Chicken Tikka Masala

If there’s one dish guaranteed to be on every Indian restaurant menu, it’s chicken tikka masala, which is composed of grilled chunks of chicken enveloped in a creamy spiced tomato sauce. 

ingredients

For the chicken:
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup plain whole-milk Greek-style yogurt
2 tablespoons oil, separated
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 large clove garlic, minced

For the sauce:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 large white onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Penzey’s New Curry
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger or ginger paste
1 1/2 cups canned tomato purée
1/2 cup half-and-half
3/4 cup water
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

preparation

Use a fork to prick the chicken breasts all over on both sides. Arrange the chicken breasts on a large sheet of plastic wrap, spacing them apart from one another, then cover with a second large sheet of plastic wrap. Using the smooth side of a meat mallet or a rolling pin, beat the chicken until the breasts are an even 1/2- to 3/4-inch thickness.

In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 tablespoon oil, lime juice, and garlic. Place chicken and marinade in a plastic bag, rubbing the marinade over the meat. Set the chicken aside while you make the sauce.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until light brown and caramelized, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium then stir in the curry spice and ginger. Add the tomato purée, water, half-and-half, salt, and pepper, and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce heat and gently simmer for about 5 minutes until slightly thickened.

While the sauce simmers, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Cook the chicken in two rounds, turning them to brown gently until chicken is cooked through, roughly 6 to 8 minutes. Chop into bite sized pieces and add the chicken to the sauce and heat through, stirring occasionally until desired consistency.

Serve over naan or with Indian rice.

yields

4 servings

source

Modified from Epicurious.

nutrition

Calories 551, Carbohydrates 16g, Fat 36g, Protein 43g, Sodium 727mg, Fiber 4g,