Chicken Tikka Masala

When it was time to develop my Cauliflower Tikka Masala recipe, my husband looked at me and asked “where is the chicken”? I used the same Tikka Masala sauce, but added a yogurt marinated chicken. It is super flavorful and I know you will love it!

Ingredients:

Chicken:

1 1/3 lbs. organic chicken breasts or boneless, skinless thighs, cut into 1” cubes

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

2 Tbsp. minced garlic

1 Tbsp. minced ginger

1 ½ tsp. cumin seeds (or ¾ tsp. ground cumin)

½ tsp. ground coriander

½ tsp. garam masala

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. ground cayenne

2 Tbsp. non-dairy yogurt, plain, unsweetened

2 Tbsp. avocado oil

Sauce:

1 large yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)

1 ½ Tbsp. garlic, minced

1 ½ Tbsp. ginger, minced

2 tsp. garam masala + ½ tsp. more to add at end

2 tsp. ground coriander

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. ground turmeric

½ - 1 tsp. cayenne (depends on how hot you like it)

¼ tsp. ground cardamom

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 cup tomato puree

½ cup water

1 ½ tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. lemon juice

¾ cups cashew cream (1 cup of soaked cashews blended with 1 ½ cups water)

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1. Place chicken pieces in a large bowl. Rub with lemon juice and a healthy sprinkle of kosher salt. Marinate for 10 minutes in the refrigerator.

2. Meanwhile, place garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, garam masala, cayenne, yogurt and oil in the blender and process until smooth. Add this paste to the bowl of chicken and mix well. Marinate for 1 hour to overnight.

3. When you are ready, preheat grill. Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers. Grill over indirect heat for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is 165 degrees using an instant read thermometer.  Let chicken cool and remove from skewers. Set aside until sauce is prepared.

4. To make the sauce, heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Once hot, add 2 Tbsp. of avocado oil to pan and add onions, cooking until browning and caramelized (about 5-10 min). Turn down heat to medium low and add ginger and garlic, cooking until aromatic. Add the rest of the spices and sauté for a 1-2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and sauté for another 1-2 minutes (this removes the bitterness). Add the tomato puree, water, and salt and raise heat to bring sauce to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.

5. Add cashew cream. Using a stick blender, blend sauce, adding additional water if needed. Add ½ tsp. garam masala and kosher salt to taste.  Stir and add grilled chicken and chopped cilantro. Adjust seasoning as needed and serve.