Chicken Tikka Masala

This is what evenings look like around here.

When I first made Chicken Tikka Masala, I'd never had it. I had just discovered what is now one of my very favorite blogs, Posie Gets Cozy. The author shared this recipe and it looked delicious and I wanted to try it (her original post here). My kitchen was tiny at the time and I didn't have the grill it called for, so I used my pint-sized broiler instead. I don't know if this is what chicken tikka masala is supposed to taste like, but I love this. I've made this many times in the last six years and it's become one of my star recipes. I'm always in the mood for it. It's not a last-minute endeavor (count on a couple hours from start to finish) but it doesn't feel laborious.

This most recent night of making it made me realize I should probably write down my modifications to the original - it was way too spicy this time around. So below is my adaptation. This is 3 out of 4 stars on the heat scale, so feel free to use less cayenne if you're worried about the spiciness.

Chicken Tikka Masala
serves 4

for the marinade
1 c. yogurt (I usually have nonfat Greek on hand, which works great)
1 T. lemon juice
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. cayenne (or to taste - I've gone up to 2 tsp. and lived to tell the story)
2 tsp. freshly ground pepper (usually until I'm tired of grinding)
1 T. minced fresh ginger (I use my microplane and get through about an inch and a half of a ginger knob)
2 tsp. salt (though you can get away with less)
scant 2 lbs. chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
a bunch of skewers

for the sauce
1 T. butter
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, finely chopped (include a few seeds if you like extra spice)
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 c. heavy cream

for serving
rice
cilantro

Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl with the chicken, cover and refrigerate for an hour.

Cover a broiling pan (sheet pan is okay) with foil. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the garlic and jalapeno for a minute, then add the dry seasonings and let bloom for a minute. Stir in the tomato sauce and cream. Simmer over low heat while you prepare the chicken skewers.

Thread the chicken on skewers and place on the prepared pan and then under the broiler, until juices run clear - about 5 minutes per side. 

The sauce takes about 20 minutes to thicken, so I usually stick the chicken under the broiler after 10 minutes. Then add the cooked chicken to the sauce, simmer another 5 minutes together, then serve over rice with fresh cilantro.

Drink a good light beer with it, or as I discovered after my extra-spicy incident, a juicy red wine helps tame the spice.