Best Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe (Rich & Creamy Sauce)

INGREDIENTS

Marinating Chicken:

• 1 pound boneless skinless fresh chicken breasts
• 7 ounces plain 2% fat greek yogurt (I use the Fage brand; do not use regular yogurt)
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Sauce:

• 15 ounces canned unsalted plain tomato sauce (not pasta sauce)
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 teaspoons garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne (this yields medium spiciness, and can be substituted with 1 diced jalapeño with seeds removed)

Serving:

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Trim off excess fat, if any. Cut them into bite-sized chunks, about 1/2 to 1 inch in size.
2. In a large bowl, stir together all marinade ingredients except the chicken, until well-mixed. Add chicken chunks and mix until well-coated with the marinade; the marinade should be thick, not thin or watery. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
3. Heat a large nonstick pan over high heat (I use a 10-inch wide and 3-inch tall nonstick pan) until very hot, no oil needed. Add only half of the yogurt-covered chicken chunks, spreading them out in the pan. Cook for a few minutes until they are golden brown and a bit charred, frequently stirring and flipping the chicken to sear different sides (tongs are useful for this).
4. Once the chicken chunks are seared, transfer them to a large plate. Repeat the searing process with the remaining half of the chicken chunks. Doing this in 2 batches prevents the pan from cooling too much, resulting in a better sear.
5. Reduce to medium heat. Add all sauce ingredients to the now-empty pan, stirring for a minute until mixed. Add seared chicken chunks without pan drippings and submerge them into the sauce; no need to stir. Bring to a simmer.
6. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and decreasing the heat as needed to maintain a light simmer. After simmering, the chicken should be cooked through and the sauce slightly thickened and orange.
7. Turn off the heat. Serve into bowls, and garnish with chopped cilantro.

This Recipe adapted from >>>> Click Here