Creative Meals for Today's Cook

Chicken Tikka Tacos

by

Chicken Tikka Tacos Leftovers are great, but I always like to transform the previous nights dinner into something new. Enter Chicken Tikka… Redux. I was home alone, Mr. HapaNom was in Belgium all week for a conference. So when I had a hankering for some Chicken Tikka Masala I had leftovers, a lot of leftovers, enough leftovers for several meals! Chicken Tikka Tacos I made Chicken Tikka Pizza – delicious! But I still had leftovers. Then it hit me – I’ll make Chicken Tikka Tacos! I included a few standard taco toppings – cilantro, onion, and jalapeños; though feel free to add whatever you like – tomatoes, avocados, perhaps even some basmati rice. Trying to keep the dish balanced with some more Indian flavors, I topped the tacos with Raita –  a cool yogurt sauce, this condiment pairs beautifully with bold and/or spicy flavors. As far as the vehicle to carry all of this incredible flavor, I chose chapati- a flat unleavened bread that when cooked properly, puffs up over heat and then flattens back out as it cools. It takes a little practice so don’t worry if it doesn’t quite puff like it should, it will still taste great! If however, making your own chapati is not in your cards, no worries! Simply use tortillas, or an alternative pliable flatbread such as lavash (most major grocery stores will carry this). Chicken Tikka Tacos You obviously don’t have to wait until you have leftovers to make this dish, so if you make it all at once I would suggest preparing the chapati before you start making the Chicken Tikka Masala, as the dough will need to rest for 30 minutes before you can roll it out. By the time the you’ve completed cooking the chicken, the chapati will be ready roll and cook on the stovetop.  

Save Print
Chicken Tikka Tacos
Author: 
Recipe type: Baking
Cuisine: English
Serves: 6 Tacos
 
Tender, juicy pieces of Chicken Tikka Masala topped with a creamy yogurt sauce, red onions, jalapeños, cilantro, all atop pillowy chapati.
Ingredients
  • Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe
  • Raita: (you can make this the night before if you like)
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • ½ English cucumber, seeded and finely chopped
  • ¼ cup red onion, small dice
  • 2 tablespoons mint, finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Chapati:*
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour, plus more for rolling
  • a large pinch of Kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • ½ cup water
  • ghee or vegetable spray, for cooking
  • Toppings:
  • ¼ red onion, sliced
  • 2 jalapeños, sliced
  • 1 small handful cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 1 lime
Instructions
  1. If you haven't already done so, make the Chicken Tikka Masala.
  2. In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the Raita. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
  3. To make the Chapati, add the flour and salt to a large bowl. Slowly add the water and oil while you gently mix with your other hand - moving around in a circular motion. As the dough begins to solidify, turn the dough out onto your work surface and knead until soft and smooth - the dough should still be slightly sticky. Cover with a clean tea towel and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
  4. Once you're ready to roll the chapati, divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Lightly flour your work surface. Roll each piece between your palms into a ball and then gently flatten with the palm of your hand. Using a rolling pin, roll out each disc into approximately 4-inch circles.
  5. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a ¼ teaspoon of ghee or spray with the vegetable oil. Working with one at a time, add the chapati to the hot pan. When small bubbles start to form, brush or spray the top and flip. It should start to puff up. When it inflates a bit more, flip again and gently press the air from the puffed sides into the flattened parts, until the entire chapati puffs up. (When the chapati puffs up, it becomes light and flaky on the inside. It takes some practice, so if this doesn't happen for you, don't worry - it will still taste great). Transfer the chapatis to a plate to cool.
  6. To assemble the 'tacos', add the chicken tikka masala to the chapati (or tortillas, if you're using those), top with the Raita, red onion, jalapeños, cilantro, and serve with a lime wedge. Enjoy!
Notes
I think the Chapati adds a nice element to the dish, but if you would prefer, you can buy corn/flour tortillas or naan en lieu of making the Chapati.
Tender, juicy pieces of Chicken Tikka Masala topped with a creamy yogurt sauce, red onions, jalapeños, cilantro, all atop pillowy chapati.

Comments

  1. Love this idea, Kathleen! Such a great way to repurpose leftover tikka masala. I always make a large batch anyway. Thanks for giving me the perfect dinner for a few nights this week!

    • Thanks, Marlene! Making a big batch of Chicken Tikka Masala is the only way to go! 🙂

  3. Oh YUM!! It’s Taco Tuesday today and I wish I had a big plate of these 🙂 Love chicken tikka masala and we usually have enough leftovers to do lunch the next day. So next time we have leftovers, I’m making tacos.

  6. This reminds me of a dish I always use to order at a restaurant, until they changed the menu and no longer made it, I was so disappointed. But this is great now I can use your recipe to make it at home! Thanks 🙂

  7. This is such a great idea, Kathleen … and especially using chapatis instead of tortillas. I LOVE chaptatis (and tikka masala … just sayin) and am very excited that you’ve provided me with a simple recipe. Your mister really missed out on this one … 🙂

    • Thanks, Helen! I don’t know what it is, I always seem to make some variation of chicken tikka masala when the hubby is out of town. Then he see’s it online and is like, wtf! 😉

  8. Your chapati look awesome Kathleen! I have only ever made flour tortillas for tacos but think I need to change it up and try these. And fusion food is the greatest, right?! Mexican + indian can only be a good thing, and the raita sound like the perfect complement to the spicy chicken tikka. Definitely saving!! X

    • Thanks so much! Ooo, see I have yet to make my own tortillas – definitely on my to-do list! And yes, I can’t get enough fusion food – LOVE it!

  9. Chicken tikka masala is the must-order dish for Bryan and I. I can’t believe I have never made it at home. I need to try your recipe. Since your recipe makes enough for 4 people, you know I will be making these tacos too! Love the tart and refreshing raita to balance out the rich tikka masala. Nommm… I am drooling right now.

  11. Loving your creativity! I just recently got completely hooked on chicken tikka masala…oh man – I don’t even want to tell you how many times a week I think to myself…that sounds good, tonight…hubby wouldn’t mind having it again… I have a feeling these tacos will have me doing the same thing… 🙂

    • Haha! I go through phases where I get totally stuck on a dish too! I’ll eat it every single day and not get bored! Hope you enjoy the dish in taco form too 🙂

    • Thanks, Whitni! I totally agree – tacos and pizza are my favorite ways to use up leftovers. Hope you have a great weekend!

  15. Left overs reinvented rock! You make your own chapati bread, that is quite impressive. I have always wanted to do that. These would be a huge hit in our house. Just pinned!

  16. This looks sooo yummy, Kathleen! As a Californian, I am a sucker for tacos, and these ones are no exception! I love that you used leftovers to create it; I hate wasting food. The toppings you chose are perfect, as is the lavash bread! I love using lavash for tacos and burritos – soo good! 🙂

    • I hate wasting food too! Ugh… I feel terrible every time I look in the back of my fridge and realize I didn’t eat something in time. And I totally agree about the tacos in CA – they’re incredible!

  18. OMG, Talk about Taco Tuesday HEAVEN on earth! These chicken tikka tacos are all sorts of fabulous! I love how you totally culinary tricked them out with homemade Chapati and Raita! Girl, you outdid yourself! These look so dang delicious I almost want to send Boy away to a conference so I can have loads of leftover chicken tikka and eat these tacos for days! 😉 I hope the Mr. is home now and you aren’t lonely! Pinned! Cheers lovely!
    P.S. He went to Belgium and you didn’t go with??! XO

    • Yes! We should send the guys away and have a ladies cooking/kitchen dance party!

      The hubs is back 🙂 I was going to go with him, but after our cross country move, I’m in ‘rebuilding savings mode’. Hopefully I’ll go on his next international trip.

    • Thanks, Sabrina! The chapati was really a lot of fun to make. Watching it puff up brings out the inner little girl in me – I just get such a kick out it!

    • Great! I think you’re really going to like them – it’s a fun way to use up those leftovers… if you have any 😉

  23. Kathleen, I love leftovers .. and love them more when you can make so many other dishes out of them! love these Chicken Tikka Tacos!!!! and Belgium?! wow, I’ve always wanted to visit!

    • Thanks, Alice! I’ve never been to Belgium either! I was going to tag along with my hubby, but after our big move I’ve been in ‘rebuilding savings mode’… maybe next trip 🙂

Trackbacks

Creative Commons License
Hapa Nom Nom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at hapanom.com.

Sharing Recipes

All images, recipes, and text on this site are my intellectual property and are protected under copyright. You are welcome to write about my recipe in your own words; however, please re-write the recipe and instructions and link back to Hapa Nom Nom as the original source. Thank you!
Subscribe
Get every new delicious dish delivered straight to your inbox!

Join other followers

Powered By WPFruits.com