CTM... You Make My Day!

I was never really a fan of spicy food until I met my husband, and seeing that a lot of Indian food is generally spicy, I was never really a fan… until a few years back when I met Chicken Tikka Masala, nom nom! And now, every time I go to an Indian restaurant, which isn’t THAT often, no fail, I will order Chicken Tikka Masala + Garlic Naan. When I’ve gone to buffets, I’ve had Tandoori Chicken, Lamb Vindaloo, Saag Paneer… but of course, I am not satisfied until I get my Chicken Tikka Masala. So I figured, since I LOVE this dish so much, why not try and make it?? And lucky for me, my favorite online recipe site, allrecipes.com, had a 4.5/5 rated Chicken Tikka Masala recipe posted, and let me tell you, it is WORTH a try, a la mode promise! The recipe below has been adapted because I chose not to grill it, but rather just mix it in a saucepan.

Chicken Marinade Ingredients

1 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
4 teaspoons salt, or to taste
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

Sauce Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
3 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and 4 teaspoons salt. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, and 3 teaspoons salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes.