Best Chicken Tikka Masala (Restaurant Style)
Ingredients
Marinade:
- 2 large boneless and skinless chicken breasts diced, about 1.5 pounds
- 1 cup plain full-fat yogurt or compliant plant-based yogurt if on Whole30, see note
- 1 teaspoons turmeric
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (about half a lemon)
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried ginger
For the sauce:
- 4 tablespoons ghee or butter (1/4 cup)
- 1 medium white onion diced
- 1-2 serrano chiles minced, see note for heat level
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger grated
- 3 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 green bell pepper deseeded and sliced into strips
- 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
- lots of salt to taste
- 2 cups coconut cream or half and half, or heavy cream, See Note
For serving:
- basmati rice or cauliflower rice
- naan if you're not paleo or on a Whole30
- fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
- Combine all marinade ingredients besides chicken (omitting yogurt if paleo or on a Whole30) in a medium bowl and stir well. Add chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, up to overnight.
Make the Sauce
- Heat the ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add serrano chiles, garlic, ginger, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until a nice toffee color, about 20 minutes, adding a few drops of water here and there if drying out and sticking. Add garam masala and paprika and stir well. Cook until fragrant, a few minutes, adding a couple of tablespoons of water if necessary to reduce sticking.
- Stir in the tomato sauce then transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Return the sauce to your skillet. Add sliced bell pepper, fenugreek, and salt.
- Meanwhile, cook the chicken. Preheat broiler and place a wire rack over a baking sheet. Place chicken pieces on top of the rack. Broil, turning occasionally until browned in spots and cooked through, about 8 minutes total.
- Simmer for 30 minutes on medium-low heat or until thick and more like a paste than a sauce. Add the can of coconut milk and stir until very smooth. Taste and correct seasonings. Add chicken, stir well, and serve over basmati or cauliflower rice and naan, if that fits into your diet. Top with plenty of chopped cilantro.
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