Chicken Tikka Masala

I make this a little saucier, a little less salty and with more zing. Tikka, as it is called in our house, is a staple in our menu. I like to add approximately 2 cups of chopped fresh vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, chard or zucchini are great) with the meat at the end. One dish wonder. My husband will usually grill the chicken while I work on the sauce and our timing is usually almost perfect. He is done as I am ready to add it to the sauce.

This is not diet fare and I have tried it with half and half, the results are not the same. Sometimes we have to sacrifice our waistlines for immensely delicious flavors. This is also why we eat this about once a month instead of weekly. Eat roasted veggies the next night with a salad.

My girlfriend taught me a little trick to make your rice irresistible. Replace one cup of water or broth with a can of coconut milk. Uh huh.


Chicken Tikka Masala
original recipe from AllRecipes.com...thanks to Anna for introducing us to it.

Prep Time: 30 Min
Cook Time: 50 Min
Ready In: 2 Hrs 20 Min

6 servings

Ingredients

The Marinade:
1 1/2 cup yogurt
1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
4 long skewers

The Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped
4 teaspoons ground cumin
4 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

The Marinade:
In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and salt. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour. You can prepare the night before and leave in refrigerator.

The Grill:
Preheat a grill for high heat.
Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side. Get the edges a little charred, this adds wonderful flavor to the dish.

The Sauce:
Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeños for 1 minute. Season with cumin, paprika, and salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. DO NOT REDUCE TOO MUCH! Add grilled chicken, (and veggies) and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve immediately over rice. Make enough for leftovers!

Suggestions from Sharalyn:
 I used dried ginger instead of fresh. Also, I add a bit of sugar to cut the bitterness of the tomatoes. And I add garam masala and a tiny bit of curry powder.

No access to photos right now...coming soon!

Wow...it's January

To quote one of my friends, "Beef, it's what's for dinner". We have the salmon and beef covered and we will be receiving a 1/4 of a pig in about 3 weeks, but the chicken front is dry. I am CRAVING it! I have been buying organic once a week. It is from Washington, so that's good, but it still doesn't feel right. This is one area I have to work on. For those cold winter nights this Chicken and Dumplings recipe will warm you right down to your toes. And while we are on the chicken note, can you tell I have been obsessing? This is the recipe my girlfriend made for us a couple of weeks ago and we SWEAR it is by far one of the best things we have EVER tasted. Chicken Tikka Masala my advice on this one is to double the recipe. We added in some partially steamed broccoli and MAN was it good. Ok, enough of the chicken and on to the hills and valleys of eating close to home.

I can firmly say that I am proud that I have not purchased a single tomato since the last one I bought at the local farmer's market. That isn't to say we haven't had canned toms or spaghetti sauce, we have. But man oh man, this is the tough part.

Next summer I am going to make sauce like nobody's business. There really isn't anything better than the real deal.

We are becoming lovers of carrots and parsnips. That is about the range of our vegetable consumption. There have been a few treats here and there like a cucumber for our raita and an avocado (MAJOR splurge) for our bbq'd steak we had one night. We buy Washington grown lettuce that is organic and have it with sunflower seeds and carrots or apples. But I think the big difference, is that we think before we buy. I bought bananas once when my kiddo was sick and because that is what he was requesting. As a mom, you are going to do these things when your kid is sick and the request isn't for something outrageous. Maybe even then. You know what I am saying.

The fun thing is that our CSA squash is still holding on. Last week we had some wonderful Butternut Squash Tacos with Black Beans. They were a major hit with the whole crowd and my kiddo had fun making corn tortillas. Since my loving husband was in charge of this portion of the festivities, he did not love it as much. To be honest, I think that made me love it more. Did I mention that he had never made them before and I put him in charge of the whole process AND two 2 year olds. Hee hee. I had a grand ol' time working on the rest and watching that little vein on his forehead dance. Love you sweetie.

So it has been a long time since I have been here, but now the fun begins. The seed catalogs should start coming in and we get to plan the garden for next year. This is exciting stuff! I will be meeting with some girlfriends to discuss our plans and to see what we can share amongst our crops all over a glass of wine. This is living folks. This is living.