Tikka Time

After a hopefully brief month hiatus.....Trav and I have finally completed the much talked about Chicken Tikka Masala! He made it over summer and we've been talking about making it together ever since...this is however my first stray away from a Trader Joe's meal, you need special international cuisine ingredients to make the sauce complete...

 Ingredients:

Chicken:
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon table salt
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup plain yogurt (we used plain nonfat, works great!)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium garlic cloves
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger


Masala Sauce:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion (we used 2 small)

2 medium garlic cloves                                
2 teaspoons fresh ginger
1 fresh serrano chile
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro



We had two people to do each part of it, making it a lot easier, but never fear, you can create the magic by yourself as well!

(1) Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt. Dust and press the chicken breasts in the dry mixture till fully coated then plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. While it's chillin in the fridge, whisk yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger together

(2) While Trav did the chicken, I started the sauce. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat till it simmers, then dice the onion, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and de-seed and dice the chile


(3) Add onion and cook until golden (we let is sit for about 13 mins). Then add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala

-------- Should look like this ---------------------->


(4) After 3 minutes of simmering that mixture add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt then bring to boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes

(5) While sauce is simmering, set the oven to broil. Dip chicken into yogurt mixture and arrange on a foil covered baked sheet. Broil chicken for 20 minutes, flipping it half-way through.



(7) Let chicken rest for 5 minutes. While resting, stir cream into the sauce and let simmer.

(8) Cut chicken into pieces, turn off sauce heat, add chicken chunks and then the diced cilantro.


(9) Stir together and serve!!!














 
 The cooking, potentially living in San Francisco crew, Trav, Ju and Clare