Chicken Lababdar Vs Tikka Masala Defined in Just 6 Facts

Chicken Lababdar Vs Tikka Masala Defined in Just 6 Facts

No matter how many times you add chicken dishes to your meal, you’ll never get bored of chicken’s juicy taste and soft texture. Out of thousands of famous chicken dishes in India, two of the most commonly ordered or made at home are chicken lababdar and chicken tikka masala. You must be wondering how these two are different from each other. Stay till the end, as we will be discussing “Chicken Lababdar vs Tikka Masala” by telling you about the most interesting 6 facts on these dishes. Let’s get started!

Introduction To Both Dishes

Chicken Tikka masala is a dish made with boneless pieces of chicken in gravy that is both sweet and sour. Usually, it’s pretty spicy, but you can always maintain the spice according to your preference. 

In Chicken tikka masala, “chicken tikka” is boneless chicken pieces that are marinated in a mix of spices, and “masala” is the name of the sauce that goes with these pieces of chicken. 

People often order chicken tikka masala instead of any other chicken dish just because it is easier to eat. 

If we talk about chicken lababdar meaning, it is a rich Mughlai gravy made with chicken. It tastes similar to Butter Chicken, but it’s easier to make and doesn’t lose any of the flavors after being cooked. 

If you are a fan of Indian-style chicken gravy dishes, you must try chicken lababdar and chicken tikka masala. 

Most Indian gravies have a lot of creams, butter, or ghee in them. And that pretty much explains why most of those dishes are called makhani, tikka masalas, and do pyaza. Lababdar is also related to them. 

Lababdar means extremely rich, and Chicken Lababdar is definitely one of the richest Mughlai dishes. But it requires less preparation time. The best part is that you wouldn’t have to spend a long time slicing and cooking the onions. Just boil, blend, and sauté for 5 minutes. The last steps are also effortless and quick. 

By the way, did you know that chicken lababdar can also be called Murgh lababdar?

Two Unique Gravy Styles 

Both Chicken Lababdar vs Tikka Masala is gravy dishes. Where tikka masala is one of the spicy chicken dishes, chicken lababdar is more of a creamy dish. 

The gravy of chicken tikka masala is made from sauteed finely chopped onions and tomato puree base along with the necessary spices. 

On the other hand, the gravy of chicken lababdar is made by blending onions, tomatoes, and whole spices. Later on, the blended gravy is cooked along with sauteed onion and tomato. A lot of heavy creams, butter, and ghee are added to the lababdar gravy to make it taste creamy and rich. 

These two dishes can also be prepared with paneer: paneer lababdar vs paneer tikka masala.

Ingredients

One of the biggest differences between chicken lababdar vs chicken tikka masala is the ingredients used in both dishes. Here’s an individual list of ingredients for chicken tikka lababdar masala and chicken tikka masala: 

Chicken Tikka Masala 

  • Boneless chicken breast 
  • Hung curd
  • Chilli powder
  • Cumin powder 
  • Coriander powder
  • Salt
  • Turmeric
  • Ginger garlic paste
  • Green chilies (optional)
  • Onion
  • Tomato 
  • Water 

Chicken Lababdar

  • Chicken thigh or legs 
  • Red chili powder 
  • Turmeric powder 
  • Salt 
  • Lemon juice 
  • Ginger garlic paste 
  • Oil 
  • Curd 
  • Gram flour 
  • Mace 
  • Green cardamom 
  • Cloves 
  • Jeera
  • Bay leaf
  • Cinnamon stick
  • Black peppercorns 
  • Oil
  • Ghee
  • Butter
  • Fresh cream
  • Onion
  • Tomato 
  • Water 

Different Areas of Origin

Both Chicken Lababdar vs Tikka Masala comes from different places. 

The origin of chicken tikka masala is unknown. Some people believe that it was invented in the 1970s by a Bangladeshi chef in Glasgow, Scotland, who was trying to please a customer by adding a mild tomato-cream sauce to his chicken tikka. It’s more likely that it came from butter chicken, which is a meal that’s popular in northern India. Some commentators have referred to chicken tikka masala as the first example that was universally approved of the fusion food. 

The dish has acquired a significant amount of cultural importance in Britain. It is commonly referred to as the nation’s signature dish. 

On the other hand, chicken lababdar originated from the Mughal culinary tradition on the Indian subcontinent. This dish is a time-honored meal that can excite your visual and olfactory senses in addition to your taste receptors. A recipe that is somewhat spicy, highly fragrant, rich and creamy, and devilishly scrumptious – now that’s what we call a rich, authentic dish, don’t you think?

Nutritional Value 

If we talk about the nutritional value of Chicken Lababdar vs Tikka Masala, there are many differences. Here’s a table for better understanding: 

Nutrients (per serving)Chicken Tikka Masala Chicken Lababdar 
Total Calories 365 kcal248kcal 
Total Fat24g12g 
Total Carbohydrates 11g17g
Protein 28g18g
Cholesterol 125mg300mg

Different methods of preparation

Although the preparation methods of chicken tikka lababdar vs masala are somewhat similar, it might take a lesser amount of preparation time to cook chicken tikka masala as compared to chicken lababdar. 

Chicken Tikka Masala is a popular Indian dish in which Greek yogurt is used to give the sauce a rich, creamy texture and to help keep the curry from becoming too thick. It also adds an extra layer of flavor by bringing in some tangy spices that complement the curry.

The dish starts with a tomato base, which is then infused with spices like cinnamon, ginger, and garlic, before simmering until thickened. The sauce is finished off with cream and nuts for richness and depth of flavor.

This dish is traditionally served over basmati rice but tastes equally good served over quinoa or cauliflower rice if you’re looking for something different!

Here is the chicken tikka masala recipe by Chef Sanjyot Keer:

Chicken lababdar, on the other hand, is a dish made with chicken marinated in a special sauce. It is usually served with rice or roti. You can make this dish at home by cooking the marinated chicken and adding it to the gravy made of onion, tomatoes, basic spices, and lots of cream for texture. 

Check out our other comparison blog articles on chicken tikka masala vs tandoori chicken and chicken masala vs chicken tikka masala

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