Short answer
Chicken tikka masala is chicken marinated and grilled as tikka, then served in a creamy, mildly spiced tomato sauce. Where it was first made is disputed, with Glasgow the best-known claim, and it is usually milder and sweeter than butter chicken or jalfrezi.
Chicken tikka masala is a dish of chicken that has been marinated and grilled as tikka, then served in a creamy, lightly spiced tomato sauce. It is one of the most ordered curries in Britain, and where it was first made is disputed. This guide explains what is in the dish, what the competing origin stories say, how it differs from butter chicken, jalfrezi and plain tikka, and which versions appear on the menu of Shimlas Great Horton Road in Bradford.
What is chicken tikka masala?
Chicken tikka masala is boneless chicken pieces, marinated in yoghurt and spices and cooked over high heat, then simmered in a sauce of tomato, onion, cream or yoghurt and spices. The word tikka means a piece or a bit, and masala means a spice mixture or a spiced sauce.
The dish has two stages and the stages are the point. First the chicken is grilled, traditionally in a tandoor or over charcoal, so that it picks up smoke and char. Then it goes into the sauce, where it takes on moisture and some of the sauce’s flavour. The char is what separates it from a chicken curry cooked entirely in a pan.
The sauce is usually orange-red, smooth and mild, with a slight sweetness from tomato and cream. That mildness is the main reason it is so often the first curry people try.
Where does chicken tikka masala come from?
The origin of chicken tikka masala is disputed, and there is no agreed first restaurant or date. The most repeated claim is that it was created in Glasgow in the early 1970s, but other places in Britain and some South Asian dishes are also named as the source.
The Glasgow story says a chef, asked by a customer to make a dry chicken tikka less dry, added a sauce of yoghurt, cream and spice. Other accounts place the invention in a Birmingham or London restaurant, or argue that cooks in the Punjab and elsewhere had long finished grilled chicken in a sauce. The dish is also often discussed alongside butter chicken, a Punjabi dish of tandoori chicken in a buttery tomato sauce, which some food writers see as a close ancestor.
A speech by a British foreign secretary in 2001 described chicken tikka masala as a true British national dish, which is where much of its reputation as a British invention comes from. That statement was a comment on multicultural Britain, not a ruling on its history.
The honest summary is that the dish was developed by South Asian cooks working in British restaurants, that several people have claimed to have made it first, and that nobody has settled the question. Treat any confident account of the exact inventor as a claim.
What does chicken tikka masala taste like?
Chicken tikka masala tastes creamy, gently sweet and mildly spiced, with a smoky edge from the grilled chicken. Tomato gives acidity, cream or yoghurt gives richness, and the spices are present but rarely sharp.
Typical flavours include:
- Tomato and onion as the base of the sauce
- Cumin and coriander as warm background notes
- Garam masala added late for aroma
- Fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) in some versions, giving a slightly bitter, savoury note
- Cream, butter or ground nuts in some kitchens for body
Heat varies by restaurant. Ask when ordering, and expect that a standard portion leans mild.
How is chicken tikka masala made?
It is made by marinating chicken, grilling it, and simmering it in a prepared sauce for a short time. Restaurants usually prepare a large batch of base sauce in advance and finish each order separately.
A home version follows five steps:
- Marinate chicken pieces in yoghurt, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, chilli and spices for several hours.
- Grill, roast or pan-fry the chicken until it has char at the edges.
- Cook onion, ginger and garlic, then add tomato and spices and simmer until smooth.
- Stir in cream or yoghurt and let it heat through gently.
- Add the chicken and simmer for a few minutes, then finish with garam masala and fresh coriander.
Cooking the chicken in the sauce for too long makes it dry, so the simmer should be brief. Restaurants that grill to order give a smokier result than a batch kept warm in sauce.
How does chicken tikka masala differ from butter chicken and jalfrezi?
Chicken tikka masala is milder and creamier than jalfrezi and less buttery than butter chicken, and the three are built differently. The table gives a general comparison, and individual restaurants vary.
| Dish | Cooking method | Sauce | Heat | Typical character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken tikka masala | Chicken grilled, then simmered | Creamy tomato | Mild to medium | Smoky, sweet, rich |
| Butter chicken | Tandoori chicken in a buttery sauce | Smooth tomato and butter | Mild | Very rich, slightly sweet |
| Chicken jalfrezi | Stir-fried with peppers and onion | Thick, chunky, tomato-based | Medium to hot | Fresh, sharp, with visible vegetables |
| Chicken tikka | Grilled only | None, served dry | Depends on marinade | Charred and firm |
A jalfrezi is cooked fast in a pan with sliced peppers, onion and green chilli, and the vegetables stay in the dish. Butter chicken is smoother and sweeter. Tikka masala sits between them in intensity, which is why it has become a default order.
What is the difference between tikka and tikka masala?
Tikka is the grilled pieces alone, served dry, and tikka masala is the same pieces served in sauce. Tikka is usually a starter or a topping for a wrap, while tikka masala is a main dish eaten with rice or bread.
The marinade is similar in both cases, based on yoghurt, spices and often a red colour from chilli or colouring. At a Pakistani grill, the grilled pieces are often the centre of the meal, and the sauced versions are one option among several.
Which tikka masala dishes are on the Shimlas menu?
The Shimlas Great Horton Road ordering page lists two tikka masala dishes, both in a section it labels barbecue dishes, described as grilled first and then finished in sauce. As recorded in November 2026, the Chicken Tikka Masala is £12.49 and the Meat Chops Tikka Masala is £12.99.
In the same section, a Chicken Jalfrazi is £12.49. Elsewhere on the menu the plain grilled pieces are listed as starters, with Chicken Tikka at £6.30 and Meat Tikka at £7.49, and a Butter Chicken Handi sits among the curries at £11.50. The ordering page gives almost no descriptions for these dishes, so what is in each sauce, how hot it is and whether it is made to order are questions for the restaurant on 01274 723992.
The Meat Chops Tikka Masala is the less common one. The menu does not say which animal the chops are from. Its menu does state that it uses fresh mutton for its meat products, but it does not say which dishes that covers.
These are collection prices from the official ordering page and can differ in person or on delivery apps. For the current menu and to order, use shimlas.uk. This guide does not take orders. The recorded list is on the menu page.
How do you choose between chicken tikka masala and a karahi?
Choose tikka masala for a creamy, mild, smoky dish and a karahi for a fresher, more peppery, tomato-forward one. They suit different moods and differ in method.
| Chicken tikka masala | Karahi | |
|---|---|---|
| Method | Grilled, then simmered in sauce | Cooked fast in a karahi pan |
| Sauce | Creamy and smooth | Thick, often little more than a coating |
| Flavour | Sweet and mild | Sharp, with ginger and green chilli |
| Often eaten with | Rice or naan | Naan or roti |
If you want something close to the dishes a Pakistani grill is known for, a karahi is the more typical order. Tikka masala is the safer choice for those who prefer mild food or are eating with children.
What should you eat with chicken tikka masala?
Plain boiled rice or a naan are the usual partners, because the sauce is rich and needs something simple to carry it. Pilau rice suits it well, and a side of raita cools any heat.
On the Shimlas recorded menu, Boiled Rice is £2.20, Plain Nan is £2.20, Garlic Nan is £3.20, Tandoori Roti is £1.50 and Raitha is £1.99. A salad is £1.20 and Mango Chutney is £1.49.
How do you order chicken tikka masala well?
Ask how hot it is, whether it contains nuts, and whether the chicken is grilled to order. Those three questions tell you most of what you need.
If you want a smokier dish, choose a restaurant that has a charcoal or tandoor grill, because the char comes from the cooking of the chicken before it meets the sauce. If you want it hotter, ask for extra chilli rather than assuming the standard dish will carry it. For a family table, a tikka masala with plain rice or naan is a gentle choice, and other diners can add something sharper such as a karahi or a grill. Sharing the sauce across breads and rice is normal, so one portion often goes further than a single plate suggests.
Is chicken tikka masala halal, vegetarian or suitable for allergies?
That depends on the restaurant and the recipe. The sauce often contains dairy, and some versions contain ground nuts, so ask about allergies before ordering. The ordering page recorded no allergen details.
For Shimlas, the official ordering page tags the restaurant as Halal, and Zabihah lists it as fully halal with a halal certificate seen on display. No certifying body is named in the sources checked. This guide gives no religious rulings, so ask staff directly if you need to be certain. The tikka masala dishes on the recorded menu are made with chicken or meat chops, so they are not vegetarian, and the only vegetable curry recorded is Vegetable Dishes at £11.49.
Common questions
Is chicken tikka masala Indian or British?
It is a South Asian dish in technique and spicing, and it is widely described as having been created or popularised in British restaurants. Several places claim the first version, so no single origin is settled.
Is chicken tikka masala spicy?
Usually it is mild to medium. The sauce relies on tomato, cream and gentle spice, so it is among the less fiery restaurant curries. Ask for it hotter if you want more heat.
What is the red colour in chicken tikka masala?
Tomato and chilli account for part of it, and the grilled marinade adds more. Some restaurants also use food colouring, which is something to ask about if it matters to you.
Can chicken tikka masala be made with other meats?
Yes. Lamb, paneer, prawns and vegetables are common alternatives, and some menus offer meat chops or other cuts in the same sauce.
Is tikka the same as tikka masala?
No. Tikka is the grilled marinated pieces served dry. Tikka masala is those pieces finished in a sauce.
This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Shimlas Great Horton Road itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.