by kevin.townsley
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my 2 recipes »
kevin.townsley's Notes:
Expand1 cup plain greek or whole milk yogurt Ask a question about this ingredient
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice Ask a question about this ingredient
2 teaspoons ground cumin Ask a question about this ingredient
2 teaspoons garam masala Ask a question about this ingredient
2 teaspoons cayenne Ask a question about this ingredient
3 grinds of fresh black pepper Ask a question about this ingredient
1 teaspoon salt or to taste Ask a question about this ingredient
8 whole cloves Ask a question about this ingredient
1 tablespoon ginger minced Ask a question about this ingredient
2 cloves of garlic minced Ask a question about this ingredient
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in 1.5 inch cubes Ask a question about this ingredient
3 tablespoons sunflower oil Ask a question about this ingredient
1 large onion cut into thin half wheels Ask a question about this ingredient
2 cloves of garlic finely minced Ask a question about this ingredient
2 serrano chilies roasted, seeded, and diced (optional) Ask a question about this ingredient
1 tablespoon ground cumin Ask a question about this ingredient
2 teaspoons paprika Ask a question about this ingredient
1 tablespoon garam masala Ask a question about this ingredient
salt and fresh black pepper to taste Ask a question about this ingredient
28oz can San Marzano whole peeled plum tomatoes, roughly chopped Ask a question about this ingredient
1 cup heavy cream Ask a question about this ingredient
fresh cilantro for garnish Ask a question about this ingredient
Evenly mix all of the marinade ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Ask a question about this stepFold in the chicken, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
Ask a question about this stepHeat the oil in a large casserole.
Ask a question about this stepWhen the oil is hot, turn the stove to medium and add the onion. Brown the onions until they are caramelized. This takes about 20 minutes of constant stirring, and you might get lazy and want to shortchange this step. Resist the temptation and do it properly. This is the most important step for bringing rich flavor to your sauce. Also, if you want a little more onion in the dish try adding a second smaller onion and cut it into larger wedges, This adds some nice textual variation to the dish.
Ask a question about this stepNext, add the garlic and chilies and sauté for 1-2 minute.
Ask a question about this stepNow add the cumin, paprika, and garam masala. Fry these spices with the onions for a minute to release their flavor. Add salt and pepper directly prior to adding tomatoes. This helps draw the flavor of the onions, spices, and tomatoes together.
Ask a question about this stepNext, add the chopped tomatoes and mix well. It is alright to add the juice contained within the tomatoes themselves, however, be very conservative with the remaining juice in the can. You may find you want to add a little for volume, and that's fine, however, if you add too much your sauce will be very watery.
Ask a question about this stepAfter the tomatoes have cooked with the spices for a few minutes add the heavy cream, thoroughly mix, and bring to a simmer. Stir occasionally.
Ask a question about this stepWhile the sauce is simmering, take the chicken out of the refrigerator, and place on wooden skewers.
Ask a question about this stepIf you feel like making the effort you can grill the chicken outside on a charcoal grill (using real wood charcoal). This is the best way. However, it adds a decent amount of time, and if you're cooking more than one dish, it can be a huge pain running in and out of the house. The other option is a stove top grill iron. Lightly coat the iron with oil, and once it is hot enough, cook the chicken skewers.
Ask a question about this stepOnce the chicken is fully cooked, take it off of the grill and put it to the side to cool for 8-10 minutes. This seals in the flavor and ensures the tenderness of the meat.
Ask a question about this stepBy now the sauce should have thickened nicely. Remove the chicken from the skewers and fold it into the sauce. Raise the heat slightly and stir for 2-3 minutes.
Ask a question about this stepRemove from heat, and serve over basmati rice. Garnish with some fresh cilantro. See my recipes for spicy creamy peas and vegetable korma, they make excellent side dishes.
Ask a question about this stepI apologize for the delay. I've been pretty busy with school, and putting recipes on here fell off my radar. I'll go ahead and put those two recipes on tonight, and since I have some time this week, I'll see about making them and getting some good pictures. It's hard to get people to try your dishes without pictures, so thank you for giving this one a shot!
Just a quick note. I specify San Marzano whole tomatoes for a reason. They are high quality, and the taste can't be matched. Some recipes call for tomato puree. I strongly recommend against that option. Puree is often made of poor quality tomatoes, and the taste overpowers the dish.
Dan is the founder of Kitchen Options
I made this and it was the best Chicken Tikka Masala I've ever tasted-- bracingly hot (my cayenne is super-strong) and all-around lovely. Where are those recipes for vegetable korma and spicy creamy peas? I checked your profile, but didn't see them linked.