Chicken tikka masala is one of the most popular Indian dishes, known for its rich and flavorful tomato-based sauce. But just how spicy is this popular curry dish? The answer depends on the recipe and prep methods used.
What is Chicken Tikka Masala?
Chicken tikka masala consists of tender pieces of boneless chicken thighs or breast marinated in spices and yogurt, then grilled or baked. The chicken is then simmered in a creamy, tomato-based Indian gravy called a masala sauce.
The sauce usually contains tomatoes, cream or coconut milk, spices like garam masala, cumin, coriander, chili peppers, and fresh cilantro. It has a rich, savory flavor with a little heat from the spices used.
How Spicy is Traditional Chicken Tikka Masala?
Authentic Indian chicken tikka masala can range from mildly spicy to moderately spicy on the Scoville scale depending on the recipe used. Here’s a look at the typical spice level:
- Green chili peppers: 500 to 1,000 Scoville heat units (SHU)
- Garam masala: 1,000 to 5,000 SHU
- Ground red chili powder: 15,000 to 30,000 SHU
- Crushed red pepper flakes: 2,500 to 10,000 SHU
So a traditional chicken tikka masala made with modest amounts of these ingredients would be around 1,000 to 5,000 SHU, putting it in the mildly to moderately spicy range.
By comparison, a jalapeño pepper ranges from 2,500 to 8,000 SHU. So traditional chicken tikka masala has a mild to moderate heat, less spicy than a jalapeño.
Factors that Impact Spiciness
There are several factors that impact how spicy any particular recipe for chicken tikka masala will be:
- Type and amount of spices used: More chili peppers and more heat-inducing spices like cayenne will make it spicier.
- Cooking method: Grilling or broiling the chicken adds char that makes it taste spicier.
- Marinating time: Letting the chicken marinate longer allows the spices to fully penetrate.
- Natural variation in chilis: The amount of capsaicin can vary, even between chilis of the same variety.
- Fresh vs. dried spices: Dried chilis and spices tend to be spicier than fresh.
- Individual taste preferences: Some people are more sensitive to heat than others.
So the spice level can vary depending on the specific ingredients and cooking techniques used in any given recipe. Let’s look at a few examples.
Spice Level in Different Recipes
Here is the estimated Scoville heat unit (SHU) range for chicken tikka masala made with different recipes and spice levels:
| Recipe Description | Estimated SHU Range |
|---|---|
| Mild, made with minimal spices like garam masala | 500 – 2,000 SHU |
| Moderate heat, with chili powder and cayenne | 1,500 – 5,000 SHU |
| Hotter version with extra chili peppers | 5,000 – 15,000 SHU |
As you can see, the SHU range can vary significantly. A mild chicken tikka masala has less heat than a jalapeño pepper, while a spicier version could be hotter than a jalapeño depending on how much chili pepper is used.
Mild Chicken Tikka Masala
A mild chicken tikka masala might only include garam masala, which generally ranges from 1,000 to 5,000 SHU. It may also have some paprika, turmeric, cumin, and coriander, which are not spicy.
So a mild version made without much hot chili pepper would be around 500 to 2,000 SHU – less spicy than a jalapeño.
Moderately Spicy Version
A moderately spicy chicken tikka masala might include cayenne pepper and ground red chili powder. Cayenne can reach 40,000 SHU but is often milder when ground. Red chili powder also varies but is often 15,000 to 30,000 SHU.
Used in moderation, these spices could bring the dish into the 1,500 to 5,000 SHU range. This would be moderately spicy, a little hotter than a jalapeño but still mild for people who enjoy some heat.
Very Spicy Chicken Tikka Masala
To make chicken tikka masala very spicy, just increase the amount of hot peppers used. Some recipes call for diced serrano or bird’s eye chilis, which can be 50,000 to 100,000 SHU or more. Others use a lot of cayenne or chili powder.
A generous amount of hot dried spices and chili peppers could make the dish reach 5,000 to 15,000 SHU. At this level, it would be considered spicy hot but still less than the peak heat of a habanero pepper.
Tips for Controlling Spice Level
You can control the spiciness of your chicken tikka masala a few different ways:
- Use less chili powder, cayenne, and other hot spices if you want it milder.
- Increase the amount of cream or coconut milk to tame the heat.
- Add diced tomatoes – the acidity helps balance out chili heat.
- Switch from dried to fresh chilis if the dried ones are too spicy.
- Serve with rice, naan or pita bread to help temper the burn.
- Have cooling raita, mint chutney or plain yogurt on hand to stir in if it gets too hot.
With a few simple adjustments, you can make the dish as mild or spicy as you prefer.
Conclusion
In summary, traditional chicken tikka masala generally ranges from 500 to 5,000 SHU, putting it in the mild to moderately spicy range. Exactly how hot it is depends on the specific recipe and amount of spices used.
A mild chicken tikka masala made with little chili pepper may be less than 2,000 SHU. A spicier version could reach up to 15,000 SHU by using extra amounts of cayenne, chili powder, or diced hot peppers like serranos.
But the spice level can be adjusted by how much heat-inducing spices you use. So while chicken tikka masala has a reputation for being mildly spicy, you can turn up the heat if you want an extra fiery version of this classic Indian dish.