Chicken Tikka Masala

INGREDIENTS

CHICKEN MARINADE (makes 6 servings):

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

• 1 cup whole milk yogurt (not greek)

• 1 TBS ginger, freshly grated

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tsp garam masala

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp coriander

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tsp cumin

• ½ tsp cayenne

• ½ tsp pepper

TIKKA MASALA:

• 1 can whole peeled tomatoes (28 oz can)

• 3 TBS tomato paste

• 1 small white onion, finely chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tsp ginger, freshly grated

• 1 TBS garam masala

• 1 tsp chili powder

• 1 tsp coriander

• 1 tsp turmeric

• ½ tsp cayenne

• ⅛ tsp cardamon

• 1 cup heavy cream

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 3 TBS canola oil

RAITA YOGURT SAUCE:

• 1 cup whole milk yogurt (not greek)

• 4 oz English cucumber (about ½ of cucumber)

• ¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped

• ½ tsp cumin

GO FOR IT

CHICKEN MARINADE:

1. In a bowl, whisk together spices, then mix in yogurt and stir well until all combined

2. Cut chicken breasts in half, make deep cuts all over, then mix into yogurt marinade and refrigerate 4-6 hours (or overnight)

TIKKA MASALA:

1. In a large pan or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat, the stir in tomato paste and onion and cook about 10 minutes, or until onion is soft

2. Add in garlic, ginger, and spices and stir everything together for an additional 1-2 minutes

3. Add in whole canned tomatoes with juices, crushing tomatoes with your hand as they go in (careful not to squirt tomato juice all over the kitchen - use a masher if you prefer)

4. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover partially for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally as sauce thickens

5. As sauce simmers, pre-heat broiler and remove chicken from refrigerator

6. Wipe as much marinade off chicken as possible (doesn’t need to be completely dry), season with salt and pepper, and place on baking sheet under broiler for about 12 minutes, flipping half way through, until chicken is mostly cooked and browned

7. As chicken is broiling, be sure to keep an eye on your sauce and once tomato sauce has been simmering for 15 minutes, stir in heavy cream, then continue simmering additional 10 minutes(begin occasionally tasting and adding salt and pepper to your preference)

8. As sauce continues to simmer and thicken, cut your chicken into 1-2 inch cubes

9. When cream sauce has simmered those additional 10 minutes, add in chicken cubes and simmer for 10 more minutes, stirring frequently

10. Add more salt and pepper if necessary, and serve alongside rice, naan bread, and raita yogurt sauce if desired

RAITA YOGURT SAUCE:

1. Grate cucumber on coarse are of grater

2. Squeeze with cheese cloth or paper towel to remove most of excess liquid

3. In a bowl, stir together yogurt, grated cucumber, cilantro, and cumin

NOTES:

I didn’t make this too spicy but I do like a kick of heat. If you want to go a bit more mild then simply hold back on the cayenne pepper. If you want more heat you can also feel free to add a couple chiles de árbols, crushed red pepper flakes, or more cayenne pepper.

You also have the option to add more cream. I find most take-out tikka masala dishes to be a bit too creamy for my taste so this is probably very light in comparison to what you might enjoy. Give everything a taste with 1 cup of cream stirred in. If you want more then you can slowly add more (up to 1 more cup) until you hit the right level of creaminess for you.

You also don’t need to make the yogurt sauce but every Indian meal I’ve ever enjoyed has come with multiple sauces to add into your dish. This yogurt sauce is very easy to make but I also enjoy a good green or mango chutney.