On Warm Bellies on a Snow Day (Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe)
My kids are picky.
I mean seriously picky.
A lot has to do with sensory processing issues, and the rest from sheer stubbornness I think. I really don’t understand it at all because as a kid I lived to try new foods. My brother and I would beg for octopus or artichokes. Things that I really didn’t know other kids didn’t want too.
One thing my picky kids do like is Indian Food. (Go figure.) I guess the vegetables are sometimes so well hidden or changed with spices that they forget they are there?
Anyway, we have had a long weekend compounded with a snow day and we were all bored of the same old food, so I decided to make Chicken Tikka Masala for lunch yesterday.
FYI, after a bit of research I realized that Indian Butter Chicken and Chicken Tikka Masala are actually the same thing, just in Butter Chicken the meat is usually left over and cut into cubes!
I came up with this recipe. I made it a bit on the un-spicy side because I wanted the younger three to enjoy it. (Also left out onions which most recipes have.) I love Penzey’s spices and order most of my spices from them online. Their Tandoori Spice worked really well in this dish because it had much of what I wanted and nothing extra: coriander, cumin, sweet paprika, garlic, ginger, cardomom, and saffron. *FOR A VEGETARIAN OPTION YOU COULD USE ROASTED POTATOES, SQUASH, OR CAULIFLOWER INSTEAD OF THE CHICKEN.
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| *And no I’m not sponsored by Penzey’s, but would love to be! 🙂 |
This is what I call “Chicken Quickka Tikka Masala.”
Chicken Tikka Masala
My version of Chicken Tikka Masala and/or Indian Butter Chicken.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 3 lbs boneless chicken cut into cubes I like thigh meat but breast is good too!
Marinade
- 1 cup plain yogurt I like Fage Greek Yogurt
- Sea Salt
- Pepper
- 1 clove garlic chopped and pressed
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Penzey's Tandoori Seasoning
Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons oil
- 4 Tablespoons Penzey's Tandoori Seasoning (more or less to taste)
- 2 teaspoons Paprika good quality
- 4 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 16 oz can chopped tomatoes
- 2 cups water
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 1 cup heavy cream (Can substitute with coconut cream)
- Kosher Sea Salt
- Pepper
Garnishes
- fresh cilantro, chopped
- Plain yogurt
Instructions
- Put cut meat into marinade and let sit overnight in refrigerator or at least while you cook the sauce and make the naan.
To make the sauce:
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the spices.
- Cook a minute or two until fragrant, then add 1 cup of water and tomato paste, stirring until well blended.
- Add chopped tomatoes and about a cup more water.
- Take off the heat and carefully puree in the blender.
- Put back in saucepan and simmer while meat cooks.
- When meat is almost done add cream, butter, and salt & pepper to sauce and stir and simmer until time to add the meat. (See meat instructions below.)
Meat:
- In a hot cast iron skillet with 2 Tablespoons of oil cook marinated meat over medium high heat.
- Stir frequently and cook until meat is thoroughly cooked.
- Place cooked meat in finished sauce and garnish with fresh cilantro and a dollop of yogurt.
- Serve with basmati rice and fresh naan!
It was really easy and turned out great! And best of all… EVERYONE ate it! *I don’t have a “go to” naan recipe yet. I just googled “naan” and made one. I’ll try and get a good one and post it later!
