Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala
**kids didn't like!**
(adapted from allrecipes.com, photo from flickr)


Marinade:

• 1 cup yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I used 1 t. garam masala instead)
  
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (I used only a dash-it's already spicy enough!)
  
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper (I cut half a teaspoon)
  
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (I used a dash of ground ginger)
  
• 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 4 long skewers (naah...though probably would taste great!)
  

Sauce:

• 1 jalepeno, chopped fine (I skipped)
  
• 1 T. butter
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (I used 1/2 t. garlic powder)
  
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 3 t. garam masala
• 1/2 t. salt
  
• 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1 can coconut milk
  
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (we skipped)
  

1. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, and ginger. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Preheat a grill for high heat. Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side (I put in the crock pot covered in above marinade to save time and loved it).
3. Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute.
4. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, and garam masala.
5. Stir in tomato sauce and coconut milk.
6. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.
7. Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve with rice. Feeds 4 hungry adults.

This was a lot like the Crock Pot Indian Chicken I posted a few weeks ago but this is richer and creamier and just a bit longer to make. We had always thought curry was in all Indian food but not this one or the last one I made. Russell loved this, and I thought the flavors were exotic and fun too. But he loved it. He is definitely on a big Indian kick right now. I used the reviews on this recipe from allrecipes to create the right recipe for us, and we were pleased! I still love the Yellow Curry Chicken best, but Russell says this and the YCC both tie for 1st place.

Though the list of ingredients seem long, this really didn't take that long to make. The crock pot did the work, and the yogurt marinade made it really tender and flavorful.