pot to clean at the end! Thanks for this =)
Thank you for this recipe!! The instructions were very clear and the ingredients were simple. My husband was in aw of the flavour. I will definitely be making this again!
My husband and I are “foodies” and loved this dish. Ive made authentic tikka masala and this is a good “cheat” to get something that tastes close and as good as takeout from our local spot. Fast and easy. 5 stars!
Love it! I have made it several times! I am on a no dairy diet right now so I used coconut cream instead of heavy cream and it was damn delicious!
Just wondering, what brand of garam masala do you use?
I go to India twice a year so always have cravings when I am home and this hits the spot and SO EASY!!
This has become my son’s favorite meal. He requests it weekly but I try to stretch it to every other week. 🙂 Tonight, he asked me to start helping make it so he can make it for himself. LOL Thank you for such an easy, delicious, amazing recipe!
This recipe was so banging! I’ve never tried my hand at Indian food, but this was so easy and it was so flavorful I don’t know why I waited. Thank you for another amazing recipe!
I’ve made this like 5x and it is easy and delicious! My whole family loves it. Thank you for a great recipe!
Absolutely amazing! I didn’t have all the ingredients and added mushrooms, Pumpkin and used Cubed potatoes instead of rice. WOW thanks so much it was a 10!
Easy-peasy and just as good as our local takeout!
We enjoyed this a lot. It helped that I had everything in hand and didn’t have to run to the grocery store. And it came together quickly. We might try the substitution others have mentioned next time with the coconut milk but it is tasty as is. Happy New Year
Excellent!! By far our favorite. Flavors were amazing! My daughter (13) helped make this meal with me. She asked for me not to add the cream so we left it out. I just put a dab of plain Greek yogurt on mine just before taking a bite. Yum!! We all couldn’t believe how quick it was to pull together yet had awesome flavors come though. Will be making this again and again!
Use less tomato paste, coconut milk instead of heavy cream, and Jasmine rice for basmati. Delicious. We serve it with warm naan bread.
Absolutely amazing! I didn’t have all the ingredients and added mushrooms, Pumpkin and used Cubed potatoes instead of rice. WOW thanks so much it was a 10!
Amazingly yummy!
Love this! My husband is pretty picky, and he really enjoyed this meal. And with two little kids I super appreciated how easy it was to make. My only changes were using 1 tbsp tomato paste vs 4, and adding in some cardamom, clove, and all spice. Plus, just a pinch of sugar!
Next time I’d like to try coconut milk vs the heavy cream, but it was still delicious as was. Keeper recipe!
My wife has been asking for new dinner ideas that are easy to make and fairly quick. My youngest was asking for curry dish but I am tired of making the same thing. I looked up this recipe and I made a double batch. Everyone really enjoyed it. So much that out of a double batch there is only a couple of servings left after dinner. The kids are already asking when I can do it again. Thanks
I’ve made this three times now. It’s delicious and even my picky eaters love it. I felt something was missing and the last time I made it, I added water chestnuts for crunch. It’s amazing with or without, I will keep adding the chestnuts though.
I followed the recipe as written. it was delicious, plenty of flavor. The fresh ginger root gave it a nice flavor and a little heat, I was generous with the tablespoon.
I see now the only reason your dish is rated highly is you don’t post the negative reviews! By consciously choosing not to post ALL experiences you give a false impression that your recipe is excellent. I never would’ve wasted all my ingredients or time on this horrible dish. I suggest you either post ALL reviews – or better yet, figure out a way to improve this horrible dish.
We pitched all of it.
Please be honest with reviews. It’s misleading and it’s lying not to post all the reviews submitted.
Anna, we receive thousands of comments per day and it takes 48-72 hours for reviews to be posted. No one is misleading here. Also, please be mindful that this is a food blog. We’re just trying to share our favorite recipes and I understand we all have different taste buds and preferences. I’m sorry this didn’t work out for you!
Most importantly, let’s spread some kindness. 🙂
Let’s spread honesty too by submitting all reviews. 🙂
Absolutely. Our integrity is very, very important here on Damn Delicious. HAPPY NEW YEAR! 🙂
ya cant be serious! you must not like Indian or spicy food ?
Recipe sounds delicious and am excited to be making tonight. However, quick question on the sweet onion? Are you using a vidalia or just a regular yellow onion. Just curious as don’t use a lot of sweet onions for cooking. THANKS!
If you haven’t made this, don’t. It’s horrible. Spend some extra time and make a real recipe.
Dang, Anna. Try Dominos next time.
For the record, we LOVED it!
Anna- do you have your own food blog and hate that this one is doing better than yours or what? No clue why you have such hate in your heart, but no one wants to see all your rude comments and negativity. If you don’t like the recipe then move on down the road.
For the record, I made this recipe and it was magnificent!!! Absolutely wonderful! Whole family asked for seconds.
Wow! I think you have a problem. If you don’t like it, fine, but don’t keep on and on about it. It’s rude!
Posting hateful comments without detailing what the reviewer disliked about a recipe helps no one. The only purpose of Anna’s comment is to spread hate and negativity.
Our family including our 9 year old loved this. It was a bit too much tomato flavor for me so I’ll probably cut the tomato paste down by 1 Tbs next time. I did sprinkle in a little more Garam masala too. I used coconut oil to cook the chicken to get the coconut flavor as well. I may try with coconut milk next time. With all that being said it was awesome, Thank you for the recipe!
This was the first Tikki Marsala I’ve ever made 2 months ago and it was such a big hit, that I’ve HAD to make it 5 more times. My daughter is obsessed with it and keeps requesting it. I followed the recipe every time and it is so delicious.
After round 4 I don’t even need to write down the ingredients anymore.
Thank you for this awesome recipe.
The taste is great! I did add extra spices- some ground cardamom, allspice, coriander based on the comments. I tried to double the recipe and added way too much broth and sauce I think. So it never got creamy. Just soupy. I’m sure if I followed the recipe it would have been creamy . But it tastes delicious!!
It’s really Damn Delicious!!! 5 stars rating. Followed recipe and it turned Out very tasty authentic Indian food!! Will make more in future.
Absolutely delicious! My entire family loves this dish. My daughter said,“how is this sooo good?!?” Thanks for sharing!
just made this. What a wonderful dish. Wish I had this recipe years ago!
Overall, very good. I think the spices taste a bit off compared to most Indian restaurants and the occasions I’ve had home-cooked authentic Indian food, and maybe a bit too much tomato flavor. It definitely was a bit more authentic tasting once the cream was added. It was fairly quick and overall very tasty. Its made for good lunches at work this week. I will probably make again the next time I have to work a lot of night shifts in a row. Can’t beat quick, easy, and tasty!
This is the best recipe ever, I made it for my family just to try something new, it has become a regular in our household now. I use Hungarian fresh red pepper paste instead of any chili powders and it is amazing! I also only use fresh ginger for both the marinade and sauce and use turkish (süzme) concentrated yoghurt for a really extra creamy texture. Words can’t seem to even do this dish justice, you just have to try it out.
This Recipe is fantastic. I love the spice blend. I will try with tofu and coconut milk when my vegan daughter is home. Thanks for a great recipe!
My family LOVED this! Especially my husband! I’m wondering if I could Substitute coconut milk for the heavy whipping cream to make it dairy free? I wonder How much this would alter the flavor.
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. But if you get a chance to try it, please let me know how it turns out! Good luck! 🙂
This is my second review and now with a question, and I am so sorry that I cannot help myself but I imagine that you understand! We have made this once a week since discovering you and the recipe. Now I am wondering if you would be able to please give a bit of advice if I want to create tikka masala soup using the same base for the recipe with adjustments? Thanks! I am so willing for you to take the lead here though I do have a general idea of adding more liquid to the base, making use of perhaps my love, coconut milk, along with tomato sauce, and a bit more vegetable broth? More quantity for those days or evenings when no one else is home! Ha! Thanks! Look forward to more of your work.
That sounds like such a great idea! Please let me know how it turns out! 🙂
It was delicious! Tasted just like our favorite Indian restaurant! Thanks!
I haven’t made this yet, I’m making it tomorrow. Any recommendations on adding vegetables?
Cauliflower, carrots, chickpeas, or peas would be great additions, CD! 🙂
It’s a great recipe and very easy. It came out delicious.My husband cooks indian food but he was amazed by this.I pulled it off better than him I did it with salad, naan on the side. My kids loved it. They said they could have it all day without problem.
Absolutely delicious! I’ve made it twice now, once with thighs and once with breasts, both times it turned out very good. I served it with naan and green peas on the side to my kids. Makes great leftovers to take to work the next day. A very economical recipe too, as it uses inexpensive simple ingredients and makes a lot. I’m definitely making it again!
Excellent. Easy and made it in the fly for sisters visit. We luved it.
I absolutely LOVE this recipe!! Now that I am in my early 50s I have been trying to experiment internationally with food recipes. I know it’s not healthy but I love food that is “saucy”! My husband and adult son also enjoy this meal. It is really easy so long as you organize your ingredients ahead of time and have everything ready to go…making it in one pot is a bonus!
This is outrageously simple and tasty. Wasn’t what I expected at all. Way above that. I added a little bit extra of all ingredients and put some green chillies in as well. It’s a wonderful dish, both spicy and tasty at the same time.
Holy macaroni. This is amazing, and quite easy, after all the chopping. I didn’t measure the garlic, ginger or tomato paste, but I probably added some extra of all of them, and I’d do it again in a minute. I also only had 1.25lb of chicken, so I threw some cauliflower in (after the chicken browned) to make up the difference. I will be making it again ASAP. Both my husband, two-year-old and I ate seconds.
This was SO GOOD!! I travel to India twice a year for work and just love chicken tikka and miss it so much and this hit the spot. My son says chicken tikka is his favorite India dish and just loved this.
Easy and delicious. I add more of the spices.
You have described one of the best and easy way to make chicken Tikka masala. I love it and its simplicity. Sure I can surprised my family this weekend with your recipe. Thanks.
This was amazing. It had the right balance of heat and spice.
I want to make it again. I know dairy doesn’t freeze well. Do you think it would work to make it without the cream, freeze it and then add the cream when reheating it?
Absolutely!
I have a few different versions of chicken tiki masala and this one is by far the best – and it so easy! Thank you so much for taking the time to make these recipes and then sharing them with us. You have such an incredible flavor palette and it is amazing how even some of us “non-chefs” can reap the rewards of your labor.
This really is one of the best Tikka Masala recipes out there. It’s perfect as-is or as a base to build on for other variations. I feel like this is about as close to authentic as you can get without getting complicated, requiring marinating, making ghee, toasting spices, etc… I would bet you wouldn’t even notice the difference which is why this recipe is so awesome.
1:3 questions before I make this. Can you use crushed tomatoes instead or a must for tomato sauce. Any can you prefer or does it not make a huge difference? 2. If you use chicken breast instead of thighs, do you feel it effect the richness and won’t yield the best results? 3. Same for the heavy cream is it a must or can you get great results with a alternative like coconut milk ?
Hi Meagan!
1. Yes, you can absolutely substitute crushed tomatoes but the consistency may just be a bit “chunkier”.
2. I recommend using chicken thighs for the best results possible.
3. You can certainly try to substitute coconut milk but without trying it myself, I cannot really speak for how much the consistency will vary.
Hope that helps!
Hi
Did you try it with coconut milk? I was planning to do so and I ran across your question. Please let me know if you did how it turned out. I am going to add nutritional yeast to thicken it up a bit.
I made this recipe this week. I have been trying different Chicken Tikka Marsala recipes over the last two months trying to find the perfect one. So far this is the best one. After reading the reviews, I added the cayenne pepper . It added a nice little kick. I would recommend this recipe.
Should have been called “Butters Chicken”. Total missed opportunity. 13/10.
I added some cayenne based on other peoples’ comments (and my love for spice), but otherwise perfect! I did add a little sugar to cut the acidity from my canned tomatoes. Used water over chicken broth and added a few pinches of salt to compensate. Always taste your food!!!
I highly recommend this recipe! The sauce is delicious and chicken thighs are not overcooked and chewy. We ate with Jasmine rice.
Delicious. Just curious if you knew roughly the amount of calories per serving.
Hi Stephanie! Nutritional information is provided only for select recipes at this time. However, if it is not available for a specific recipe, we recommend using free online resources at your discretion (you can Google “nutritional calculator”). Hope that helps!
This is just great! Thanks for sharing your recipe and awesome tips!
Thank you so much for this recipe and everything else you post! Your food is slowly but surely converting my picky eater of a husband!! We make this almost every other week!
Thank you for the recipe! I just made it and everyone loved it! This is the perfect balance of flavors. Definitely making again 🙂
I just made this for dinner and it was delicious. My whole family enjoyed it. It’s not spicy, so I added cayenne to my serving but it was great for the kids. Definitely a make again!
You can’t go wrong with some extra spice. Thank you for your feedback, Stephanie. So glad your whole family enjoyed this!
Holy Moley- this recipe is Delicious!! My 12 year old daughter had a MS class presentation on India and wanted to bring in some Indian food to share. She asked me to make Chicken Tikka Masala with only one days notice. I’ve never made it before, So I googled an “easy” recipe for it and found this one. I did not expect it to be as flavorful and deeply satisfying as it was! It did take some time to Prep everything beforehand, but it was well worth it. I placed all the dry spices, combined, in a nonstick pan and toasted them on high for a couple of minutes while stirring them until they were fragrant (about two minutes) being careful not to burn them, then I set them aside into a small bowl to cool. When I added the toasted spices in order of the cooking process, the flavors were enhanced and the sauce became so delicious that we could’ve eaten it without the addition of any dairy cream. This recipe is a winner! Thank you for creating and posting it.:)
We love hearing that! Thank you for sharing, Heidi!
This is my new absolute favorite recipe! I’ve made it three times already since you posted it. It really is perfect as is, but I’ve also substituted cauliflower and potato for the chicken and it was sooooo good. Perfection itself!
Absolutely beautiful.
Such a tasty and easy meal to prepare.
Fantastic flavours and the sauce is to die for.
Thank you so much for all your wonderful recipes.
This was very easy and very delicious for quick tikka masala! I have to say it was not as complex as at our favorite Indian restaurant, but it more than satisfied our craving for tikka masala. I will definitely be making this again, thank you!
Thanks for sharing, Eileen!
Surprised my husband with this dish tonight and we both loved it!! Rivals our favorite Indian place in town!
This was delicious! I was worried it would taste bad because my best friend is Pakistani and makes Indian food, and in addition to that I grew up in England with authentic Indian food. However, this was a great recipe! I wouldn’t recommend making it alone, you’ll need a partner, but it was soooo good! Very delicious!
Hi, I have a question. Is there nutritional info available for this dish? Thank you!
Nutritional information is provided only for select recipes at this time. However, if it is not available for a specific recipe, we recommend using free online resources at your discretion (you can Google “nutritional calculator”) to obtain such information. Hope that helps!
Really if I could give this 10 stars I would. We recently had take out Chicken Tikka Masala while visiting our son and daughter -in-law. I fell in love with it. The day after we got home this recipe showed up on my feed! It was meant to be LOL. Made this tonight and added a couple dashes of cayenne to give it some heat. SO SO SO GOOD!! This will definitely be in our rotation! Thanks Chunga
Thank you Michele! That’s awesome 🙂
This curry is so delicious my son has asked me to make a freezer load for work. It is fast and easy too, so it’s a win win situation. Thank you Chungah.
That’s great!
I made this last night for a friend and it was absolutely DELICIOUS!! Thoroughly enjoyed by all and will be kept in the favorite recipe collection. Thank you 🙂
We love that!
My family absolutely loved this meal. I doubled for leftovers. The sauce tastes like heaven!
It’s truly the the best!
Wow Chungah, you’ve done it again! My husband and I absolutely love Chicken Tikka Masala, so I was thrilled when I saw that you had posted this recipe! I made this recipe last week for dinner, and it was a hit! Absolutely delicious. We almost ate everything in one sitting, but we had to stop ourselves because we wanted to take some to work the following day to eat for lunch! You are right about the chicken thighs! It really made the difference. The chicken was so moist and juicy. We served this over basmati rice with a dollop of greek yogurt and naan on the side. We added a little paprika for some extra added heat. This is one of my new favorite recipes, I will be making this again for dinner tonight! Thanks again for the wonderful recipe, keep em coming!
Thank you so much for sharing with us, Natalie!
Delicious as always. Thank you for your recipes!
This recipe is delicious! It’s so simple to make and tastes even better the next day.
That’s great!
Fabulous!
I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts, added lots more garlic and used crushed tomatoes instead of sauce. Yum!
Thanks, Mary Ellen!
Any idea if I could make this in a crock pot?
Is the recipe referring to mexican chili powder, the blend, or indian chili powder which is just ground chilis?
The blend. 🙂
This was a great dish with just enough heat to know it was there but not so much that my children would complain. That probably depends on your spices, though. This was really simple to make, especially when Indian dishes can run into hours of simmering and a laundry list of ingredients. I had almost everything in my kitchen already- except cream. But I had coconut cream handy so I used that. Turned out fine anyway.
If you’re having problems finding garam masala, I have purchased it from both Sprouts and Amazon in the past, both reasonably priced.
Thanks for your feedback!
Just made this tonight. It’s super easy and delicious! I will definitely be making it again.
It’s the best! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Quite delicious and easy to make.
Made this recipe for meal prep last week, tasted AMAZING. Served it with jasmine rice and cauliflower rice. Just wondering your thoughts on freezing leftovers? Not sure with it having heavy cream.
Thanks so much for your feedback, Jamie! Yes, having dairy in it can make it tricky to freeze, and since we haven’t tried freezing this ourselves, I can’t give you a concrete answer. As always, please use your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
This was so delicious I wanted to lick my plate clean!!
Love that!
I love this recipe and make it often using different recipes that I come across, so far your in the lead. Lol.
Saw where someone used Chaka instead of Masala, what is the difference and which would you recommend?
Love your recipes and have made several with great success. Keep sharing.
To be honest, I am not entirely sure what “chaka” is! Did you mean something else?
Isnt Chaka Masala an Indian dish meaning garbanzo beans?
Excellent recipe! Made this tonight and my 5yo and husband devoured 🙂
So happy your family enjoyed it!
I just this minute finished making this and although I am sure the flavors will be more fully developed tomorrow (tomato dishes usually are), it is perfectly delicious right now. I am typing in between bites …
It was easy to make, the prep was not too lengthy, and it is very flavorful. Cutting up the chicken took the longest, and gathering all the other ingredients ready to go was a time saver. I prefer brown Basmati rice to white, so used that instead. The only other changes I made were from personal preference and necessity: more onion than called for and chana masala instead of garam masala because that’s what I had. I will definitely make this again.
With the exception of the chicken and fresh cilantro, everything was a pantry staple. If your local supermarkets stock packaged naan, or if you make it, that is a nice addition to your meal.
Thanks for your feedback, Christine!
This was so yummy! It was a big hit with my picky husband. He said it was one of the best things I have made in a few days lol! My daughter just about licked her plate clean! Your recipes are my go to recipes to use. Thank you so much, you make me look good in the kitchen.
Thanks for sharing!
I made this for dinner tonight. It was sooooooo good!
It’s the best – glad you liked it!
This recipe was AMAZING! Best comfort food and perfect balance of flavor. So much good dipping sauce for naan! I’m in Virginia and was able to find Garam Masala easily at Wegmans for anyone with a Wegmans nearby!
Great! Thanks for sharing.
Absolutely amazing -your recipes never disappoint! I questioned the amount of seasonings, and as always, they are spot on. I did use chicken breasts ( we really don’t care for thighs) and it turned out really well – not dry at all. Served with Jasmine rice (what I had on hand), and garlic naan. Will definitely make again! Also, found garam masala under the traditional alphabetical spice section display, so you may have to look down below with the various seasoned salts, etc. to find it!
Thank you for sharing, Sue!
How can I make this recipe spicy? My husband likes this dish with some heat.
You can try to increase the amount of chili powder, but as always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
The usual excellently laid out recipe and instructions. Thank you.
I had to replace the ‘heavy cream’ with a mix of greek yoghurt and milk for calorific reasons. I am sure that with heavy cream it would taste better. However, I could not risk even further inches on the existing love handles.
We love it, Stew!
I haven’t made this recipe yet, but I was wondering if I could use heavy whipping cream instead of heavy cream? I accidentally bought heavy whipping cream at the store.
Yes, they’re essentially the same.
SOUNDS DELICIOUS; HOWEVER, DON’T USUALLY HAVE HEAVY CREAM AND HATE TO BUY FOR 1/2 CUP. WHAT CAN I USE AS A SUBSTITUTE?
You can substitute half and half or milk, but the consistency may change quite a bit. But as always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
question: what is the difference between garam masala and masala. can masala be used in the recipe as a substitute. the latter is available at traader joe’s. whole foods is not caonvenient to me.
I do not recommend using the masala at Trader Joe’s for this recipe. This is a “simmer sauce” and can drastically change the recipe. Garam masala is a dry spice blend and is a key component in this recipe.
This looks perfect To cook for my Aunty who loves Indian food! My 5 year old asked her to be his Valentine, so we’re going to cook her a special meal ❤️
I’ve cooked so many of your delicious meals and they have always been a hit with friends and family! Can’t wait to make this!
That’s so sweet!
How about instruction for an instapot? Thank you
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. But if you get a chance to try it, please let me know how it turns out! 🙂
This looks amazing! I haven’t got heavy cream, though. Can I use coconut milk instead?
Yes, absolutely!
This looks delicious! Any tips on where to find garam masala? None of my local grocery stores (Ralphs or Trader Joe’s) or Target carry it. I’m excited to try this recipe. Thanks!
I was able to find it at Whole Foods. 🙂
Easy to make your own to taste and store in small glass jar.
I bought garam masala from Penzey’s Spices at http://www.penzeys.com … they carry just about everything and they frequently offer sales and freebies, too!
I found garam masala at Kroger in the Indian foods section 🙂
I found mine in Bel Air. Look at the organic and gourmet spices.
I have always found it at my local targets.
HEB has it! Instead of buying their $8 organic bottle of it, go to the healthy living section where you can get as much as you want from a jar. I got 1/10 of a bag for 40 cents!
Our local chain store Kroger carries it and we really don’t have a lot of folks from that area of the world here
This is not a review. This is a question.
If I don’t want to use fresh ginger, how much ground ginger would I need.
The ratio for fresh to dry spices is typically 3:1.
This looks SO YUMMY!! Would this keep well in the fridge if I made it ahead as lunches for the week?
What a great idea! But as I am not an expert on food safety, I cannot really say with certainty. Methods for optimal food storage and shelf life should be based on good judgment and what you are personally comfortable with. Hope that helps, Holly!