Chicken Tikka Masala

So Shawn was away last night, and he’s not a huge fan of Indian food, so I took it as the perfect opportunity to try out the chicken tikka masala dish I had been wanting to try from Skinny Taste!

Here’s what you need:

• 2 tsp canola oil or you could use butter (I used butter)
• 1 small onion, minced (I used about half an onion)
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated (I used ground)
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
• 4 oz fat free yogurt
• 1/2 cup 1% milk (I used almond milk)
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1 tsp turmeric (optional – I didn’t use this)
• 1/2 tbsp chili powder
• salt to taste
• 16 oz (2 boneless) chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
• 4 tbsp fresh cilantro (I just used a little bit of fresh parsley)

• Cook the chicken in a greased pan until cooked through, about 10 minutes (set aside when finished)
• While chicken is cooking, heat oil or butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until golden.
• Add the crushed ginger, stir for a few minutes then add the garlic and cook another minute.
• Add cumin, garam masala, turmeric, chili powder, and salt; mix well until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in tomatoes, milk, and yogurt (*see note below on how to keep yogurt from curdling in the sauce)
• Add cooked chicken into the skillet and simmer sauce on low heat for about 10-15 minutes.
• Add some cilantro or parsley and serve over rice or with naan

* to prevent yogurt curdling, make sure the yogurt is room temperature and dump it into a separate bowl. Stir in about a half teaspoon of flour and then a couple tablespoons of the warm sauce into the yogurt until it is warmed, and then slowly stir the yogurt into the sauce.

My method of making it differs a little from the original recipe (the main difference being cooking the chicken first). It turned out SO delicious which was really unexpected because I wasn’t expecting much from it since it is a healthier version. Its not as creamy as real chicken tikka masala obviously, but it is pretty darn close and really yummy!