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    Tikka Masala Soup

    We took classic Indian chicken tikka masala and turned it into a soup that is the definition of cozy. Slurping encouraged.

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    speckled ceramic bowl of homemade tikka masala soup topped topped with fresh cilantro

    A Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe That’s Cozy as Your Favorite Pair of Socks

    Inspired by classic Indian chicken tikka masala, we dreamed up a soup recipe built around the iconic flavors of that dish. Say hello to a new weeknight favorite—chicken tikka masala soup! The warm and grounding flavors of garam masala, ginger, turmeric, cumin, and cinnamon infuse the tikka masala sauce-inspired soup base. Coconut milk adds a velvety texture to the broth without a adding any dairy, making it Whole30-approved. Add this easy, healthy soup recipe to your weekly dinner rotation and your family will thank you!

    white enamel pot of whole 30 approved tikka masala soup
    hands scooping chicken out of a pot of tikka masala soup with a wooden spoon

    What is Tikka Masala?

    Tikka masala is a classic Indian dish you’ve probably heard of before. Juicy pieces of chicken are simmered in a tomato and yogurt or cream-based sauce with a slew of fragrant spices added. Garam masala is a key competent to the recipe and while there are countless variations of this spice blend, it is known for his warming qualities. A few spices are nearly always included in this classic Indian spice blend—black pepper, dried chilies, cinnamon, cardamon, and coriander, which gives the tikka masala a warm, earthy flavor.

    bowl of tikka masala soup with a linen and two gold spoons

    How to Make Tikka Masala Soup

    This tikka masala soup comes together rather effortlessly and is truly, magically all the things—healthy, comforting and delicious.

    1. Make your kitchen smell heavenly by sautéing garlic and onion in coconut oil.
    2. Next, bloom the spices! This doesn’t mean planting them and waiting til spring. To “bloom” the spices means to warm the spices a bit over a relatively dry heat to awaken their fragrance. It’s often used in Indian cuisine, and this tikka masala soup is no exception, trust us on this one.
    3. Pour in chicken stock, coconut milk, and tomatoes. Inhale the intoxicating aroma as the soup simmers!
    4. Immersion blender, how we love you! Purée the soup until it’s lusciously creamy.
    5. Finish the tikka masala soup recipe with shredded chicken from a store-bought rotisserie chicken—our favorite weeknight chicken soup shortcut!
    speckled ceramic bowl of tikka masala soup topped with fresh cilantro
    hand dipping fresh naan into a bowl of healthy tikka masala soup

    Tools You’ll Need

    Four Comforting, Healthy Soup Recipes

    These favorite soup recipes are as comforting and healthy as this chicken tikka masala recipe.

    speckled ceramic bowl of tikka masala soup with a blue linen

    A Tikka Masala That Checks All the Boxes

    Whole 30 approved? Creamy, hearty and hot? Check and check. If you make this chicken tikka masala soup, be sure to post a picture to Instagram and tag @themodernproper and #themodernproper so we can celebrate your dinner win along with you. Happy eating!

    Related Recipes

    Tikka Masala Soup

    Originally published: October 17, 2015

    • Serves: 6
    • Prep Time:  5 min
    • Cook Time:  45 min
    • Calories: 325
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    Ingredients

    Method

    1. Heat coconut oil over med-high heat in a heavy soup pot. Sauté the onion for 4 minutes then add garlic for 3 more minutes. Add cayenne pepper, garam masala, ginger, cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon. Sauté for 3 minutes longer until spices are fragrant.
    2. Add to the pot, 2 cups of chicken stock, tomatoes and coconut milk. Simmer for 30 minutes.
    3. Using an immersion blender, or stand blender purée soup until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and add shredded chicken.

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories325
    • Protein19 g
    • Carbohydrates9 g
    • Total Fat19 g
    • Dietary Fiber3 g
    • Cholesterol79 mg
    • sodium806 mg
    • Total Sugars6 g

    Tikka Masala Soup

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

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    • Ken Silver

      Being that I serve tikka masala over basmati rice, I would add some cooked basmati rice to the soup also, giving it extra body.

      Would be delicious! Hope you enjoy!

    • Sharon K

      Can the soup be frozen?

      We haven't personally tried it yet but it should work fine! Hope you enjoy Sharon!

    • Donna Davie

      Can I use shrimp instead of chicken?

      We haven't tried that but it would probably be good. Let us know if you give it a shot!

    • Jane

      Can you add Spinach to it? Is like to add more vegetables

      Sure!

    • Deanna M

      Can you make this into a slow cooker recipe?

      Add all ingredients through tomatoes and cook on the HIGH setting for 4 hours or LOW setting for 8 hours. Stir in the coconut milk and then season to taste. Leave it in the slow cooker on low for another 30 minutes so that the coconut milk can come up to temp.

    • Kris

      Delicious and so easy to whip up! I made rolls to go with it, but naan would be amazing. I cut down the cayenne to 1/4 tsp to lessen the heat but still give it some pizazz. Used shredded turkey (good way to use up leftovers from Thanksgiving in a unique way).

      Yum! Yes, that's a great idea!

    • Anna

      Amazing!!! Will be making again…quick and easy and lots of flavor and spice!

      Thanks Anna!

    • Adrienne

      Love, love, love this beautiful, flavorful recipe! Thank you. Hope it’s not heresy, but after the immersion blender step, with the chicken I added a can of chick peas, a cup of frozen peas and a cup of diced cooked potato. Made it a 1 pot meal, more of a stew than a soup. The crowd went wild!

      So glad everyone loved it Adrienne, sounds like your additions were delicious!

    • Sophie White

      I just made this dish (with heavy alterations noted below) - but wow, this is so delicious, flavorful and warming.

      I wanted to add more nutrients. So I added diced sweet potatoes while it simmered, intending them to be larger pieces in the soup, but ended up just including them in the blender - making for a super creamy texture and added flavor that paired perfectly. I also added spinach at the end for some greens. It also didn’t have the heat that I like so I generously added red pepper flakes. In case anyone else has a similar palette!

      Thanks for yet another incredible dish.

      Thanks Sophie! We are so glad you loved it and we are happy you were able to change it to suit your palette perfectly, well done!

    • Val

      This soup is perfect exactly using this recipe. I liked the consistency of the soup and didn’t bother with the blender. Have made this 3 times now and won’t change a thing.

      Thanks Val, we are so happy you love it!