Butter chicken and tikka masala are two of the most well-known and well-loved Indian dishes. Although there are many similarities between them, there are also quite a few differences that set these two recipes apart. If you're trying to decide between butter chicken vs. tikka masala, we'll help you understand the difference between these two dishes.
Both butter chicken and tikka masala include chicken marinated in a delicious sauce, but there are some significant differences in their ingredients and how they're made. While butter chicken comes with a creamy sauce, the sauce in tikka masala is a tangier and savory tomato sauce. Butter chicken is also usually more mild while tikka masala is a spicier dish.
Let's take a closer look at both dishes so you can decide which one you'd like to try next time you're in the mood for Indian food.
Both butter chicken and tikka masala are popular dishes in Indian cuisine. Like many Indian dishes, it may be difficult to tell butter chicken and tikka masala apart unless you've tried them both before and are familiar with their unique flavors. Despite their similar ingredients, there are numerous differences between them.
The biggest difference in butter chicken vs. tikka masala is the sauce. Butter chicken has a creamy sauce that includes butter and milk. Sometimes, coconut milk is used, but recipes vary. Tikka masala, on the other hand, has a chunkier tomato-based sauce. The sauce in butter chicken is also pureed or blended, giving it a smooth and creamy texture. Tikka masala sauce, on the other hand, is left as is, leading to a thicker and chunkier texture.
You'll find the list of ingredients between the two dishes is relatively similar, but the spices will vary depending on where you order it from or how it's made. Butter chicken is relatively mild in spice compared to tikki masala. If spicy food isn't your favorite, you may enjoy a milder dish like butter chicken.
Butter chicken is a popular dish in Indian cuisine that, as the name suggests, includes a serving of butter. However, some say that when the original Indian dish was created, the "butter" was meant to refer to the smooth texture of the sauce, not the addition of butter.
This dish is also known as murgh makhani and originally came from New Delhi, India. Butter chicken is prepared by first marinating chicken in lemon juice, yogurt, and spices. The chicken can be grilled, seared, or baked, and is served in a creamy, buttery, tomato sauce.
Although it may not be the healthiest dish, butter chicken is a delicious chicken dish with mild spices. The spices may vary, but they usually include a combination of cumin, coriander, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, garam masala, pepper, and fenugreek. Compared to other Indian dishes like tikka masala, the spices are relatively muted, especially with the addition of butter and cream in the sauce. This is the perfect go-to for those who prefer milder spices than traditional Indian cuisine.
Tikka Masala is another popular Indian dish that has many similarities to butter chicken such as roasted chicken and yogurt-based sauce. Like many Indian dishes, the color of the sauce comes from a blend of spices that typically include turmeric, pepper, cumin, coriander, and cardamom.
The sauce of tikka masala is a yogurt-based type of gravy that isn't as creamy as the sauce of butter chicken. Although tikka masala is an Indian dish, it was actually the British who added the gravy-like sauce to the original recipe. In fact, it was voted the most popular dish in the UK at one point and even considered Britain's national dish.
Since then, Chinese stir fry has made it to the top of the list, but tikka masala is still a close second. It's not surprising that tikka masala is such a popular dish worldwide with its mildly spicy and earthy flavors.
When you search for tikka masala recipes, you might find some for chicken tikka. Despite the similar name, chicken tikka and tikka masala are not the same. Chicken tikka is actually the name of the chicken used in tikka masala.
On its own, chicken tikka describes boneless chicken pieces marinated in a variety of spices and is typically served on skewers or as chicken tikka kebabs. Tikka masala is chicken tikka served in a tomato sauce with masala or a mix of spices.
While in the U.S., we may think of curry as a type of spice, it has a different meaning in the context of Indian cuisine. Curry, which comes from the word for sauce, is used to describe a type of dish that includes a sauce or gravy and is served with meat or vegetables. In many cases, it's served on a bed of rice as well.
Curry powder was actually a mixture of spices adapted by the British to mimic the spices found in Indian cuisine. In traditional Indian cuisine, a mixture of spices was referred to as masala and curry would refer to a specific dish that included a sauce with a mixture of spices. In this sense, both butter chicken and tikka masala are a type of curry.
There may be some variety in the healthiness of butter chicken and tikka masala depending on where you order them from or if you make them at home. When it comes to ordering the two dishes from a restaurant, tikka masala will usually have higher calories than butter chicken, but butter chicken may be higher in sodium.
Tikka masala is also usually higher in carbs, but this may vary depending on how the chicken is cooked. There are many recipes out there to cook both dishes at home. For a healthier version, you can use substitutes for the butter in butter chicken or cream in tikka masala. Both dishes are often served with a side of naan bread, but you can choose a side of vegetables for a healthier option.
The ingredients of butter chicken and tikka masala are similar, especially because they both include grilled or baked chicken marinated in a blend of spices. The difference in nutritional values of butter chicken vs. tikka masala is mainly due to the ingredients in their sauces.
Even though tikka masala sauce sometimes includes coconut cream or another similar fat, the sauce of butter chicken is much creamier with the addition of butter and the blending of the sauce. The amount of salt and other spices in each dish may vary.
Here's a look at the different nutritional values of the two dishes:
If you're a fan of Indian cuisine, you've likely tried butter chicken and tikka masala. You may have noticed that even though there are different flavors in the two dishes, there are many similarities as well.
Tikka masala and butter chicken are both chicken dishes, but the main difference is their sauce. Butter chicken has a buttery, yogurt-based sauce that is typically pureed to make it smooth and creamy. On the other hand, the sauce of tikka masala is more of a tomato gravy. Compared to butter chicken, it is thicker, chunkier, and spicier.
Next time you visit your favorite Indian restaurant, try one of these delicious dishes. Or, try our American-style butter chicken recipe!
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