Tasty Tuesday (in honor of Leslie's posting hiatus)

So, although I am a creature of habit, something I really get tired of the same ol', same ol'. And even though I have a husband who swears he'll eat anything I put in front of him, he is a little less than adventurous when it comes to food. So this leaves me trying to think of something different and yummy that he won't hate, and all of a sudden it hit me! Chicken Tikka Masala! It is to Indian food, what the California roll is to sushi - kind of the "gateway" food, if you will. Anybody who eats it likes it.

I figured I could "deheat" it a little by omitting the really hot stuff and give it a try. I also wasn't sure how it was going to taste without grilling the chicken, but I just broiled it on a broiler pan (lined the bottom with foil for easy cleanup) and it was a snap. And a plus is that I was only in the kitchen on an off for about 30 minutes. It is just as good as any Indian restaurant and just has fabulous flavor. Richard loved it too and that was a plus. I will list the recipe as it should be made, and I've noted my small changes as well. We at it with a salad and served it over rice. If you want to be really authentic, buy some naan and have that too - YUMM!!!!

Chicken Tikka Masala

1 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
salt to taste (I just put one little pinch of sea salt)
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces (I use 4)
4 long skewers (I didn't use skewers - just put atop a broiler pan)
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1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (Omitted this one totally for the less hot version)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
3 teaspoons salt, or to taste (just a pinch or in my opinion it is too salty)
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream (I used half and half because it is what I had on hand and then added a little yogurt to thicken the sauce since half and half doesn't thicken quite like cream)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (omitted this because I just didn't want to buy it just for this)

1. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and 4 teaspoons salt. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour (or up to 24)
2. Preheat a grill for high heat, lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side (it was nasty and cold last night, so I just put my oven rack in the middle and broiled the chicken for about 8-10 minutes)
4. Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, and 3 teaspoons salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro.

I really urge you to try it, it is quite yummy and really easy. I'm really looking into a way of doing this in the crock pot, but I'm afraid it's just not a "crock pot" kinda recipe. :-(