Weeknight Chicken Tikka Masala

Indian food is more elusive than Thai. It’s harder to get “that restaurant somethin-somethin” – especially if you’re trying to keep it real by not using tons of ghee and heavy cream!

I have the “Best Ever Curry Cookbook” by Mridula Baljekar. It’s packed full of recipes and info about Indian and Southeast Asian cooking. The times I have tried to follow recipes exactly it’s taken me most of the day – so I’ve sort of been in the market for an easier version of Chicken Tikka Masala. The essential elements of this classic dish are a yogurt marinade, grilling the chicken, and a creamy sauce. I had bookmarked a recipe recommended by Posie Gets Cozy (one of my favorite blogs ever) and decided to take elements from the cookbook and the online recipe and come up with a lower-fat version I could make on a weeknight. Here’s what I came up with… It’s delicious served over plain rice or my adapted pulao.

Chicken Tikka Masala (serves 4)
Adapted from allrecipes.com and Best Ever Curry Cookbook by Mridula Baljekar

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 T butter or oil
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch chunk ginger, minced
1 t cumin
1 t coriander
1/2 t turmeric
1/2 paprika
2 t garam masala
1/4 t cayenne
2 T ground almonds (almond butter)
8 oz tomato sauce
Juice of 1 lime or small lemon
1 c. yogurt
2 T chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil or butter in a large skillet with a lid. Sizzle the chicken until it is opaque. Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, garam masala, and cayenne. Cook, stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant. Add a splash of water if things get too dry and start to stick to the pan. Stir in the ground almonds and tomato sauce. The nut paste will thicken the sauce significantly – add some water if it gets too thick but be cautious because the yogurt will add a lot of liquid later. Simmer gently 5 or 10 minutes, and keep warm while you’re working on other meal components. Then, before serving, stir in the lime juice, yogurt, and cilantro, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over rice with extra cilantro on top if desired.

Rice Cooker Pulao (serves 4)
Adapted from Best Ever Curry Cookbook by Mridula Baljekar

1 c Basmati rice
1 T vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
6 cardamom pods
4 cloves
1/2 t cumin seeds
1 carrot, diced
Pinch saffron
1/4 c milk
1-3/4 c water
salt & pepper
1/2 c cashews
1/2 c frozen peas
1/2 c frozen corn

In a small skillet, dry-toast the cashews over medium-low heat until they are lightly browned – remove and set aside. Heat the oil in the same skillet. Add the cumin seeds, cardamom pods, cloves, and bay leaves. When they are sizzling, add the onion and cook until it’s soft and translucent. Add the rice and cook and stir for a few minutes. Pour the milk into the rice cooker and stir in the saffron. Add the diced carrot, the rice and onion mixture, 1/2 t salt, and 1-3/4 cups water to the cooker. Stir briefly and start the rice cooker. When the rice has finished cooking, let it stand covered for 10 minutes. Place the peas and corn in a covered dish and transfer the cooked rice to the dish – stir to combine and thaw the peas and corn. Toss in the toasted cashews and season to taste with pepper and additional salt.