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Tikka Masala is one of my favorite comfort foods. It’s packed with flavor and oh-so warm and comforting. My Crockpot Whole30 rendition of Tikka Masala is one of the most popular recipes on my blog, and with good reason! It’s easy, healthy and delicious! Oh, not to mention it is a recipe my kids request often! Because of that, I’ve created these Spicy Chicken Tikka Tacos.
It’s nearly summertime and while I am *more than okay* with hot soups and bowls of comforting foods like Tikka Masala, it’s completely unacceptable to my husband to eat these things. He immediately freaks out and says something like, “What the hell? It’s like 90 degrees outside?!?” Okay, Clayton. While you are correct I just can’t live without soups and comfort food!
So, yeah, where there is a will there is a way, y’all. And gosh if I wasn’t craving Tikka Masala on a dang 85 degree weather day. These Spicy Chicken Tikka Tacos allow me to totally cheat the summer “no heavy comfort food” system. Borrowing a lot of the flavors from my Whole30 Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala and turned it into a simple chicken taco mixture that still has a lot of the same flavor, yet not *so dang heavy*. It’s also served in a taco–so that’s summer-y enough, right? Oh, and I serve it with a cold beer. That helps, too! (A cold topo-chico works). And bam. Clayton can’t complain. In fact, he didn’t complain one bit. He gobbled them up and went for seconds. WINNING!
For a vegetarian dish with all of the Tikka Masala flavor, try my Tikka Masala Lentils!
Spicy Chicken Tikka Tacos
Ingredients
For the Chicken Tikka Taco Meat:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced small (or 1/2 medium onion)
- 2 lbs ground chicken breast
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1.5 tsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (use 1/4 tsp. for mild, and omit if you don't like spice)
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 [13.5-ounce] can unsweetened coconut milk
For Serving:
- 8-10 flour tortillas I like Siete Foods grain-free Cassava Tortillas (*see notes for Whole30 ideas)
- 1 cup english cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and sliced thin
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 small serrano pepper, very thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 cup baby arugula
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
Make the Chicken Tikka Meat Mixture:
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions, ground chicken, salt, pepper, garlic, and ginger and cook, breaking up the meat with the edge of a wooden spoon or spatula, until cooked through (or no longer pink), 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add in the spices (curry powder, cayenne, cinnamon, paprika, cumin, and turmeric) and continue to cook, stirring, and toast the spices until just fragrant, about 2 more minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and stir until well combined into the meat mixture. Pour in the coconut milk and stir until well combined and bring to a simmer.
- Cook, simmering and stirring occasionally, until the flavors combine and the sauce thickens a bit, 3 to 4 more minutes.
- Taste the meat mixture and add more salt, pepper, or cayenne, to taste if desired!
Serve the Tacos:
- Serve the tikka mixture in warm tortillas with a little arugula, sliced cucumbers, cilantro, sliced serranos (if using) and a wedge of lime. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh wow, these are so good! I’m not a huge ground meat eater, so in case you wondered, like I did, how they’d turn out using whole chicken breasts..the answer is amazing haha I mixed the oil and spices together to serve as a “marinade” and pounded the breasts to an even thickness. Coated them in the marinade and let them sit a bit (I browned the onions in the meantime). Then sautéed the breasts whole in a skillet until browned on both sides and cooked through. I removed them, let them sit a few minutes, sliced them and returned the slices to the skillet with the coconut milk for a minute or two. I didn’t have the tomato paste, and they were good without, but I’m sure would be amazing with it. Served with naan. This is a keeper! 🤤 Thank you!
Hi Alex! Where do you put the cinnamon in this recipe? It is in the ingredient list but not in the steps. Thanks!! 🙂
Sorry about that error, I just edited the recipe to fix that! 🙂 Thank you!
Tonight was one of those “use what you have in the kitchen” kind of nights. I subbed in rotisserie chicken and it was delicious! And so easy! I also made mine as a lettuce wrap because, no tortillas 🙃. This recipe is one of our favorites.
lettuce wrap☠☠☠☠☠☠
This was so good! Will definitely make again on the regular! Definitely use the hit of lime juice. I forgot it and it needs that splash of acid. Addicting!
Glad you enjoyed, Kristine!
Easily my boyfriends favorite meal I make. He asks for it at least 1x a week. If we’re getting real decadent we’ll serve these in naan and woo boy kicks it up a notch.
Wowowow easily one of the best (and easiest) dishes. My husband and I are obsessed.
Can this recipe easily be halved?
absolutely!