Chicken Tikka Masala Samosas

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Creamy chicken tikka masala is the filling for these flaky samosas.

Maneet Chauhan

Updated on July 20, 2023

Tested by

Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Maneet Chauhan's Chicken Tikka Masala Samosas — Photo: Matt Blair

Active Time:

40 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 30 mins

Servings:

Maneet Chauhan created these Chicken Tikka Masala Samosas for her son, Karma, as part of her family's Diwali celebration. The ginger-garlic paste, tandoori masala, and garam masala spice blends give the chicken a lot of flavor, while the creamy tomato sauce adds richness. These samosas are large, so feel free to cut them into smaller pieces if you prefer.

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Ingredients

For the Samosa Filling

½ cup plain, whole-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons store-bought ginger-garlic paste (available in Indian markets)
1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons tandoori masala
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
½ teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes

For the Tikka Masala Sauce

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons tandoori masala
1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
½ cup canned tomato puree, crushed tomatoes, or tomato sauce
1 teaspoon heavy cream
½ teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

For the Samosa Dough

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ajwain seeds
¼ cup ghee
⅔ cup water, plus more for shaping the dough

Directions

Make the Samosa Filling:

In a medium bowl, whisk yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, fenugreek leaves, cilantro, tandoori masala, turmeric, cumin powder, garam masala, and lemon juice. Add chicken to bowl, stir to coat with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
Preheat oven to broil with rack about 6 inches from heat source. Line a broiler-safe baking sheet with foil. Place chicken on prepared baking sheet and broil until edges char, 7 to 9 minutes. Let chicken cool. Shred or cut chicken into small pieces.

Make the Tikka Masala Sauce:

In a medium saucepan, heat butter over medium. Add tandoori masala and fenugreek leaves and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomato puree, cream, honey, salt, and cilantro. Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Transfer half of sauce (about 1/2 cup) to a bowl and set aside. Add shredded chicken to saucepan and stir to coat chicken with sauce. Let cool.

Make the Samosas:

Stir flour, salt, baking powder, and ajwain seeds together in a bowl. Add ghee and water, mix to form a dough. Cover and let rest 30 minutes.
Roll dough out into a 12-inch circle about 1/4 inch thick. Cut dough circle in half, down the center and brush edges of dough with water. Spoon half of the Samosa Filling on the bottom half of 1 piece of dough, then fold dough over to form a triangle. Press edges together to seal. Repeat with remaining dough and Samosa Filling.
In a deep, medium skillet, heat 3/4 inch oil to 350°F. Carefully place 1 samosa in oil, and fry until golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Use tongs and a spatula to turn samosa over, and cook on other side for another 5 minutes. Transfer samosa to a paper towel-lined rack. Fry remaining samosa. Cut each samosa in half and serve with reserved Tikka Masala sauce.