Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala - Adapted from Aartie Party

Those of you who know me, know I make a lot of chicken dishes.  I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts in this dish rather than chicken thighs, which is what the recipe calls for.  Don't get me wrong, I love the thigh meat also, but I didn't have any.  I did have plenty of boneless skinless chicken, so that is what I used. Some recipes don't taste as good if you use a different cut of meat, but this isn't one of them.  This recipe is mostly about the sauce, trust me.    I saw Aartie's Party on the Food Network and have been wanting to try Chicken Masala for awhile now and when I watched her make this recipe and it looked really good.  So, I put it on my short list.  I am also very lucky and live in an area that is a melting pot of sorts, with many ethnic grocers.  I love ethnic grocery stores, usually you can find great spices and condiments at half the price of regular grocery stores.   

This recipe seems rather long, but don't be put off by the length of it.  If you need to, watch the show on Video Deman or over on the Food Network, she gives you some tips that aren't in the written recipe.

Here's the receipe and my changes will be noted with an asterisk.

I served my dish with a simple side of basmati rice with cilantro and roasted asparagus.  Enjoy!

And thanks for stopping by ~

Chicken Tikka Masala

Recipe adapted from Aarti Sequeira

.Prep Time:20 minInactive Prep Time:30 min - Cook time 30 min,
Serves:
4 to 6 servings.Ingredients
Marinade:
•1 cup plain yogurt, whisked until smooth
•3 tablespoons Ginger-Garlic Paste, recipe follows (or 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger and 3 cloves garlic put through a garlic press or finely minced)
•1 teaspoon kosher salt
•1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
•
•1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, poked with a fork, and cut into large bite-sized chunks * I used three breast halves, cut into thirds
•
Sauce:
•2 teaspoons olive oil
•3 tablespoons butter
•1/3 cup Ginger-Garlic Paste, recipe follows (or 6 cloves garlic and 2-inch thumb ginger minced)
•2 serrano peppers, minced (seeds removed if you don't want it spicy)
•2 tablespoons tomato paste
•1 teaspoon garam masala
•2 teaspoons paprika
•8 Roma tomatoes, diced *I used a 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes with juices
•1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
•1 to 2 cups water  * I used 1 cup
•Oil, for grilling
•1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (optional) *Aarti said if you don't have this available to use a little Maple Syrup... interesting!
•1/2 cup heavy cream
•Minced fresh cilantro, for garnish
•Cooked rice, naan, or crusty piece of bread, for serving
Directions
For the marinade: In a large bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Marinate at least 30 minutes, or in the refrigerator up to overnight.


For the sauce: When you're ready to make the curry, place a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. When the butter has melted, add the Ginger-Garlic Paste and serrano peppers. Saute until lightly browned around the edges. Add the tomato paste and cook until the tomato has darkened in color, about 3 minutes. Add the garam masala and the paprika and saute for about 1 minute to draw out their flavors.


Add the tomatoes, salt, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes. You may need more water depending on how much liquid the tomatoes give off.


Meanwhile, fire up your grill. When it is nice and hot, lightly brush it with oil. Place the chicken on the grill, shaking off some of the excess marinade. Cook until it's charred, about 2 minutes on each side. (Don't worry that the chicken will still be a little uncooked, it finishes cooking in the sauce).  *I used my indoor grill pan and I would not do it this way again.  I will broil it, because I don't have access to an outdoor grill.


Pour the sauce into a blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender, and process until smooth. Pour back into the skillet and bring back up to a boil. Add the chicken and fenugreek leaves, if using. Take the heat down to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the cream and stir through. Garnish with minced fresh cilantro, and serve over rice, with naan, or a crusty piece of bread!

Ginger-Garlic Paste:
•1/2 cup cloves garlic, whole
•1/2 cup fresh ginger, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices
•1/4 cup canola oil
Throw the garlic, ginger, and canola oil in a mini-food processor and let it go until it forms a semi-smooth paste. There will still be tiny little pieces in there, but overall, it should resemble a paste.


Save what you don't use in a small glass jar. It should last in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks. It's a delicious addition to marinades, pasta sauces, stir fry sauces, slow-cooker recipes, gravy etc. We always had a jar of this stuff in our fridge growing up.