Weeknight Chicken Tikka Masala
For the marinade:
¼ cup plain yogurt (Greek or regular)
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons fresh ginger
3 chicken breasts, cut into 1½ inch cubes
¾ cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons paprika
1½ teaspoons coriander
1½ teaspoons cumin
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (or cinnamon)
¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon sriracha (optional) (or dash cayenne)
¼ cup tomato paste
1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
3 tablespoons heavy cream (or ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt)
Chopped cilantro, for garnish
Lime wedges, for garnish
In a medium bowl, whisk together all the marinade ingredients, and stir in the chicken cubes to coat. Let sit for at least 10 minutes or refrigerate up to a few hours.
In a large heavy sauce pan, cook the onion in half the oil over medium high heat until onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and stir. Add in the dry spices and stir with a wooden spoon until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sriracha and tomato paste and cook until tomato paste has deep color and aroma, stirring, about 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and bring to a simmer.
Meanwhile, in a large nonstick saute pan, heat the remaining oil over medium high heat and brown the chicken (remove any excess marinade). Cook the chicken on all sides until golden - it will not be fully cooked in center.
Pour the chicken cubes into the bubbling sauce, add between ⅓ to ¾ cup water and let it all cook together for 10 minutes, or up to 30 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the heavy cream or Greek yogurt and serve with chopped cilantro and lime for garnish.
Serves 4
Nutrition information per serving: 261 calories; 98 calories from fat; 11 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 81 mg cholesterol; 436 mg sodium; 18 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 9 g sugar; 24 g protein.
Melissa d'Arabian