Chicken Tikka Masala

Recipe from Kiki

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, poked with a fork, and cut into large bite-sized chunks

Marinade
1 cup plain yogurt, whisked until smooth
3 Tbs Ginger-Garlic Paste (recipe below)
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Sauce
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 tablespoons ghee, clarified butter -OR- coconut oil (milk solids in butter tends to burn)
⅓ cup Ginger-Garlic Paste (recipe below)
2 Serrano peppers, minced (seeds removed if you don't want it spicy)
2 Tbs tomato paste
1 tsp garam masala
2 tsp paprika
8 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
1 to 2 cups water
Oil, for grilling
1 Tbs dried fenugreek leaves (opt)
½ cup heavy cream

For serving: Minced fresh cilantro, for garnish and jasmine rice, naan, or crusty piece of bread.

Ginger-Garlic Paste
½ cup cloves garlic, whole
½ cup fresh ginger, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices
¼ cup canola oil

Directions

Marinated Chicken

In a large bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Marinate at least 30 minutes, or in the refrigerator up to overnight.

Ginger-Garlic Paste

Throw the garlic, ginger, and canola oil in a mini-food processor and let it go until it forms a semi-smooth paste. There will still be tiny little pieces in there, but overall, it should resemble a paste.

Sauce

When you're ready to make the curry, place a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil and ghee. When melted, add the Ginger-Garlic Paste and serrano peppers. Saute until lightly browned around the edges. Add the tomato paste and cook until the tomato has darkened in color, about 3 minutes. Add the garam masala and the paprika and saute for about 1 minute to draw out their flavors.

Add the tomatoes, salt, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes. You may need more water depending on how much liquid the tomatoes give off.

Meanwhile, fire up your grill. When it is nice and hot, lightly brush it with oil. Place the chicken on the grill, shaking off some of the excess marinade. Cook until it's charred, about 2 minutes on each side. (Don't worry that the chicken will still be a little uncooked, it finishes cooking in the sauce).

Pour the sauce into a blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender, and process until smooth. Pour back into the skillet and bring back up to a boil. Add the chicken and fenugreek leaves, if using. Take the heat down to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the cream and stir through. Garnish with minced fresh cilantro, and serve over rice, with naan, or a crusty piece of bread!

Save what you don't use in a small glass jar. It should last in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks. It's a delicious addition to marinades, pasta sauces, stir-fry sauces, slow-cooker recipes, gravy etc. We always had a jar of this stuff in our fridge growing up