Low Carb Chicken Tikka Masala

This low carb chicken tikka masala is a super tasty Indian curry! It's made in the slow cooker or Instant Pot - SO easy! 

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I'll admit that curry DOES contain a lot of ingredients, but all you have to do is dump them into a bowl and leave them to cook! It's actually ridiculously easy and it will make your house smell fantastic while it is cooking!

Oh and if you're wondering what makes this a low carb version, I have switched onions for onion powder, and kept the tomato content down. Tikka Masala curries can be made with yogurt, cream or coconut, and I've opted for a splash of heavy cream right at the end of the cooking time. It works SO well!

Check out all my recipes for low carb Indian food!!

How to Make Low Carb Chicken Tikka Masala

Heat a large skillet over a medium heat and add some oil. Add some cubed chicken (I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs but chicken breasts would be fine too!), and cook until the outsides of each piece are brown. They don't need to be cooked through. 

Note: If you plan to use the slow cooker function of an Instant Pot for this recipe, you could always use the Sauté setting. I chose not to because I wanted to drain the cooking liquid after cooking the chicken, and I could use the time while the chicken cooked to add everything else to the Instant Pot bowl!

While the chicken is in the skillet, add canned tomato sauce, onion powder, garlic paste, ginger paste, garam masala, ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika, turmeric, and salt to the bowl of a slow cooker or Instant Pot. You can also add some cayenne or red pepper flakes if you want some heat! 

Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken from the skillet and add to the other ingredients. Stir well.

Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours (use the Slow Cooker function if using an Instant Pot with the seal set to Vent).

Stir in some heavy cream. The curry will smell SO good!

Spoon it onto serving plates or bowls and garnish with some chopped fresh cilantro.

Serve it with cauliflower rice or low carb naan bread for a fantastic low carb meal. You might also like to serve a vegetable side dish like my low carb Saag Paneer!

Note: This recipe makes 3-4 servings, so you might like to adjust your side dishes according to how many people you are feeding.

📖 Recipe

StepAwayFromTheCarbs.com

Low Carb Chicken Tikka Masala

5 from 4 votes

This low carb chicken tikka masala is a super tasty Indian curry! It's made in the slow cooker or Instant Pot - SO easy! 

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Makes: 3 -4 Servings

Net Carbs: 4

Calories: 292

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

• 1 tbs oil
• 1½ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, diced
• 8 oz canned tomato sauce
• 1 tbs onion powder
• 2 teaspoon garlic paste
• 2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon salt
• cayenne or red pepper flakes optional
• 2 tbs heavy cream
• chopped fresh cilantro to garnish

Equipment

• The Spice Hunter Garam Masala Blend, 1.8 oz. jar
• Elite Gourmet Slow Cooker, 3-Quart, Silver
• Instant Pot Duo, 6-QT, Stainless Steel/Black

Step-by-Step Instructions

 

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1. Heat a large skillet over a medium heat and add some oil. Add the diced chicken and cook until the outsides of each piece are brown. They don't need to be cooked through. 
2. While the chicken is in the skillet, add canned tomato sauce, onion powder, garlic paste, ginger paste, garam masala, ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika, turmeric, and salt to the bowl of a slow cooker or Instant Pot. You can also add some cayenne or red pepper flakes if you want some heat! 
3. Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken from the skillet and add it to the bowl. Stir well.
4. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours. (Use the Slow Cooker function if using an Instant Pot, with the Seal turned to Venting)
5. Stir in the heavy cream then serve, garnished with chopped fresh cilantro.

Nutrition

Calories: 292kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 34gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 172mgSodium: 746mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gNet Carbs: 4g

Notes

4g net carbs per serving (if serving four people)

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Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is my best approximation. Net carbs are calculated as the total grams carbs minus the total grams of fiber.