Chicken Tikka Masala

Some say that Chicken Tikka Masala is the national dish of the UK and invented in Glasgow during the 1970s.  Others say that it's a typical dish from the Mughal period in India. No matter where the dish originated, Chicken Tikka Masala has tons of flavor and is very easy to make.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsps ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsps cayenne pepper, or to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
4 teaspoons salt, or to taste
3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into large chunks
4 long skewers

1 tbsp. butter
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced (use less if you don't like it spicy)

2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsps paprika
salt, to taste
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream or half and half (I used a mixture of the two)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

In a large bowl, add yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and  salt. Add in chicken, toss and cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, up to 3 hours.

Preheat a grill or grill pan for high heat.

Spray grill grate or pan with cooking spray.  Discard the marinade and grill chicken until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side.

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, and  salt. Add in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes